Marilyn Monroe
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| − | '''Marilyn Monroe''' (1926-1962), born Norma Jean Mortensen | + | '''Marilyn Monroe''' (1926-1962), U.S. actress, born Norma Jean Mortensen |
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| + | <center>I am a professional genealogist. Contact me, if you'd like help in tracing your family tree, by clicking the below button.</center> | ||
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| + | <center>[http://www.countyhistorian.com/cecilweb/index.php/Rates_and_Hours http://i.keen.com/D1_cb-call-now-136x40_V5.gif]</center> | ||
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| + | This article should be cited as:<blockquote>"Marilyn Monroe", by Will Johnson, professional genealogist [mailto:wjhonson@aol.com wjhonson@aol.com], at CountyHistorian.com URL: http://www.countyhistorian.com/cecilweb/index.php/Marilyn_Monroe, copyright 2007-8, all rights reserved.</blockquote> | ||
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| + | This page is locked, if you'd like to add or correct anything, please email me. I am available for hire to assist you to trace your family or create a biography of you or your relative. I charge $25 per hour. | ||
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| + | This is the '''most''' complete, in-depth, and well-researched site on Marilyn's childhood online. (If I do say so myself.) | ||
If you enjoy the research done here, consider making a [http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=wjhonson@aol.com&amount=15.00&item_name=Marilyn_Monroe_Fund financial contribution] to keep research like this going. | If you enjoy the research done here, consider making a [http://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_xclick&business=wjhonson@aol.com&amount=15.00&item_name=Marilyn_Monroe_Fund financial contribution] to keep research like this going. | ||
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Gladys had been married first, at a young age, to Jasper Newton "Jap" Baker and had two children from this marriage. The family is living in 1920 in Los Angeles. On a visit back to Jasper's home-state of Kentucky, Gladys supposedly had a too-close relationship with Jasper's younger brother Audrey, for which Jasper beat Gladys. When they returned to California, she filed for divorce. | Gladys had been married first, at a young age, to Jasper Newton "Jap" Baker and had two children from this marriage. The family is living in 1920 in Los Angeles. On a visit back to Jasper's home-state of Kentucky, Gladys supposedly had a too-close relationship with Jasper's younger brother Audrey, for which Jasper beat Gladys. When they returned to California, she filed for divorce. | ||
| − | Jasper returned to [[Kentucky]] where he had been born, kidnapping the children in the process. For a short time, around this time, Gladys lived in Kentucky, but after another confrontation, she left for California, and would not see her daughter again, for twenty years. When Norma Jean was 19, she finally met her half-sister, the half-brother was already dead by this time. (see [http://www.monaraemiracle.com/work1.htm Mona Miracle's website]). | + | Jasper returned to [[Kentucky]] where he had been born, kidnapping the children in the process. For a short time, around this time, Gladys lived in Kentucky to be near her children, but after another confrontation, she left for California, and would not see her daughter again, for twenty years. When Norma Jean was 19, she finally met her half-sister, the half-brother was already dead by this time. (see [http://www.monaraemiracle.com/work1.htm Mona Miracle's website]). |
===Martin Mortensen=== | ===Martin Mortensen=== | ||
| − | Gladys next married to Martin Edward Mortensen (b 1897) on 11 Oct 1924 in Los Angeles, but seperated from him after several months, moving in with her good friend and co-worker Grace Atchison McKee, a divorced woman. | + | Gladys next married to Martin Edward Mortensen (b 1897) on 11 Oct 1924 in Los Angeles, but seperated from him after several months, moving in with her good friend and co-worker Grace Atchison McKee, a divorced woman who was also working at RKO. It's been reported that Martin was looking for a "good Christian woman" and Gladys was a bit too much of a party animal for him. |
| − | + | Norma Jean was born 1 Jun 1926, Gladys' divorce from Martin was not completed until 1927, but they were apparently seperated for some time before this, and Gladys was possibly dating other men, as reported by a few biographers. One theory is that Norma's real father was a married man named Stanley Gifford. Allegedly, Marilyn's mother told her this, but so far this statement is uncited. | |
| − | + | [[Shelley Winters]] who was at one time Marilyn's roommate relates this story<blockquote>"Marilyn told us how she had recently gotten a man's name from that orphan asylum. Her mother had listed a Mortensen as her biological father. The night she had finished ''The Asphalt Jungle'', after the wrap party...she called information in some place like Whittier, got the man's phone number and called it....She was convinced that this man was her biological father, and she explained to the man who she was....A drunken male voice responded, 'Listen you tramp, I have my own family, and I don't want anything to do with Hollywood bums. Don't you ever call me again." And he hung up.</blockquote> | |
| − | === | + | ===The Bolenders=== |
| + | When Norma Jean was a baby, her mother placed her in a child-care situation with Albert and Ida Bolender, apparently because Gladys had a hectic life-style and felt this would be a better situation for the baby. She paid them $25 a month for this. Norma's grandmother Della apparently lived nearby, but died Aug 1927. One biographer claims that Ida Bolender stated that Della "...died in a straitjacket." The truth might be a little more prosaic. In the only video interview of which I know, with Ida, she didn't say that. She did say that Della acted crazy one day and broke the window in or by their front door, and that they called the Sheriff about it. | ||
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| + | It's also confusing that apparently Gladys was living with the Bolenders as they are all reported together, in one house in the 1930 census. Some biographers has mistakeningly suggested that the Bolenders were a "foster family", but in today's terms we would call this "full-time child care", i.e. the child is being boarded while her mother works or perhaps cats-around but not fostered. "Foster parents" are paid by the state, not by the parents of the child. And certainly not while she is living with them. | ||
===Grace McKee=== | ===Grace McKee=== | ||
| − | When Norma Jean was young, her mother, working as a film cutter for RKO, had made enough money to afford a down-payment on a house in the fall of 1933 (see [http://books.google.com/books?id=tDDy91iuO4kC&pg=PT136&dq=%22grace+goddard%22&sig=ExZ5j2_jo3pfP7lBauQnTbxpaxg#PPT23,M1 ''My Sister Marilyn'', page 23]), and took Norma to live with her there. They had only lived there for a few months when Gladys apparently had some kind of psychotic episode. She was committed at first to a psychiatric hospital, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and Grace was made both guardian of Norma Jean and custodian of Glady's estate. The house and furnishings were sold off except for a piano which was held for Norma by Grace's aunt Ana. Norma also lived off-and-on with Grace and in a few foster homes. Gladys was later transferred to Agnews' State, where she resided, when she was finally released just as WWII was ending. | + | When Norma Jean was young, her mother, working as a film cutter for RKO, had made enough money to afford a down-payment on a house in the fall of 1933 (see [http://books.google.com/books?id=tDDy91iuO4kC&pg=PT136&dq=%22grace+goddard%22&sig=ExZ5j2_jo3pfP7lBauQnTbxpaxg#PPT23,M1 ''My Sister Marilyn'', page 23]), and took Norma to live with her there. They had only lived there for a few months when Gladys apparently had some kind of psychotic episode. She was committed at first to a psychiatric hospital, diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, and Grace was made both guardian of Norma Jean and custodian of Glady's estate. The house and furnishings were sold off except for a piano which was held for Norma by Grace's aunt Ana. Norma also lived off-and-on with Grace and in a few foster homes. Gladys was later transferred to Agnews' State psychiatric hospital, where she resided, when she was finally released just as WWII was ending. |
Evidently shortly after Grace married her last husband Ervin Silliman Goddard (1904-72), she sent Norma to the Los Angeles Orphans' Home from September 1935 to June 1937. Whatever caused this displacement must have later been corrected, as Grace took Norma back out of the orphanage at the end of this time. | Evidently shortly after Grace married her last husband Ervin Silliman Goddard (1904-72), she sent Norma to the Los Angeles Orphans' Home from September 1935 to June 1937. Whatever caused this displacement must have later been corrected, as Grace took Norma back out of the orphanage at the end of this time. | ||
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| + | Much later, at the time that [[Shelley Winters]] and Marilyn were roommates, the were just coming out of the Circle Theatre and Marilyn was staring at a building across the street. She whispered, "That's the orphan asylum I lived in most of my life. That's where my foster parents would ship me back to when they decided they didn't want me anymore." | ||
===Aside:The Goddard's=== | ===Aside:The Goddard's=== | ||
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===First marriage=== | ===First marriage=== | ||
| − | When Norma Jean was 15 she began dating 20-year-old James Dougherty. Doc's company was holding | + | When Norma Jean was 15 she began dating 20-year-old James "Jim" Dougherty. Doc's company was holding its Christmas dance Dec 1941, and Grace asked Jim who used to be their neighbor, to be Norma's date (see [http://books.google.com/books?id=tDDy91iuO4kC&pg=PT136&dq=%22grace+goddard%22&sig=ExZ5j2_jo3pfP7lBauQnTbxpaxg#PPT39,M1 ''My Sister Marilyn'', Page 39]). |
| − | Grace and Ervin were about to move to "...Huntington, West Virginia where Doc was being transferred..." (''Interview with James Dougherty'', 1964), and encouraged Norma to marry James Dougherty. Norma Jean married James on 19 Jun 1942 in Los Angeles. James | + | Grace and Ervin were about to move to "...Huntington, West Virginia where Doc was being transferred..." (''Interview with James Dougherty'', 1964), and encouraged Norma to marry James Dougherty. Norma Jean married James on 19 Jun 1942 in Los Angeles. James died in 2007, but just before his death, he wrote a book about his marriage to Marilyn Monroe. James and Norma moved to Catalina Island where they were living in 1944 and where "Jimmie" trained for the merchant marine. While he was away with the merchant marine, in the fighting during World War II, Marilyn took a job working at the Radioplane factory in Burbank, and moved in with his parents. It was at this job on 26 Jun 1945 where she was first commercially photographed for an article in ''YANK'' magazine. |
After encouragement from Grace, Norma and her half-sister Berniece (Baker) Miracle, began writing to each other and finally met when Norma was 19. Working together and with the help of "Glady's aunt Dora Graham in Oregon", they finally got Gladys released from Agnew's State psychiatric hospital. ([http://www.geocities.com/andrea_w6/thogan.html This site] states that Dora was [[#Della Mae Hogan|Della's]] sister.) Gladys lived in Oregon for about a year with Dora, then came to Los Angeles and lived with "Aunt Ana Lower" (Grace's aunt), and at times apparently with Grace and Ervin as well. | After encouragement from Grace, Norma and her half-sister Berniece (Baker) Miracle, began writing to each other and finally met when Norma was 19. Working together and with the help of "Glady's aunt Dora Graham in Oregon", they finally got Gladys released from Agnew's State psychiatric hospital. ([http://www.geocities.com/andrea_w6/thogan.html This site] states that Dora was [[#Della Mae Hogan|Della's]] sister.) Gladys lived in Oregon for about a year with Dora, then came to Los Angeles and lived with "Aunt Ana Lower" (Grace's aunt), and at times apparently with Grace and Ervin as well. | ||
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From that point forward, Norma started getting gigs for modeling. She and James drifted apart and finally divorced. James later became a gun instructor for the Los Angeles Police. In 1964 he gave an interview which is now posted on YouTube. | From that point forward, Norma started getting gigs for modeling. She and James drifted apart and finally divorced. James later became a gun instructor for the Los Angeles Police. In 1964 he gave an interview which is now posted on YouTube. | ||
| − | Although she was to take the stage-name "Marilyn Monroe", she did not legally change her name to "Marilyn Monroe" until much later, while in New York. | + | Although she was to take the stage-name "Marilyn Monroe", she did not legally change her name to "Marilyn Monroe" until much later, while in New York. |
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| + | Marilyn's last movie was ''The Misfits'' where she starred opposite Clark Cable and [[Montgomery Clift]] in a movie about the chance meeting of three societal misfits. | ||
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| + | Marilyn died in her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles 5 August 1962 of an apparent drug overdose. | ||
===Primary sources for Marilyn=== | ===Primary sources for Marilyn=== | ||
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*[http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=3593190 "Ervin Silliman Goddard"] on OneWorldTree | *[http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=3593190 "Ervin Silliman Goddard"] on OneWorldTree | ||
*[http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=kopf&id=I12688 "Clara Grace Atchinson"] in the Ancestry World Tree | *[http://awt.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=kopf&id=I12688 "Clara Grace Atchinson"] in the Ancestry World Tree | ||
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| + | ===See Also=== | ||
| + | *[[100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century]] | ||
==Martin Edward Mortensen== | ==Martin Edward Mortensen== | ||
| − | Martin was born | + | Martin was born 26 Feb 1897 in Vallejo, Solano County, California, the son of Martin Mortenson a Norwegian immigrant and his wife Stella Catherine "Katie" Higgins. |
| − | Martin | + | By 1917, Martin was a gas fitter working for LA Gas and Electric Company. He married Gladys Pearl Monroe on 11 Oct 1924, she left him six months later, but they were not officially divorced until 1 Jun 1927. Mona Miracle (see [http://www.monaraemiracle.com/work1.htm her website]) reports that on the marriage certificate Martin lists his occupation as "meterman" and his status as "divorced", so Gladys must have been his second wife. |
| − | When Gladys became pregnant, she had supposedly been dating various men and so there is some uncertainty about exactly who Marilyn's father was. On her birth certificate, Gladys named "Martin Mortensen" as the father. It's possible she did this only so it wouldn't appear that she was sleeping around. Some biographers claim that a Stanley Gifford was Marilyn's father. But it's also possible that Gladys really did continue to have sex with Martin and that he really is Marilyn's father. If so, Marilyn would be similar to [[Jodie Foster]] in this regard. Jodie's parents were also seperated, but she was also conceived by her legal father. | + | When Gladys became pregnant, she had supposedly been dating various men and so there is some uncertainty about exactly who Marilyn's father was. On her birth certificate, Gladys named "Martin Mortensen" as the father. It's possible she did this only so it wouldn't appear that she was sleeping around. Some biographers claim that a Stanley Gifford was Marilyn's father. But it's also possible that Gladys really did continue to have sex with Martin and that he really is Marilyn's father. If so, Marilyn would be similar to [[Jodie Foster]] in this regard. Jodie's parents were also seperated for some time, but she was also conceived by her legal father. |
| − | Martin died | + | Martin died 10 Feb 1981 in Riverside County, California. One news report of this appears in the New York Times. |
===Primary sources for 2=== | ===Primary sources for 2=== | ||
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[[Category:Ancestry research]] | [[Category:Ancestry research]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Brentwood, California]] | ||
[[Category:Famous Women]] | [[Category:Famous Women]] | ||
[[Category:California]] | [[Category:California]] | ||
[[Category:Missouri]] | [[Category:Missouri]] | ||
[[Category:Movies and Television]] | [[Category:Movies and Television]] | ||
