Firstly, I would like to say that I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas (for the Marilyn collectors, I hope you had a very Marilyn Christmas), and I hope that you all were surrounded with family and friends that kept smiles on your faces. I spent Christmas with my family, as usual, and the people who are closest to me. To my surprise, I got a few Marilyn gifts that I absolutely WAS NOT expecting. Thanks to a really close friend of mine, one of my dreams finally came true! Here's the first gift I opened. Unfortunately I opened it right after it was given to me on Christmas eve. I'm extremely impatient so I could NOT wait until Christmas day to open it:
Marilyn Monroe's 1958 Colonial Trust Bank Statement
When I opened this, it was between two huge cardboard pieces and a plastic covering. I thought that it was another Marilyn photo so I was not very excited to open it but nonetheless, I was still thankful for it. As I removed the cardboard and plastic covering, I pulled out the bank statement and the first thing I saw was
Marilyn Monroe
444 E. 57TH ST.
NEW YORK, N.Y.
and I almost died (but not really). It was one of Marilyn's personal bank statements! I would have NEVER guessed in a million years that I'd actually own one of these. I was so grateful and almost broke the person in half that gave it to me, hugging them so hard because this was absolutely one of THE BEST gifts that I had ever received!
After doing 2 days worth of research, I found out a couple of things about Marilyn's life at this time. The dates on this bank statement says "SEP 1 58 - SEP 26 58". First thing that I found out was that during this time, Marilyn was staying in her New York apartment with Arthur Miller (her third husband) and had started shooting scenes for "The Misfits", Marilyn's last completed film.
Photo of Marilyn and Arthur Miller in their New York apartment in 1958 with producer Kermit Bloomgarden
Marilyn and Pat Newcomb leaving Marilyn's 444 E. 57th St. apartment in New York
I also did a little research on the address on the bank statement and found a couple of photos of the building. It's a 15-story, red-brick apartment building, a short walk from Sutton Place. It was built in 1927 and has 45 condominium apartments. Marilyn lived in apartment 13E on the 13th floor.
Marilyn and Arthur moved into this apartment building after their marriage in 1956. Marilyn owned this apartment until her death in 1962.
More facts about Marilyn's life in September 1958 while staying in this apartment:
- September 6, 1958: Marilyn arrived at the Hotel del Coronado in Los Angeles to begin location shots for "Some Like It Hot".
- September 7, 1958: Marilyn appeared on the cover of Parade magazine
- September 12, 1958: after months consumed by depression, she took an overdose of sleeping pills. Her drama coach Paula Strasberg saved her life.
- While filming "Some Like it Hot" in September 1958, Marilyn did a photo shoot with photographer Jon Whitcomb for Cosmopolitan magazine.
- Arthur comes to Marilyn’s side and improves her working atmosphere. Arthur also informs Billy Wilder (director of "Some Like It Hot") that Marilyn is pregnant. She unfortunately lost the baby soon after.
The things that I wasn't so sure about was Marilyn's balance at the beginning of September ($54.77 *overdraft*)towards the end of September 1958 ($3.98). The amount seems to be so little as Marilyn was such a huge star! At least, in my eyes she still was. I've read on other sites that Marilyn's star started to fade at this time but I don't think that is true. I'm a long time Marilyn admirer so honestly, I've never seen a time in Marilyn's life where her stardom was diminishing. I guess I could blame that on my endless admiration of her. Still, why so little money? What was going on with the overdraft? I have no idea. But again, I am doing more research so hopefully this information will be available here on my blog soon. If anyone has any information on this, please don't hesitate to email me at monroedollscollection@gmail.com
Second Marilyn gift that I opened:
Original August 1962 photo of Marilyn Monroe and George Barris
(Back of photo)
This photo I had actually pointed out to the person that got it for me but I had no idea that I'd actually be getting it for Christmas. It was definitely something that I wanted though! This photo was in a package with my Marilyn bank statement in a separate photo sleeve behind the card board so I didn't see it right off. I almost didn't see it at all until my friend told me look again. Good thing he did because I was so wrapped up in the bank statement that I couldn't think of anything else!
More about the photo....
This photo was taken on the set of Marilyn's uncompleted 1962 film "Something's Got To Give" on June 1st, 1962, Marilyn's 36th and last birthday. According to examiner.com's information about this day:
"Marilyn turns 36 on Friday, June 1. She reports to work and her stand-in Evelyn Moriarty plans to throw Marilyn a party on the set so that morning she purchases a cake from the Farmers Market on 3rd St. Director George Cukor, however, informs Moriarty that she is not permitted to bring out a birthday cake until a full day’s work is completed.
Today’s filming involves Marilyn trying to convince Dean Martin that shy, nerdy Wally Cox was her companion while marooned on an island for five years. Marilyn's character listens intently to Wally Cox's character as he dutifully informs Dean Martin about his platonic relationship with Ellen (Marilyn) while stranded on an island.
After filming for the day has wrapped, Marilyn’s sparkler-covered cake is wheeled out and the cast and crew sings “Happy Birthday” to her. Co-star Wally Cox and makeup man Whitey Snider pour Champaign for everyone. A birthday card, with a cartoon Marilyn appearing on it, has been signed by the cast and crew and is presented to her.
Within a half hour, the party starts to break up as people begin to head home for the weekend. Marilyn and Wally climb into a limousine for a ride home.
Later that evening, Marilyn throws out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium for her birthday. She is wearing the same fur-trimmed suit that she wears in Something's Got to Give. She says a few words into a microphone and after some children sing to her, a radiant Marilyn, who loves children, is so overjoyed that she embraces many of the kids. It will be her last public appearance and her last birthday."
In this photo, Marilyn is cuddling heads with her longtime friend and photographer George Barris (I received a gift in significance of George too! I'll get to that in a bit). It looks like she is about to cut a piece of her delicious looking cake but posed for a picture with George first. I wanted to have this in my collection because it was taken on the day of her LAST birthday party AND it's one of the few, if not the only, photo of her with George Barris. Any Marilyn fan knows that Marilyn and George were really close but rarely do we get to see a photo showing how close they were. According to the stamp on the back of the photo, this photo was published on August 17, 1962, just 12 days after she died. They both look so happy on this photo and I love it so much! Wish I could have partaken in eating a piece of that cake, haha.
Now for the George Barris part of my Marilyn Christmas 2012!:
Signed George Barris print of one of the last photos taken of Marilyn in 1962
(my signed photo with it's Certificate of Authenticity)
(close up of George Barris signature)
(back of signed photo showing George's address in Paris, France)
This photo was bought for me by my grandmother. I already knew that I was getting this for Christmas because I was watching it on Ebay (originally because I wanted to see how high the winning bid would be) and I was sitting with her and was going on this long rant about how I'd love to actually own a signed George Barris Marilyn Monroe photo and how he was the last photographer ever to photograph her alive. Of course, she didn't know what I was talking about but told me to go ahead and bid because she knew I really wanted it. I declined at first not knowing if the cost of it was going to skyrocket but she insisted under the condition of "bidding wisely". So 14 bids and my sanity later, we won it! I was so happy! This photo is actually part of a series of photos of Marilyn taken by George Barris on July 13, 1962. George and Marilyn met in 1954 while Marilyn was on location in New York for "The Seven Year Itch". Their friendship lasted until her death in August 1962. To read more information about this series of photos as well as Marilyn and George Barris' friendship, click here.
The Franklin Mint's Marilyn Monroe "Always Marilyn" Porcelain Portrait doll
Based on the famous photo of Marilyn clutching a bottle of Chanel No5 in New York 1955, photographed by Ed Feingersh. Here's the photo that inspired the making of this doll:
Getting ready to attend the premiere of "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", Marilyn is seen here splashing Chanel No.5, her favorite perfume, on her. When asked what she wore in bed during an interview in 1952 with Life magazine, Marilyn replied, “Chanel No.5”.
Chanel released a new ad entitled "Marilyn and N°5 - Inside CHANEL" on their website on November 16, 2012. It featured various times in Marilyn's career when she referred to Chanel No.5 as what she wore to bed. To see this beautifully haunting ad, click the photo below:
This doll had been one of my favorites since I started collecting Marilyn dolls but due to the demand of this doll being incredibly high, I was not able to get her. FINALLY, at the end of November, I was able to find a great deal on Ebay for this doll. Even though she did not come with her original stand OR her original perfume bottle, I was very adamant about buying her and making it work. I recieved her the day before Christmas. As I took her out of the box, I took a deep breathe and was so happy to now have her in my collection. The seller didn't give me a tracking number so you could imagine how anxious I was to get her in my hands. It took a whole month! The seller said that they had shipped it USPS Parcel Post which is the cheapest and the SLOWEST OF THE SLOWEST services that USPS offers. Gosh, considering how much I paid for her (under $100!) I thought that they would at least consider that she IS porcelain and that maybe the best thing to do was to get a tracking number for her! Fortunately, she arrived to me safe and all in one piece.
When I took her out of the box, I proceeded to get my little bottle of Chanel No.5 and placed it in her hand. It wouldn't stay so I taped it in her hand. Whether it is a real bottle or a doll sized bottle of Chanel No.5, I am determined to have it in her hand. I did not at all like the bottle that she was released with because it's just a regular looking diamond shaped perfume bottle and I like the little ORIGINAL details of things. I was going to replace it anyway if I had bought one with the bottle so buying her without the bottle included wasn't too much of a big deal to me. I would like for her to have her original Franklin Mint stand though. I am searching for that now. If anyone know's where I am able to buy one, please contact me at monroedollscollection@gmail.com and I would really appreciate it. I was surprised that no one else except for the other bidder and I had bid on it because she is so in demand! On the other hand, I was glad that it was me that won because I had expected the worst.....getting outbid by another determined bidder! Anyway, she is mine now and I believe that I am ALMOST completely satisfied with the dolls that I have in my Marilyn collection. There's a few more that I'd like to have but the ones that I've really wanted, I now have.
Last but DEFINITELY not least.....
Marilyn Monroe charm bracelet and inspired sunglasses
Sent to me from my good friend Candace for Christmas. I just want to point out how GORGEOUS this charm bracelet and glasses are! I am completely in love with them! Before anyone asks, YES those are my arms in these photos and those are my Marilyn Monroe tattoos, haha. Once again, I want to say thank you ever so to Ms. Candace P. for surprising me with these Marilyn gifts. This is the BEST Christmas by far that has ever happened to me. I have never received so many great Marilyn gifts!
Candace has a Black Pin Up girl Facebook page that she also features Marilyn on from time to time. If you'd like to check it out, click here and this link will send you directly to her pin up page!
All in all, this Christmas was an awesome "Marilyn Christmas" for me and I hope it was for you guys as well! If you received any Marilyn gifts, feel free to upload photos of them to the Monroe Collectible Dolls Facebook page. I'd love to see them all!! Click on the photo of my Marilyn dolls below to go to the Monroe Collectible Dolls Facebook page.
