What is the price one pays for stardom? Let’s find out. Actress, comedian, singer, and model Marilyn Monroe was a woman who signified beauty amid chaos. With her charismatic personality, bold choice of fashion and films, and undeniably attractive features, she solidified her status as one of Hollywood’s biggest icons of the 20th century. Her magnetic screen presence shone in classics like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and Some Like It Hot (1959), and she was widely praised for her impeccable comedic timing in films like How to Marry a Millionaire.
However, behind the glitz and glamour, Monroe’s personal life was full of struggles. She endured a deeply traumatic childhood, marked by instability and uncertainty. With her mother frequently confined to an asylum, Monroe was raised by 12 successive sets of foster parents and even spent time in an orphanage.
Monroe’s adult life was equally tumultuous. She faced the emotional toll of failed relationships, including her first marriage to a worker in an aircraft factory, her highly publicized marriage with baseball star Joe DiMaggio in January 1954, followed by divorce nine months later, and her alleged affair with U.S. President John F. Kennedy. These personal struggles were doubled by persistent tabloid scrutiny, which often overshadowed her professional achievements and talent.
As per women&home, after her death on August 4, 1962, under circumstances officially attributed to a drug overdose (acute barbiturate and chloral hydrate poisoning), rumors about her body’s disappearance added another layer of mystery to her life. It was reported by the LAPD that her body took six hours to arrive at the morgue—a journey that should not have taken more than 45 minutes.
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Additionally, allegations arose that her body was tampered with. Mortician Dr. Thomas Noguchi stated that materials from her stomach and intestines had been “destroyed,” fueling suspicions that her death might not have been accidental. The Salt Lake Tribune also reported irregularities, noting that some standard tests were never concluded during her autopsy.
Another mortician, Allan Abbott, detailed in his 2015 book Pardon My Hearse that Marilyn was unrecognizable when her body was prepared. “When we removed the sheet covering her, it was almost impossible to believe this was the body of Marilyn Monroe,” Abbott said. While several tabloids have a lot to say, there is no concrete evidence to confirm that Marilyn’s body went missing or was tampered with. Even after 60 years, these remain mysteries.
When Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her bedroom on the 5th of August, 1962, she was wearing nothing.
Her housekeeper, Eunice Murray, who had found her, chose the last dress Marilyn had worn for her to be buried in.
The dress was a Pucci green dress, a favorite dress of… pic.twitter.com/Xvg5AvhBgZ
— Fascinating (@fasc1nate) February 25, 2024
As the quintessential sex symbol of the mid-20th century, Monroe’s public image came with immense pressure. Coupled with her ongoing battle with mental health challenges, her career began to decline. Additionally, sources claim her alleged affair with President Kennedy ended after her iconic performance of Happy Birthday for him on May 29, 1962, during his 45th birthday celebration. Reportedly, his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, issued an ultimatum that finally brought the affair to a close.
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Marilyn Monroe’s funeral took place on August 8, 1962, at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery. The funeral was attended by only her closest friends and was arranged by Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn’s half-sister Berniece Baker Miracle, and Marilyn’s business manager, Inez Melson. Her body was later laid to rest and entombed in Crypt No. 24 at the Corridor of Memories.
