Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe, her real name was Norma Jeane Mortenson. She was born in June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962 in Los Angeles. Norma Jeane was an American actress, singer , model, and film producer. She began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her first movie came out in 1947's, "The Shocking Miss Pilgrim." She made 29 films. However her career became known as a sex symbol. She was also praised for her comedic ability in films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire and The Seven Year Itch. These films became one of Hollywood's most popular performers.

Norma Jeane was child born to Gladys Pearl Monroe. Her father's name was Edward Mortensen. However Norma's parents gets divorced before her birth. "Due to her mother's mental instability and the fact that she was unmarried at the time, Norma Jeane was placed in the foster home of Albert and Ida Bolender."

After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Grace McKee, a close friend of her mother took over the care of Norma Jeane in 1937. Then later, Norma Jeane gets married to James Dougherty on June 19, 1942 at a age of 16. The reason-being was because Grace couldn't support her anymore. However four years later, she divorces him because they barely spoke to each other and she was dying of boredom. After that, she gets married to two other men however all her marriages fail.

On July 23, 1946 she signed a contract with Twentieth Century-Fox Studios. she changed her lastname to her mothers last name Monroe. From this point on she would be known as Marilyn Monroe to all her fans. Then she become the most famous woman of the 20th century.

The final years of Monroe's life were marked bad, "because of her personal problems and a reputation for being unreliable and difficult to work with. Monroe's death caused from an overdose of barbiturates. Though officially classified as a 'probable suicide.'" In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute.