The Marilyn Monroe Collection Blog

Marilyn Monroe and Joan Crawford Alleged Lesbian Affair: Christina Crawford Comments

2013-05-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

Christina Crawford, the young girl adopted by Joan Crawford in 1940, recently appeared on the Joy Behar show.

Christina and Joan Crawford

Joy asked Christina about Joan's relationship with rival Bette Davis, and also about the alleged lesbian affair between Joan and Marilyn Monroe. Christina sounds pretty convinced there was a sexual relationship between Marilyn and Joan, yet she does acknowledge that she was very young when the rendezvous may have occurred.

Watch a clip of the interview below, or click here.

Forever Marilyn to Leave Palm Springs

2013-04-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

"Forever Marilyn" fans, it's time to say goodbye. The giant Marilyn Monroe sculpture with the forever billowing skirt has stood at Palm Canyon Drive and Tahquitz Canyon Way in Palm Springs for a year, but it will be moving on in June. Before then, there's a film series and farewell party planned. So go, snap some pictures and see the movies that made her a film icon.

The deal: The Forever Marilyn Outdoor Movie Series on May 3 will screen the comedy "Monkey Business" (1952), in which Monroe stars with Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers, and the thriller "Niagara" with Joseph Cotten on May 17. There also are screenings of new short films from ShortFest on June 7. All events start at 8:30 p.m. Monroe's 86th birthday and farewell party takes place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. June 1 with musical performances, especially Jeffrey Allen as Elton John serenading the 26-foot statue, and free birthday cake too.

No word yet on exactly when the sculpture by Seward Johnson will be leaving Palm Springs. Info: Best to check the Forever Marilyn Facebook page.

Former Marilyn Monroe Home Sells for $3.72 Million

2013-03-19T02:09:00.001-07:00

The apartment building located at 882 North Doheny Drive sold recently for $3.72 million. The property was owned by the former wife of actor James Coburn.

Marilyn lived here twice: 1953-54 and 1961-62. She occupied apartment #3. Her final Christmas was spent at this location. In order to ensure privacy, Marilyn used the pseudonym "Marjorie Stengel," which was printed on the doorbell and mailbox.

Marilyn Takes Manhattan

2013-03-12T05:56:00.000-07:00

As part of the new line of Marilyn Monroe themed clothing available at Macy's, windows at the flagship store in Manhattan are displaying images of Marilyn, together with decals depicting her likeness, her lips, her autograph, and quotes (unfortunately not all of them genuinely attributed to MM or 100% accurate). Of course, mannequins are dressed in the new clothing line.

What do you think of the clothing items?

MarilynMonroeCollection.com: Celebrating Ten Years Online

2013-03-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

Ten years!

It's amazing for me to realize that it has already been a decade since launching MarilynMonroeCollection.com. Many wonderful things have happened since establishing an Internet presence: Exhibits, speaking engagements, fundraising opportunities, and documentaries and interviews.

Since 2003, the Marilyn Monroe Collection has been exhibited in exciting venues, including the Ferragamo Museum in Florence, the Hollywood Museum in Hollywood California, and even the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles. Future exhibit opportunities are on the horizon, and details will be posted once confirmed.

The collection has been featured in several documentaries, including "With Her," and "Unclaimed Baggage." Collection items have been featured on television, in interviews with Reuters and the Associated Press, in several magazine articles and online press pieces, and even in books.

Most important though, over the last ten years I've developed a wonderful network of Marilyn Monroe contacts and friends. I'm truly appreciative and thankful for everyone in the Marilyn Monroe community. My life has been enriched greatly by the presence of the wonderful people I've met over the years.

With the ten year anniversary of www.MarilynMonroeCollection.com, I've launched a new webiste! Be sure to check it out.

For a "look back" past MMC.com website snapshots are provided below. It's incredible to see how the site has evolved over the years, from technology advancements to the growth of the collection itself.

Here's to many more decades of "Keeping The Legend Alive."

Dale Robertson Passes Away

2013-03-01T05:55:00.001-08:00

Dale Robertson, star of 1950s and 60s television westerns has passed away.

Dale connected with Marilyn Monroe on September 15, 1952, at the sixth annual "Out of this world series baseball charity game." The event was held at Gilmore Field in Los Angeles.

Read a full online obituary for Robertson here.

Macy’s Unveils Exclusive “Marilyn Monroe” Collection

2013-02-28T21:45:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the starlet’s legendary style, the eponymous clothing line will be available in 150 Macy’s stores and online at macys.com this March

Macy’s today unveiled Marilyn Monroe, an apparel collection that re-imagines the style of the greatest icon of the 20th century for the 21st century fashionista. The collection, created by LF USA and Authentic Brands Group, will infuse the actress unrivaled personality and retro styling into flirty and fun garments for the fashion-forward girl. This March, Marilyn Monroe will launch exclusively in the Mstylelab department at 150 Macy’s stores and online at macys.com. Customers and fans can look forward to an advertising campaign that immortalizes the starlet’s style through iconic photographs alongside the new collection.

“Marilyn Monroe’s appeal is legendary and Macy’s is excited to launch a collection that draws inspiration from her timeless style”

"We are thrilled to partner with the retail experts at Macy's to bring to life one of the things Marilyn loved most – fashion," said Nick Woodhouse, president & CMO of Authentic Brands Group. "As one of the world's most famous style icons, it only made sense to create a Marilyn Monroe apparel collection that represents the glamour and beauty that she is known for."

The Marilyn Monroe line embraces silhouettes that fit and flatter, from halter dresses that cinch at the waist to gingham tie-front, button-down tops and pink polka dot denim, evoking a Monroe-esque image. Recreating the icon’s noteworthy personality this spring, Marilyn Monroe is effortless, flirty and ultra-feminine. Soft blues and pinks highlight a girl-next-door quality, while bold reds and black and white add a sense of allure. Customers can also show their love for Hollywood’s eternal “it” girl by wearing a smiling Marilyn Monroe cropped t-shirt that features the icon in one of two famous poses. The collection will retail from $29 to $89, offering affordable fashion to girls who want to look confident, feminine and fun.

“Marilyn Monroe’s appeal is legendary and Macy’s is excited to launch a collection that draws inspiration from her timeless style,” said Martine Reardon, Macy’s chief marketing officer. “This new line takes her unique sensibility, noteworthy silhouettes and colors of the time, and reinvents them for a modern-day Marilyn Monroe that is fun-loving, flirty and not afraid to play with fashion.”

Macy’s Marilyn Monroe advertising campaign takes today’s modern-day Marilyn and sets her against a backdrop of the icon’s most famous photographs. Each image depicts a carefree persona and sassy attire in an updated style that is relevant to today’s customer. The marketing campaign will debut in March issues of fashion magazines as well as in direct mail, online and in-store visual presentations.

The Estate of Marilyn Monroe is a subsidiary of and managed by Authentic Brands Group. For more information about the Marilyn Monroe collection at Macy’s, please visit macys.com/pressroom. This spring, Macy’s customers can shop the collection by visiting macys.com/mstylelab.

"Happy Birthday Mr. President" Dress Owner Dies

2013-02-21T22:41:00.001-08:00

The New York Times reported today that Mr. Martin Zweig,"an influential investor and television pundit who predicted the 1987 stock market crash," has passed away. The connection to Marilyn Monroe? Mr. Zweig was a passionate collector, and was the current owner of the dress Marilyn Monroe wore when she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President" to John F. Kennedy on May 19, 1962. With the owner of this iconic dress passing away, we must wonder if we'll see it return to the auction block. The dress sold in 1999 at Christie's for nearly $1,300,000.00, and today still holds the record for the most expensive personal gown ever sold at auction.

Read the complete NYT article here.

Rendezvous with Marilyn in Beveryly Hills

2013-01-29T06:32:00.002-08:00

RENDEZVOUS

with

MARILYN

Crescent Hotel

Beverly Hills

Fri, Feb 8 | 7-10pm

Join the Andrew Weiss Gallery for an exclusive evening at the Crescent Hotel in the heart of Beverly Hills. Taste, Mix and Mingle. Come by yourself or with friends and enjoy an ideal intimate gathering inside this elegant boutique hideaway!

The Gallery will feature original photographs by the most important photographers of Marilyn Monroe's time. From the very first to the very last picture, her story will be told. Photographers include Bill Carroll, Tom Kelley, Milton Greene, Bert Stern, Kashio Aoki and George Barris.

Do not miss this unique opportunity to discover during a silent auction rare and unseen photographs of the legendary star as you enjoy a glass of wine and complimentary gourmet bites for the first hour.

Buy tickets here.

Marilyn Spotting: Key West, Florida

2013-01-13T13:21:00.001-08:00

On a recent visit to Florida, I was pleasantly surprised to see that Key West was Marilyn's town. Her image was everywhere, literally. From tee-shirts to fine art galleries to restaurants and even store window displays, Marilyn's presence was felt and seen at nearly every turn. Below are some photos I took during my short visit. It's interesting the liberties that people have taken with Marilyn's image. Share your thoughts!

Move Over Darling Available on Netflix Streaming

2013-01-06T16:10:00.001-08:00

Move Over Darling, the 1963 remake of Marilyn Monroe's final and unfinished film Something's Got To Give, is now available on Netflix streaming.

Move Over Darling stars Doris Day as Marilyn's character Ellen Arden, James Garner as Dean Martin's character Nicholas Arden, and Polly Bergen portrays Bianca Arden, originally played by Cyd Charisse. In this remake, Marilyn's real life friend and costar Thelma Ritter plays Grace Arden, Nick's mother.

It's interesting to watch the 1963 remake of Something's Got To Give and imagine how the original Monroe film might have turned out. I imagine that the script was modified drastically as Move Over Darling appears to me to be a slapstick comedy, and I couldn't imagine Marilyn being in some of the scenes in this film. For example, in one scene, Doris Day rides through an automatic car wash with the convertible top retracted.

In another scene Day practically assaults Bergen while giving her a massage.

What I found most fascinating was that pieces of the original set from "SGTG," which was actually an exact replica of George Cukor's home, were used in the 1963 remake. See the middle photo below of Doris Day walking down the same stairs that can be seen in photos of Marilyn on the "SGTG" set.

Also, the same swimming pool was used in the remake, although the surroundings around the pool were changed, as shown below. This of course was the pool Marilyn used for her famous nude swimming scene.

Check out the remake if you have a Netflix subscription. I'd be curious to know what you think of the film.

New Line of Marilyn Monroe T-Shirts - 10% Discount for MMC Blog Readers

2013-01-03T11:40:00.001-08:00

Popfunk.com has launched a new line of Marilyn Monroe T-Shirts. These shirts feature Milton Greene images of Marilyn.

MMC Blog readers receive a 10% discount simply by entering the discount code "monroe10" at checkout! This special deal is available until January 31, 2013.

To view the entire line of shirts, click here.

Marilyn Monroe FBI Files Revealed

2012-12-28T11:10:00.002-08:00

News outlets are reporting today that Marilyn Monroe's FBI files have been re-released, and additional information is now available about Marilyn's inner-circle. The full news report, released by the AP, is provided below. Unfortunately, there is no new information regarding the mystery surrounding Marilyn's death.

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY | Associated Press

FBI files on Marilyn Monroe that could not be located earlier this year have been found and re-issued, revealing the names of some of the movie star's acquaintances with suspected communists who drew concern from government officials and her own entourage.

The files had previously been heavily redacted, but more details are now public in a version of the file recently obtained by The Associated Press through the Freedom of Information Act.

The files show the extent the agency was monitoring the actress for ties to communism in the years before her death in August 1962. They reveal that some in Monroe's inner circle were concerned about her association with Frederick Vanderbilt Field, who was disinherited from his wealthy family over his leftist views.

A trip to Mexico in 1962 to shop for furniture brought her in contact with Field, who was living in the country with his wife in self-imposed exile. Informants reported to the FBI that a "mutual infatuation" had developed between Field and Monroe, which caused concern among some in her inner circle, including her therapist, the files say.

"This situation caused considerable dismay among Miss Monroe's entourage and also among the (American Communist Group in Mexico)," the file says.

Field's autobiography devotes an entire chapter to Monroe's Mexico trip. He mentions that he and his wife accompanied Monroe on shopping trips and meals, and he only mentions politics once in a passage on their dinnertime conversations.

"She talked mostly about herself and some of the people who had been or still were important to her," Field wrote in "From Right to Left." `'She told us about her strong feelings for civil rights, for black equality, as well as her admiration for what was being done in China, her anger at red-baiting and McCarthyism and her hatred of (FBI director) J. Edgar Hoover."

Under Hoover's watch, the FBI kept watch on the political and social lives of many celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin and Monroe's ex-husband Arthur Miller. The bureau has also been involved in investigations about crimes against celebrities, including threats against Elizabeth Taylor, an extortion case involving Clark Gable and more recently, trying to determine who killed rapper Notorious B.I.G.

The AP had sought the removal of redactions from Monroe's FBI files earlier this year as part of a series of stories on the 50th anniversary of Monroe's death. The FBI had said that it had transferred the files to a National Archives facility, but archivists said the documents had not been received. A few months after requesting details on the transfer, the FBI released an updated version of the files that eliminate dozens of redactions.

For years, the files have intrigued investigators, biographers and those who don't believe Monroe's death at her Los Angeles area home was a suicide.

A 1982 investigation by the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office found no evidence of foul play after reviewing all available investigative records, but it noted that the FBI files were "heavily censored."

That characterization intrigued the man who performed Monroe's autopsy, Dr. Thomas Noguchi. While the investigation concluded he conducted a thorough autopsy, Noguchi has conceded that no one will likely ever know all the details of Monroe's death. The FBI files and confidential interviews conducted with the actress' friends that have never been made public might help, he wrote in his 1983 memoir "Coroner."

"On the basis of my own involvement in the case, beginning with the autopsy, I would call Monroe's suicide `very probable,'" Noguchi wrote. "But I also believe that until the complete FBI files are made public and the notes and interviews of the suicide panel released, controversy will continue to swirl around her death."

Monroe's file begins in 1955 and mostly focuses on her travels and associations, searching for signs of leftist views and possible ties to communism. One entry, which previously had been almost completely redacted, concerned intelligence that Monroe and other entertainers sought visas to visit Russia that year.

The file continues up until the months before her death and includes several news stories and references to Norman Mailer's biography of the actress, which focused on questions about whether Monroe was killed by the government.

The bureau never found any proof she was a member of the Communist Party.

"Subject's views are very positively and concisely leftist; however, if she is being actively used by the Communist Party, it is not general knowledge among those working with the movement in Los Angeles," a July 1962 entry in Monroe's file says.

James Spada’s Bestseller “Marilyn Monroe: Her Life in Pictures” Now an eBook!

2012-12-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

“Marilyn Monroe: Her Life in Pictures”

Upon its initial release, the book quickly became a fan favorite. It was a Book-of-the Month selection and was excerpted in People, the Los Angeles Times and Ladies Home Journal. The New York Daily News called the book “a labor of love.” It was a bestseller in five countries.

James Spada, who founded a Marilyn Monroe Memorial Fan Club when he was 13, worked with the club’s vice-president, George Zeno, whose collection of Monroe photographs is unparalleled in the world. Over 200 photographs in the book tell Marilyn’s life from birth to death, with extended captions that tell the story of each photo.

The eBook edition is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo. A Kindle isn’t necessary to download it, since Amazon provides a free app that allows download to Macs, PCs, and other mobile devices.

The eBook edition features three additional color portraits and some revisions and updates. “I’m very excited about ‘Marilyn Monroe: Her Life in Pictures” being published as an eBook,” Spada says. “The original book was in print for more than twenty years. I’m hopeful that this new edition will bring the book to a whole new generation of Monroe fans. And I love the idea of fans being able to carry all those photos around with them on their iPads!”

To access the eBook, click here.

For further information, contact the author at jamesspada@att.net.

The Monroe Doctrine

2012-12-06T05:15:00.000-08:00

An interesting take on Marilyn Monroe and her love life, written by Washington Post columnist and political satirist Art Buchwald. This particular editorial ran in the LA Times in November, 1960.

Playboy Commemorates Marilyn with Nude Photo Spread

2012-11-19T07:08:00.000-08:00

A collection of photos of Marilyn Monroe in the nude has been released to mark the 50th anniversary of the tragic starlet's death.

Playboy magazine has dug deep into its exclusive archive of 10 million photos to publish rare shots of Marilyn taken throughout her career.

"It's really all about the collection and the way its composed," said Jimmy Jellinek, Playboy's editorial director. "This is the first time we've shown the totality of our collection, from the beginning to almost days before the end of her life. it showcases the arc of her life."

Chanel Releases Marilyn Monroe Interview

2012-11-16T05:16:00.002-08:00

In a 1952 interview for LIFE magazine, Marilyn was asked what she wore to bed, and she famously responded "Chanel No. 5."

In April of 1960, Marilyn was interviewed by journalist Georges Belmont for the French magazine Marie Claire. She was on the set of Let's Make Love. During the 1960 interview, Marilyn reflected on the question from the LIFE magazine interview and she spoke about not wanting to answer the question with saying that she slept in the nude.

Chanel is releasing the audio recording of the 1960 interview for the first time. Watch Chanel's YouTube video to hear this previously unpublished interview.

Jimmy James in "History Repeating," November 16 & 17 in Los Angeles

2012-11-12T16:19:00.000-08:00

Legendary performer Jimmy James stars in "History Repeating" on November 16 and 17 at the Cavern Club Theater in Los Angeles. The award winning recording and tribute artist stars in his NEW show, offering beautiful visual and moving presentations by Tim Hicks on the video screen. In his show Jimmy James sings loving and sometimes moving tributes to: Cher, Amy Winehouse, Liza, Judy, Barbra, Eartha, Elvis, Billie Holiday, Shirley Bassey, Diana Ross and more surprises.

The Cavern Club
1920 Hyperion Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
United States

There is a special discount for fans of Marilyn Monroe!

Visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/293654, click on "Enter a Password or Discount Code," and then enter MARILYN (in all caps) to receive a $5.00 discount from the regularly priced $15.00 ticket.

James, widely known in the Marilyn Monroe community as one of the all time best Marilyn Monroe impersonators, is a multifaceted singer, performer and entertainer. Don't miss this opportunity to catch him live!

Free on Amazon for Kindle Users: Marilyn Monroe: Essential Quotes And Quips From America's Most Beloved Hollywood Icon

2012-09-29T07:23:00.000-07:00

Marilyn Monroe: Essential Quotes and Quips

From Hollywood's Beloved Icon

More than 200 Marilyn Monroe books have been written by various authors, but only a handful have managed to show the fragility and humanity alongside the glamour and mystery of the true Marilyn Monroe.

Combing through hundreds of press clippings, the Marilyn Monroe autobiography and biographies, her film archives, and hundreds of Marilyn Monroe quotes and one-liners, author Lisa Daily pulls together a captivating picture of the magnetic star -- Marilyn tells us in her own words about the dramatic details and the lifelong effects of her childhood trauma, her single-minded pursuit of Hollywood stardom, the men she fell in and out of love with, what it felt like to be the most desired sex symbol in the world, the Hollywood moguls who used her, the scandals and Hollywood feuds that plagued her, her eerie premonitions, and her ache to be taken seriously as an artist.

Marilyn Monroe shares her thoughts on first meeting Joe DiMaggio, how she felt about Arthur Miller after he wrote The Misfits, what she really thought about Jane Russell, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Clark Gable, and why she was afraid that fellow actor and John F. Kennedy brother-in-law Peter Lawford might be trying to kill her.

Free on Amazon until 9/29 for Kindle users:

http://www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Monroe-Essential-Hollywood-ebook/dp/B0081O1A2O/

Coming Soon: Marilyn Monroe Jewelry Line

2012-09-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

A new line of jewelry inspired by Marilyn Monroe will be launched this October. A sweepstakes event has also been announced.

To learn more, visit www.MarilynMonroeJewelry.com.

Suzie Kennedy portrays Marilyn in a commercial for the jewelry, which can be viewed on YouTube here.

Seven Year Itch Subway Scene to be Re-Created

2012-09-07T05:25:00.000-07:00

ICONIC 1954 MARILYN MONROE 'THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH' PHOTO RE-ENACTMENT Set for East 52nd Street Corner Sept 15th With Erika Smith, Top Marilyn Monroe Tribute Artist

Fashion Designer To Unveil A Special Marilyn Monroe ‘The Seven Year Itch’ Garment

NEW YORK, NY

August 29, 2012 New York

Can she do it again? September 15, 1954 is an iconic date in cinematic history. That was the date when photographers and the public swarmed to capture the now famous subway-grate scene for ‘The Seven Year Itch’; the lovely Marilyn Monroe posing in the William Travilla pleated ivory cocktail dress, blowing up and around her. It's an image that is permanently etched in our minds.

September in New York City is synonymous with the glitz and glamour of Fashion Week. Marilyn, MM for those who knew her, is recognized around the world for her iconic image and beauty. As inspiration to fashion around the globe she is ready to step out and show us all once again she is the epitome of style and grace. Erika Smith, famous for her world renowned impersonation of Marilyn Monroe, will be center stage in this incredible event, and will be available for photo and autograph opportunities afterwards.

What a perfect time to celebrate the essence and meaning of Marilyn Monroe, than with the 58th anniversary of this iconic moment captured on film. This unforgettable dress design will erotically rise again.

The photo session will be re-enacted at the exact location of 52nd Street and Lexington Avenue, which was once the home of Trans Lux Theater and now a modern day structure. Renowned Photographer Alan Barry will be staging the photo shoot and creating the official re-enactment photos of the September 15th photo shoot. Philippe Valy, internationally celebrated artist and designer, and an MM admirer, will present for the first time a special Marilyn Monroe ‘The Seven Year Itch’ garment in association with Trilliant Funding Inc.

In addition, as part of the MM tribute, WILLiFEST's (Williamsburg Film Festival) is creating an Evening to Remember Marilyn featuring a screening of ‘The Seven Year Itch’, which will take place either in Manhattan or Williamsburg after the film festival. WILLiFEST's main film festival will take place from September 20 - 23 this year in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The media event will be attended by Erika Smith in character as Marilyn Monroe with photo and autograph opportunities.

WHEN: September 15, 2012

WHERE: 52nd Street & Lexington Avenue (590 Lexington Avenue)

CALL TIME: 10:00 PM EST

Twitter Address: @MsMonroeTribute

Crowdzu Campaign For Twitter Distribution: http://zu.pe/lO

WEBSITE: www.marilyninnyc.com

For more information contact MICHAEL RUBENSTEIN at marrubenstein@yahoo.com

Tonner Doll Releases Marilyn Monroe Collection Based on Fox Films

2012-09-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

Tonner Doll Company, world-renowned in the high-end collectibles industry, has released a collection of 16” dolls based on Twentieth Century Fox’s Marilyn Monroe movies in their Fall Holiday Line Release.

“We are so excited to have access to Twentieth Century Fox’s Marilyn Monroe movies!” exclaims Robert Tonner, CEO and world-famous doll artist and sculptor. “We had so many ideas that we just couldn’t wait to get into our Design Room. Marilyn’s Fox films are so iconic, and it is a delight to be able to re-create Marilyn and bring her film essence to life.”

Tonner’s debut Marilyn doll was first revealed at the company’s 2012 May Collectors Convention during their dinner event inspired by Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The event centerpiece was a 22” Marilyn Monroe doll, called Diamonds, which featured Marilyn in her famous pink satin dress, just dripping in ‘diamonds’. The 16” event souvenir for each attendee was called, Animal Magnetism, featuring Marilyn in another ensemble from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: a black-on-black patterned dress with elegant side drapes, jacket and rhinestone pin. Both dolls quickly sold out, and are no longer available on www.tonnerdoll.com.

Like Animal Magnetism, the entire collection of 16” Marilyn Monroe dolls from the Fox Films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and How to Marry a Millionaire, boasts a brand new Tonner doll body: The Starlet body, which consists of an ample Tyler bust line and a fuller hip. All dolls will also feature Marilyn’s blonde tresses, signature beauty mark, notable widow’s peak and sultry bedroom eyes.

Each doll will exude the glamour and style that Marilyn displays in her Twentieth Century Fox film roles, and will include some of the ensembles that she made famous.

“Marilyn Monroe will forever live on as a Hollywood icon and this partnership will bring some of her most memorable film moments to life through all new merchandise,” said Jeffrey Godsick, President of Fox Consumer Products.

Scott Fortner, famed Marilyn historian and devout Marilyn collector, weighs in on the Tonner dolls:

“The construction and detailing of the new Marilyn Monroe doll line produced by the Tonner Doll Company is exquisite. Her celluloid career at Twentieth Century Fox comes to life through these sculpts, and I’m impressed with the replication of her film wardrobe, in particular her costume jewelry. With the new 22″ sculpt representing Marilyn in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, diamonds truly are a girl’s best friend. Monroe dolls from Tonner will be an essential for every doll collector and Marilyn Monroe fan.”

Tonner Doll is no stranger to transforming old Hollywood into captivating vinyl miniatures, and has had great success in the past with likenesses such as Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, and Ava Gardner, which won a 2011 Doll of the Year Award.

Look for Tonner’s impeccable Marilyn Monroe movie role dolls in the fall of 2012. For more information, visit www.tonnerdoll.com, or visit the Tonner Company Store at 14 Hurley Avenue, Kingston, NY 12401.

Appeals Court: "Marilyn Monroe's Persona Belongs to Public, Not Her Estate"

2012-09-01T05:49:00.001-07:00

Milton Greene and Marilyn Monroe

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

At the time of her death, the famous actress was domiciled in New York, not California, and as a result, her estate can't use California's publicity rights law to object to a photo licensor and others.

Since her death in 1962, Marilyn Monroe has endured in popularity and her estate has collected a fortune. According to Forbes, Monroe is the third highest money-maker in its rankings of "The Top Earning Dead Celebrities," with $27 million of income in 2011 (behind Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley). Not coincidentally, Monroe's estate has also been quite litigious, protecting her personality from being exploited without license from photographers, t-shirt venders, and even hologram makers.

Now quite a bit of that money is endangered thanks to a ruling on Thursday by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. In the opinion, the appellate judges affirm that Monroe LLC can't claim in court that the legendary actress was living in California at the time of her death, which means that her heirs can't take advantage of the state's generous laws allowing individuals to hold rights on their name, image, and likeness.

The ruling is unlikely to effect many other dead celebrities -- another decision coming soon might -- but it could pave the way towards more exploitation of Marilyn Monroe's fame outside of the estate's control.

When Monroe died of a drug overdose, the executors of her estate took the position that she was domiciled in New York rather than California. She had residences in both states, and worked as an actress in California, so her estate very clearly had the option of registering her as a California citizen for the purpose of managing her affairs. But they didn't -- and there was a good reason why they didn't. If she was domiciled in California, her estate would have had to pay hefty estate taxes.
Flash forward fifty years, when dead celebrities started earning large revenue, thanks partly to states like Indiana and California adopting publicity rights laws that reached backwards and allowed the heirs of the dead to hold rights on the deceased person's likeness.

But not all states have been so generous to dead stars. New York, for one, doesn't allow post-mortem publicity rights.

Around the middle of last decade, Monroe LLC and its agent at the time, CMG Worldwide, began taking several photo libraries to court, alleging they couldn't sell Monroe's image without violating her publicity rights. But various courts, recognizing how the estate had once claimed that Monroe was domiciled in New York at the time of her death, refused to apply any other standard but New York law.

Monroe's estate kept pushing, and in a battle with The Milton H. Greene Archives, a district court determined that Monroe LLC couldn't claim California residence based on the legal doctrine of judicial estoppel, which bars a party from asserting a position that's inconsistent from one offered in the past. The lower court's ruling came despite a 2007 amendment to California law that explicitly attempted to overturn a prior ruling in Monroe's battle with the Greene Archives.

The dispute went up to the 9th Circuit of Appeals, which in a decision by Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw on Thursday, reviews the history of what happened to Marilyn Monroe after her death, and affirms the lower court's opinion.

"This is a textbook case for applying judicial estoppel," writes Judge Wardlaw. "Monroe’s representatives took one position on Monroe’s domicile at death for forty years, and then changed their position when it was to their great financial advantage; an advantage they secured years after Monroe’s death by convincing the California legislature to create rights that did not exist when Monroe died. Marilyn Monroe is often quoted as saying, 'If you’re going to be two-faced, at least make one of them pretty.'”

The decision probably won't harm the fortunes of too many other dead celebrities because it had less to do with publicity rights than judicial estoppel and Monroe's true domicile. There's some rather unique facts in this case. At most, it's a warning to those who who manage the affairs of dead celebrities to mind their choices carefully after a celebrity's passing.

The Ninth Circuit might be primed to make a much bigger decision concerning post-mortem publicity rights soon in a case involving Jimi Hendrix. The appellate circuit will soon review a Washington judge's decision to invalidate that state's publicity rights law on grounds it allows non-domiciled celebrities to essentially forum-shop.

As for the future of Marilyn Monroe, her estate told Reuters that it still retained exclusive rights to the film star's likeness under federal law. There's no federal publicity rights act, though, so the best this statement might be interpreted is that the estate plans to make use of any trademarks and copyrights it holds the best it can.
If there's any doubt of the Ninth Circuit's intention, it comes not only in the first footnote that mentions new controversies such as the plans for a Marilyn Monroe hologram, but also in the opinion's conclusion, which quotes Monroe herself as predicting 50 years ago what would later come.

Said Marilyn Monroe, “I knew I belonged to the Public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else.”

Marilyn: The Exhibit - EXTENDED!

2012-08-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

Marilyn: The Exhibit - An Intimate Look at The Legend has been through Saturday, September 22!

Don't miss this last chance to see the most comprehensive exhibition of Marilyn Monroe's film and publicity gowns, personal clothing, furs, cosmetics, annotated film scripts, Brentwood residence furniture, bank checks, bills, receipts, file documents, and much, much more. See original costumes from the hit NBC show SMASH, hundreds of photos of Marilyn, and also original works of art.

To learn more about this one-of-a-kind exhibition, see photos and to order the official exhibit catalog, click here.

Flowers for #MarilynMonroe. Keep the Legend Alive.

2012-08-05T18:35:00.001-07:00

Flowers at Marilyn's crypt. August 5, 2012.