Born Norma Jean Mortensen to an unsteady home life, the would-be-star lived some of her youth in orphanages until marrying at age 16 to escape foster care.
Young Norma Jean was discovered by a photographer while working in an airplane parts factory. On recommendation that Norma Jean pursue modeling further, she followed suit, her pictures received much attention and her career commenced as the great Marilyn Monroe.
Despite Marilyn’s status as one the sexiest women alive, adorned by millions, and the recipient of attention from several powerful men, Marilyn struggled with herself and life. Her bouts with self-doubt, addiction, depression and insomnia became ever-increasing despite her success.
Monroe died at age 36, a probable suicide by barbiturates. No evidence of homicide has been documented. Many question the details surrounding her death. Her popularity still lives on in movies, books, songs, fan sites, and in the public’s mind as a wounded beauty taken from us too soon.
From the scores of genius quotes Marilyn has left the world she summed up hard work with this:
“A career is born in public- talent is born in privacy.”
