Norma Jeane Mortenson, formerly known as Marilyn Monroe, was born on June 1, 1926. Norma Jean never knew her real father, but her mother’s name was Gladys Pearl Baker. Marilyn did not have a good relationship with her mother. In one interview, Marilyn recalled one of her earliest memories was Gladys trying to smother her with a pillow in her crib. Due to these issues, Norma Jean became a foster child when she was seven years old. Gladys ended up moving into a mental institution some time after Baker moved out. Norma Jean stayed in foster homes until she was about fifteen, before dropping out of high school. A year later, when Marilyn was sixteen, she married Jimmy Dougherty. When Jimmy joined the military, Norma Jean started working at a munitions factory. While working at the munitions factory, Norma Jean Baker was discovered. In 1945, Norma Jean signed with the Blue Book Modeling Agency. Norma Jean Baker changed her hair color to blonde and changed her name to Marilyn Monroe, in the same year. By the time Dougherty came back, his wife was famous and going by a different name. On …show more content…
She studied under the influence of Lee Strasberg, a famous director. Strasberg was like the father, Marilyn never had, so she became very attached to him. He was the one who suggested to Marilyn that she start doing psychotherapy. In 1954, Marilyn married Joe DiMaggio, a famous baseball player. The marriage was brief, and only lasted several months. In October of 1954, the two divorced. Joe was tired of the way Marilyn was seen as “America’s biggest symbol.” DiMaggio still loved Marilyn, and was there for her whenever she needed him. In 1955, Marilyn met playwright, Arthur Miller, at a party. The two quickly fell in love. Before Miller proposed, Marilyn changed her religion to Judaism for him. The two had a small wedding in 1956, with only around twenty guests. And Lee Strasberg walked Marilyn down the