Ah, if only we could make a latex outfit that could garner this much interest all these years.
Iconic screen star Marilyn Monroe makes the news this week…and certainly this week we need a little fluff and lightness in our lives. A series of twelve photos of the star, many nudes, will go on sale at Heritage Auctions on the 11th. These stills, some color, some black and white, were shot by famous photographer Lawrence Schiller as Monroe was filming what would be the last film she ever acted in, “Something’s Got to Give.”
The action shots Schiller managed were taken when Monroe jumped into a pool on that film’s set for a scene, basically naked (a body stocking was made for her, but Monroe took it off, donning only a flesh-colored bikini bottom, which she also took off later). The set was closed for the filming, but Monroe invited photographers in, hoping to give the film some pre-release publicity.
By the time of shooting “Something’s Got to Give,” Marilyn Monroe’s inner demons were well engaged. Before filming even began Monroe was granted permission to attend President John F. Kennedy’s Madison Square Garden birthday celebration. Marilyn managed that infamous performance of “Happy Birthday”-in haute couture that people are still talking about-only to be waylaid by a sinus infection afterwards. Director George Cukor had to reschedule his shooting around the star and therein began the troubles for Monroe on this movie she would eventually be fired from.
Marilyn Monroe died on August 5th 1962 mere months after she was let go.
The pool scene footage from “Something’s Got to Give,” lay unseen until it was found in the late 80’s and used in two documentaries. Known for her unmatched star quality, sexuality and for wearing outfits of startling cinema wardrobe, it is not as much that Monroe is nude in the Schiller pics, as it is how delightfully carefree she seems; Marilyn Monroe seems to simply be having so fun splashing about.
Schiller’s Marilyn pictures will be auctioned off, along with some of his photos of Frank Sinatra, The Beatles, Muhammad Ali and Bruce Springsteen.
