As I’ve said many times before, I find Marilyn Monroe to be one of the most vastly misunderstood, misused, and exploited actresses in Hollywood. She has become so much of a cultural icon that her status as an actress and a human being have been eradicated, and people only see is a shell of what she was, a sex symbol whose image can be seen plastered all over shirts, mugs, and posters in sorority houses. She strove so much to be taken seriously, and it pains me to think about how she would see her image if she were alive today.
Yesterday, June 1, 2012, is what would have been her 86th birthday. I will do my part toward restoring her image as someone who deserves respect and acknowledgment for who she was, not what she was perceived to be. Here are some of my favorite photos and videos of her throughout the years. Happy birthday, Marilyn.
At age 8.
Having fun on the beach, circa 1939.
This photo was taken 6 weeks before her death in 1962, at the age of 36.
_03.jpg)
Backlots 
Thanks for posting these photos. Especially the early ones, double especially the 8yo photo. I’ve never seen that one. She was gorgeous from the get-go, huh? Having seen “My Week with Marilyn” I just rewatched “The Prince and the Showgirl.” It was interesting to watch now knowing what went on behind the scenes. No wonder Olivier was pissed – she stole the entire movie out from under him!
Isn’t that a sweet photo of her as an 8-year-old? If you see pictures of her mother, she is like a carbon copy of her mom. How did you like My Week with Marilyn? I enjoyed it, even if the Leigh/Olivier depictions were horrible. I also love The Prince and The Showgirl. One of the first Marilyn movies I saw!