My journey ends here...
1945
JANUARY
Jim went back to the Pacific Ocean.
Norma Jeane still lived with Ethel Dougherty (
) and continued her job at the Radio Plane.
FEBRUARY
Saturday, February 10 , she sold her white piano to Ana Lower 
.
SPRING
At this time, she already had the reputation of being an ideal model for photographers.
Cooperative, passionate, good mood, she shook the curls of her nut brown hair, made her blue-green eyes shimmered, smiled widely and looked at the lens without batting an eyelid, knowing how to keep an uncomfortable pose without complaining.
To David Conover like for other photographers, something fresh and lively came from her when the camera clicked. It was as if she flirted with the lens, presenting herself to anonymous admirers, like in her childhood dreams. Actually she learned who to look at her in the eye. Conover hadn't seen this demand on any other model : she scupulously had a close look at the proofs and negatives, constantly worrying. Perfectionist in the extreme, she applied Grace's precepts which already prepared her to fight to become a star.
Taking very seriously everything concerning her image, and being interested in the technical details (lightings, films qualities), she liked that each of her pictures was perfect.
See particularly took care over her silhouette by wearing a sweater 1 or 2 size smaller for her mensurations or by putting some
straps to an horizontal striped tee-shirt to emphasize
her rounded breast, in a bra half-cup (
,
).
JUNE
On Monday, June 4,
Norma Jeane wrote to Berniece
Miracle (
,
) and to Grace
(
,
).
David Conover suggested her to make pictiures for Yank magazine and paid her 5 $ an hour. From June to the middle of summer, he took pictures of her, relentlessly, through California, from Barstow to Riverside and from the Death Valley to
Bakersfield. He gave some snapshots to the Army magazines, and some
others to Norma Jeane (
,
,
,
).
One of his friends photographers, William
Carroll also took some pictures of her (
,
,
,
,
).
,
), who
also took himself some pictures he then showed Emmeline Snively (g), manager of the modelling agency Blue Book Modeling
Agency; this one wanted to meet the young model.
During one of Jim's leave, they spent the week-end at the LaFonda Motor Lodge (San
Fernando Valley).
SUMMER
The Goddards (
) came back to California and lived in Van Nuys. Grace was obviously delighted of Norma Jeane's metamorphosis.
AUGUST
Thurday, August 2, Norma Jeane signed her contract with the Blue Book
Modeling Agency, and aged 19, left the Radio Plane Munitions Factory where she worked since 1944.
She gave
25$ to have her picture in the agency catalog (
,
).
She assiduously followed the lessons of make-up and beauty cares (with Maria Smith), fashion (with Mrs Gavin Beardsley) and
behaviour (with Miss Snively) (
). The cost of the lessons was 100$, which were deduced from her first salary.
SEPTEMBER
The Blue Book Modeling Agency immediately found her a job as receptionist at an industrial fair (California Industrial Exhibition)
for the Holga Steel Company at the Pan Pacific Auditorium
(7600 Beverly Boulevard) (
,
;
,
,
).
She worked 10 days (from Sunday, September 2) for 100$ (10$ a day).
Then,
she posed for 2 days for a clothes catalogue of Montgomery Ward
and took part in a fashion show for 4 days for the Hollywood Fashion
Show.
She made an advert session for the DC-6 of the luxury airline Douglas, an advert which was released in 1946
Ethel Dougherty began to criticize her daughter-in-law's behavior : she pretended that the model career was incompatible with the dignity f a married woman, destined for being a mother. Ethel also didn't like that Norma Jeane had an independent social life.
Not putting up any more with Ethel's look of disapproval , Norma Jeane went back to settle at Ana Lower's home (
), 11348
Nebraska Avenue, West Los Angeles. She left to the Doughertys her dog Muggsy, who died several months later.
NOVEMBER
Photographer
André De Dienes (
)
was looking for a model. He received a call from the Blue Book
Modeling Agency which suggested him several models, including Norma
Jeane.
She made a first picture session with De Dienes : he started with a very simple pose, bare foot, smiling, on the side of the 101
highway, north of Hollywood (
,
,
,
).
Emmeline
Snively sent Norma Jeane to fashion editors to make covers of magazines, and to publicity agencies.
As for Jim, he was on the coasts of Argentina, and after a stop in Montevideo and Trinidad, his ship shored in the New York harbor. That's from where Jim tried to contact her. He called Ana Lower who informed him that Norma Jeane was absent and not very present at home.
END OF THE YEAR
Jim came back on leave for several weeks (
).
Norma Jeane showed him the pictures taken in Fall by De Dienes but Jim made the fatal mistake of not expressing any interest.
The endless rejected had changed into an independent and ambitious woman and that was unbearable for a man like Jim Dougherty. Their union, fragile from the beginning, was from then on , threatened by the distance and the evolution of their mutual aspirations.
Just before Christmas, to the great displeasure of Ana Lower and Ethel Dougherty, whitout speaking about the indignation of the neglected husband who was in a mad rage, Norma Jeane left once again with De Dienes.
She had been offered a 200$ contract for pictures sessions through a journey to the Washington State. Norma Jeane first refused, but it was the missing sum to make her Ford 1935 repared; so she ended up agreeing.
They made their first stop in Zuma Beach (a beach close to Malibu) (
;
,
,
;
) and in San Juan Capistrano (
,
,
,
,
,
). Then, they travelled to Mont Hood (Oregon) (
,
), went to Furnace Creek, in the Death
Valley located in the Mojave desert, the Yosemite Valley and Nevada (
,
,
,
).
In the motels they stayed, Norma Jeane insisted on taking seperated rooms.
In Oregon, they went to Portland, where Gladys Baker lived.
Gladys,
considered as harmless, and didn't representing anymore a danger for
her and for the others, had left during the summer the Agnew
State Asylum in San Francisco with 200$ and 2 dresses.
She lived with her aunt Dora Hogan Graham (sister of he rmother Della Monroe). She had found a job : she did some housework and non medical cares to patients in convalescence or disabled.
It was
Grace McKee-Goddard who organized the meeting between Norma Jeane and Gladys.
Treated for a long time as mentally ill unable to take responsability for herself, Gladys had ended up acting as such.
She had become completely antisocial. Anorexic, with an unruffled face,
she made a terryfing exhibition of herself and Norma Jeane who had
arrived with many gifts, had to keep it to herself : to her, it
was a moment of insurmountable sadness.
She kissed her mother who remained petrified, rigid on her wicker chair. She showed her the pictures taken by Andre and offered her some candies. But Gladys didn't express neither gratitude nor pleasure. She was unable to make a gesture to touch her daughter, and after a long and painful silence, Norma Jeane knelt down next to her mother.
For a short moment, the veil seemed to tear and Gladys whispered : "I wish I'd live with you Norma Jeane". Norma Jeane was terrified because she hardly knew her mother, and felt unable to accept the load Gladys represented.
The answer was instantaneous : first, Jim wanted a housewife, not a ready-to-wear queen; secondly, he wanted children.
Before leaving again, he gave an ultimatum to Norma Jeane : chosing between a model life and a spouse and housewife one. Norma Jeane has already made her choice.
BACK TO ALPHABETICAL INDEX
NEXT FILE