My journey ends here...
1946
JANUARY
In January, Norma Jeane met the photographer Raphael Wolff who took pictures of her for hair products
adverts (
,
,
,
,
). Emmeline Snively had encouraged her to bleach her hair. Hairstylist Sylvia Barnhart, from the Frank & Joseph
salon (
) took care of it. She won a prize during a contest (
,
).Norma Jeane was very popular.
She started thinking about being an actress; she talked about it with Emmeline Snively.
She worked with the photographers William Burnside (
,
,
) and Richard Miller (
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
).She posed for the illustrator Earl Moran (
). The pictures were used to make the drawings whichwould be, among others, used for the famous calendar Browm and Bidelow (
,
).
MARCH
In March she posed for the photographer Joseph Jasgur (
), in Zuma Beach, Malibu (
,
,
).Monday, March 11 she signed a contract with the National Concerts Artists Corporation (NCAC) who would represent her.
Emmeline Snively had introduced her to her friend Helen Ainsworth (
) who ran the NCAC.Harry Lipton (
) became her agent. Jim was back on leave and they had dinner together at the Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel in Los
Angeles on Saturday, March 16 mars (
). She participated in a fashion show at the Ambassador Hotel (
,
,
,
,
).
APRIL
Thursday, April 25 she posed for the photographer Paul Parry for adverts (
,
;
,
,
).Friday, April 26l, she was on the cover of Family Circle magazine (
).She was on the cover of several magazines (
) and she started to be very popular (
,
,
,
,
,
).Hoping to divorce quickly, she moved in Las Vegas, Nevada, since Tuesday, May 14.
She lived with Minnie Willette, one of Grace Goddard's aunt, 604 South 3rd Street (
).She remained there for 4 month.
She met Bill Pursel (
,
) who lived 517 South 2nd Street; he would be her boyfriend for a while.JULY
,
;
).She was hospitalized at the Las Vegas General Hospital for an oral infection after a wisdom tooth extraction, then for measles.
She would be back to Las Vegas on Friday, September 13, for the divorce judgment. Legally she had to live in Nevada until the divorce procurement but she stayed a lot in California and kept going with modelling.
She was on the front cover of Laff magazine (
) and was spotted by Howard Hughes, head of the RKO.Helen Ainsworth obtained an appointment at the movie studio, Twentieth Century Fox, on Wednesday, July
17, at 10.30 AM. She met the casting director Ben Lyon (
).
He asked her to read few lines from a part played by Judy Holiday in
1944, "Winged Victory". Excited, he wanted her to make a screen test.Friday, July 19 she was brought on the set of Betty Grable's new movie, "Mother Wore Tights".
She was introduced to the movie director Leon Shamroy (
), the make-up artist Allan Snyder (he wouldbecome her personal and usual make-up man, and one of her closest friend) (
), the director WalterLang and the costume designer Charles LeMaire (
).Simple advices were given to her. Wearing a crinoline, she walked back and forth, sit on a stool, lit a cigarette, stubbed it out, walked to the window. As soon as the movie camera started to work, a real transformation occured within her : she seemed very confident.
During the following days, Darryl Zanuck (
),
the head of production, watched the screen test. Even if he wasn't very
thrilled, he trusted both Ben Lyon and Leon Shamroy, and agreed with
giving her a contract.Tuesday, July 23, Ben Lyon signed Norma Jeane's first contract (
).
AUGUST
Saturday, August 3, publication of the divorce (
,
).During the summer, Berniece, Norma Jeane's half-sister, came for holidays in California. This was the opportunity
to bring together Gladys and her daughters (
,
,
,
).At a restaurant with Berniece, Mona Rae, Grace Goddard, Enid Knebelkamp, Ana Lower and Gladys
.SEPTEMBER
Thursday, September 5, her name is cited for the first time in Variety magazine (
).Friday, September 13, the divorce with Jim is granted (
,
). Jim Dougherty didnt' attend but was informed by mail (
).Norma Jeane lived at the Studio Club, room n° 307, that cost her $12 a week (
,
,
,
). She was photographed by Leo Caloia at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles; she was among the most
promising starlets interviewed by the KFI radio (
,
,
).DECEMBER
Tuesday, December 3, Norma Jeane changed her professional name and became Marilyn Monroe
(
).But the end of the year went by without a single commitment from the Fox.
For Christmas she participated to the advert campaign for the Darrin/Kaiser-Frazer car (
,
). Also to the Christmas Parade for the promotion of the Alan Young Radio Sho, at the RoseBowl Stadium (
).
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