My journey ends here...
1954
JANUARY
Friday, January 1 Marilyn received the "Award of Achievement" (
) from the Motion Picture Herald for her position in the "Top Ten Money Making Star" in 1953.
Tuesday, January 12 she attended the birthday party of Tom DiMaggio, one of Joe's brothers (
,
).Surprisingly on Thursday, January 14 she married Joe, at the municipal court of San Francisco: the marriage
was pronounced by Judge Charles S.Perry (
).None of Marilyn's sibllings attended; only Joe's family and friends attended the ceremony : Jean and Lefty
O'Doul, George Solotaire, Reno Barsocchini Joe's best man (
).She wore a dark brown serge suit with an ermine collar, and held in her hand a small bunch of orchids
(
,
,
).Coming out of the court, they were assaulted by a multitude of photographers and reporters (
). They left in Joe's dark blue Cadillac (
,
) and had lunch at the Hot Springs Hotel in Monterey. Despite a reservation at the Mission Inn Hotel, they spent their first night at the Clifton Motel in Paso Robles
(
), California.The newly wed spent the 2 following weeks in Idyllwild, close to Palm Springs, in a house belonging to Marilyn's lawyer, Lloyd Wright.
Darryl Zanuck, the head of Fox studios reinstated Marilyn, and she was asked to appear at the latest January 25, for the rehearsals of "Pink Tights".
Sunday, January 25, back to Los Angeles, Marilyn discovered a copy of the screenplay that had been sent to her.
Monday, January 26, not having appeared at the studio, she was suspended once again (
).Thursday, January 28, she went to San Francisco.
Friday, January 29, along with Joe, she went to the Federal Building in San Francisco (
) to pick their passports up, in preparation for their soon-to-be trip in Asia (
,
,
,
,
).Saturday, January 30, they left San Francisco, accompanied with their friends Jean and Frank "Lefty" O'Doul,
on the flight 831 of the Pan American to Tokyo (
) via Honolulu (
,
,
,
,
,
,
).They spent few hours at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and had lunch at the Trader Vic's (
-
,
-
).FEBRUARY
Monday, February 1, arriving at the Tokyo Haneda International Airport (
), Marilyn's fans were so numerous that they had to go back to the plane (
) to get out later through the soute (
). The journey was organized by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper (
) in Joe's honor, to celebrate the base-ball season. But the
public hyteria was focused on Marilyn and continued at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, where they would stay (
,
). To calm the crowd and avoid a disturbance, they had to show up at the balcony (
).Wednesday, February 3, press conference at the Yomiuri newspaper head office; many questions were asked
to Marilyn (
,
,
).Thursday, February 4, party at the Imperial Hotel (
,
).Friday, February 5, Marilyn visited the injured soldiers at the Tokyo Army Hospital (
,
,
,
).Saturday, February 6 and Sunday 7, visit in Yokohama (
,
).Marilyn accepted the invitation from General John E.Hull who led the Far East General Headquarters, to visit the American troops based in Korea.
Monday, February 8 Marilyn received the personal number 129278 as Army artist, with her officials documents
to reach Seoul (
).Arrival at the Itazuke Airport in Fukuoka (
) then visit of the military base (
,
).Tuesday, February 9, she visited the Brady Airbase of the 315th Troop Carrier in Fukuoka (
,
,
).At the Royal Host (
) and at the Kokusai Hotel (
,
).Thursday, February 11 and Friday 12, visit in Kobe (
,
,
).Saturday, February 13, base-ball match in Hiroshima (
).Sunday, February 14, visit next to Hiroshima (
,
,
).Monday, February 15, visit of the military hospital in Osaka (
,
) where Marilyn rehearsed the shows for her trip in Korea (
,
,
). Tuesday, February 16, at the Itami Airport in Osaka, on the way to Korea (
,
,
,
).From Tuesday, February 16 to Friday 19, Marilyn visited dozen of camps where thousands of soldiers welcomed and cheered her.
Tuesday, February 16, arriving in Seoul Airbase (
,
).1st Marine Division (
,
,
,
).7th Infantry (
,
,
).Wednesday, February 17, 3rd Infantry Division (
,
).160th Infantry Regiment (
,
) and 25th Marine Division (
,
,
,
,
).Thursday, February 18, 45th Division (
,
).
2nd Division (
,
,
,
,
).
NCO Club (
,
,
,
).
Friday, February 19, K47 base K47 in Chu'Chon (
,
).
DAEGU Base (
,
,
).
), having caught a cold in Korea and remained 4 days in her bed at the Imperial Hotel.Tuesday, February 23, the DiMaggios left Tokyo (
,
) and arrived in SanFrancisco (
,
,
), after a stop-over in Honolulu (
).MARCH
Friday, March 5, Joe left to New York City and Marilyn went back to Los Angeles (
,
).Monday, March 8, she was escorted with Sidney Skolsky (
) at the prize-giving for "The Best Actress" for her parts in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "How to Marry A Millionaire?", attributed by Photoplay magazine.
The party took place at the Beverly Hills Hotel (
,
,
,
,
).Tuesday, March 9, radio show for CBS (
,
).Thursday, March 18 she bought a plane ticket at the United Airlines counter of the Los Angeles Knickerbocker
Hotel, to travel to San Francisco (
).Wednesday, March 31, she was officially represented by the Famous Artists Agency.
The Fox had given up on her participation in "Pink Tights" but Charles Feldman, his agent, managed to convince the studio to give her a better salary and not to involve her in more than 2 movies a year, but the studio refused to leave her the choice of the screenplay, the director and the director of photography. Her new contract would be signed in August.
The Fox promised her the leading role in the future project of Billy Wilder, "The Seven Year Itch", as long as she first shoot "There's No Business Like Show Business".
For this musical, she was helped with her drama teacher Natasha Lytess (
), her singingteacher Hal Schaefer (
) and her dance teacher and also choregrapher Jack Cole (
).
APRIL
She rented a house with Joe at the 508 North Palm Drive (
,
,
)
Thursday, April 15 press conference in her dressing-room at the Fox studios (
,
,
,
,
).
She received the "National Movie Poll Award" (
,
,
)Thursday, April 15 press conference in her dressing-room at the Fox studios (
,
,
,
,
).
) for the Best Actress in 1953 (
,
).Rehearsals with Hal Schaefer (
,
,
,
).Friday, April 30, release of "River of No Return" (
,
,
,
,
).MAY
Monday, May 24, picture session with Milton Greene. Milton found in the Fox' wardrobe, the costume the actress Jennifer Jones had worn in "The Song of Bernadette"; he took the pictures in the Fox lot, in the small
French village built for "What a Price Glory?" (
,
,
).The production of "There's No Business Like Show Business" had to start on Friday, May 28.
Marilyn still suffered from bronchitis she had caught in Korea and she entered the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital.
The filming was postponed by July.
APRIL-MAY
She spent April and a part of May in San Francisco with the DiMaggio's family (
,
,
).
,
,
).
JUNE
Saturday, June 26, costume tests for "There's No Business Like Show Business" (
,
).JULY
Wednesday, July 7, she received a prize from the American Legion for her commitment in Korea, in
Morningside Park, Inglewood, California (
,
,
).
AUGUST
She signed her new contract with the Fox for 7 years, including a raise and a $100 000 bonus for her next film "The Seven Year Itch".
The filming of "There's No Business Like Show Business" started : she played Vicky, a banal character
(
,
,
,
,
). The relationship with the director
Walter Lang
wasn't very good (
).
Her friend Allan Snyder took care of her make up (
) and Gladys Rasmussen of her hairstyle
(
).
The reporters Sidney Skolsky and Earl Wilson visited her during the filming (
,
,
).
She received the "Exhibitor Laurel Award" (
,
) from the Film Buyers of the Motion Picture Association de la "Number One Screen Star".
Morningside Park, Inglewood, California (
,
,
).AUGUST
She signed her new contract with the Fox for 7 years, including a raise and a $100 000 bonus for her next film "The Seven Year Itch".
The filming of "There's No Business Like Show Business" started : she played Vicky, a banal character
(
,
,
,
,
). The relationship with the director
Walter Langwasn't very good (
).Her friend Allan Snyder took care of her make up (
) and Gladys Rasmussen of her hairstyle(
).The reporters Sidney Skolsky and Earl Wilson visited her during the filming (
,
,
).She received the "Exhibitor Laurel Award" (
,
) from the Film Buyers of the Motion Picture Association de la "Number One Screen Star". Picture session in Palm Springs with the photographer Ted Baron (
,
,
,
).Thursday, August 26, costume test for "The Seven Year Itch" (
,
).The production was scheduled to begin in New York City in Fall and the indoor shooting was planned from mid-September to the beginning of November.
Friday, August 27, filming of the musical "Heat Wave" (
,
,
,
).Emmeline Snively of the Blue Book Modeling Agency visited her on the set (
).With Marlon Brando who was filming "Désirée", on a close set (
,
,
).Saturday, August 28, costume and hairstyle tests for "The Seven Year Itch" (
,
,
;
).
SEPTEMBER
Wednesday, September 8, Marilyn left to New York City for the filming of "The Seven Year Itch"
(
,
,
,
;
;
).She stayed at the Hampshire House Hotel.
Friday, September 10, picture sessions with Milton Greene in his studio on Lexington Avenue
(
,
,
,
,
,
).Saturday, September 11, Joe DiMaggio arrived in New York City and they stayed at the St Regis Hotel, suite
1105-1106 (
).In her suite, the photographers Sam Shaw (
,
,
,
,
) and Milton Greene (
,
,
,
,
) took some pictures.Between Thursday, September 9 and Saturday 11
* press conference at the St Regis Hotel
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
* interview at the St Regis Hotel with Ed Wallace 
-
,
,
,
* restaurant "La petite cuvée" 
* "The Pajama Game" at the St James Theater
,
,
,
;
then meeting with the actress Carol Haynes in her loge 
,
,
,
,
* at the Club 21 
,
,
,
,
,
.
Sunday, September 12, at the restaurant El Morocco (
,
,
).
Monday, September 13, filming the first outdoor scene at 164 East 61th Street (
,
,
,
,
;
).
With Joe they attended the performance of the play "Teahouse of the August Moon" (
,
).
During the filming, she was photographed by Bob Henriques (
,
,
), Elliott Erwitt (
,
,
,
) and Sam Shaw.
Thursday, September 14, picture session with Richard Avedon for Harper's Bazaar magazine (
,
,
).
Wednesday, September 15, filming of the blowing skirt scene (
,
,
;
The skirt was lifting up with the big draft blown from a huge fan placed under a metro grid (
).
Party during the filming (
,
).
Thursday, September 16, back to Los Angeles (
,
,
,
).
Filming at the Fox end of September
,
;
,
;
,
,
,
,
,
;
,
,
.
During the filming, she had the visit of her agent Charles Feldman (
), the journalist Sidney
Skolsky (
) and the casting director Ben Lyon (
).
Monday, September 27 Joe DiMaggio left to New York City for his TV shows "World Series" where he commentated on the NY Yankees matchs.
OCTOBER
Preview of "There's No Business Like Show Business" (
,
-
,
).
Friday, November 5, she had dinner with Hal Schaefer, her singing teacher, with another of his students,
Sheila Stuart Renour (
), at 8122 Waring Avenue (
,
).
Joe DiMaggio and Frank Sinatra had plotted a plan to take Marilyn by surprise, because Joe suspected her to have an affair.
A private detective from the City Detective and Guard Service agency of Barney Ruditsky (
), had been hired and tried to surprise Marilyn in a bad way. But he entered the wrong apartment, in Mrs Florence Kotz Ross'
flat (
), who was terrified.
She sued the silent partners and demanded $200 000 of damages and interests. Sinatra denied any involvementMonday, 4 October, Harry Brand, head of the publicity department at the Fox (
), announced the divorce between Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio.
Wednesday, October 6, Joe left the North Palm Drive house (
,
) and announced to the reporters there, that he was heading back home in San Francisco.
Marilyn left shortly after with her lawyer Jerry Giesler. He announced that a petition for an amicable divorce
;
,
).
Thursday, October 7, Marilyn was back on the set of "The Seven Year Itch".
Joe held a press conference in San Francisco (
,
).
Thursday, October 21, last costume and hairstyle tests (
;
).
Wednesday, October 27, accompanied by her lawyer and her friend the reporter Sidney Skolsky, Marilyn went
to the Santa Monica court (
,
,
,
,
,
,
;
). She was supported by Inez Melson her financial advisor
(
).
NOVEMBER
Marilyn stayed for about a month in a luxurious duplex at 8336 Delongpre Avenue
(
).
Thursday, November 4, end of the filming of "The Seven Year Itch".
The Fox planned to make her filming "How to Be Very, Very Popular" with a screenplay written by the prolific Nunnally Johnson.Preview of "There's No Business Like Show Business" (
,
-
,
).Friday, November 5, she had dinner with Hal Schaefer, her singing teacher, with another of his students,
Sheila Stuart Renour (
), at 8122 Waring Avenue (
,
).Joe DiMaggio and Frank Sinatra had plotted a plan to take Marilyn by surprise, because Joe suspected her to have an affair.
A private detective from the City Detective and Guard Service agency of Barney Ruditsky (
), had been hired and tried to surprise Marilyn in a bad way. But he entered the wrong apartment, in Mrs Florence Kotz Ross' flat (
), who was terrified.in the case and the procedure lasted for years (
,
). Eventually, the "Raid on the wrong door" case (
) was closed in 1958 when Milton Rudin (
), Sinatra's lawyer, had set an amicable agreement (a $7 500 payment to Mrs Kotz).Saturday, November 6, end of the filming party for "The Seven Year Itch".
Charles Feldman (
,
) organized the party at Romanoff's (
,
).Among the attendees were Billy Wilder (
), Humphrey Bogart (
), Clifton Webb (
), Lauren Bacall (
), Doris Day (
), George Axelrod (
), SusanHayward (
), Clark Gable (
,
), Darryl Zanuck (
,
), Jack Warner (
), Sam Goldwyn (
), Tom Ewell (
) andSidney Skolsky (
,
).From Monday, November 8 to Friday 12, Marilyn was hospitalized at the Cedars of Lebanon Hospital where Dr
Leon Krohn (
) dealt with her endometriosis.Despite the tensions and their divorce, Joe DiMaggio visited her (
). She left the hospital on Friday, November 12, trying to escape from the reporters (
,
,
).She stayed for a while at the Voltaire Apartments (
) at Anna Karger's who lived there for several months.Friday, November 19 she went to the Tiffany Club with Sidney Skolsky, where they attended Ella Fitzgerald's
show (
,
,
).Friday, November 26, interview at the Beverly Hills Hotel (
,
,
,
,
).Marilyn aspired to better screenplays, to more ambitious parts and wanted the right to choose the movies and the directors. She didn't appreciate the fact that her agent Charles Feldman had numerous contracts with the Fox : Feldman didn't protect his client's interests on the best way.
So she had given a copy of her Fox' contract to Frank Delaney, laywer and friend of the photographer Milton Greene. According to the lawyer, the Fox had miscalculated the number of days during which the studio had to wait before extending Marilyn's contract, so this technical mistake overturned her contract signed in 1951.
So he wrote the documents founding the future Marilyn Monroe Productions.
Then she left Charles Feldman's agency and on Milton Greene's advise, she turned to Lew
Wasserman (
) from the MCA. He represented her in Los Angeles, but in New York City, her new agents were Jay Kanter and Mort Viner.DECEMBER
,
,
,
), then at the Mocambo (
,
).Saturday, December 4, at the Palm Springs Racquet Club (
,
,
).Wednesday, December 8, Sammy Davis Jr's birthday party at his home (
,
,
,
).
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