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GREENE Milton

Milton Hawthorne GREENHOLTZ

Date of birth: March 14, 1922, Brooklyn, New York City.

Date of death : August 8, 1985, Los Angeles.

Places of living:

Pied-a-terre in Sutton Place, New York City.

Main home : Weston, Connecticut.

His photo studio was located 480 Lexington Avenue, New York City :

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Picture of the Greene family :

Milton Greene and his sons :

Practise: photographer.

Story

He began to take pictures at the age of 14.

While he attended the High School in Brooklyn (New York City), he became the assistant of photographers Eliot Elisofon, Louise Dahl-Wolfe and Martin Bauman, in Manhattan.

Bauman was very interested in the energy and the "instinctive eye" of Milton, a precious talent for a photographer. Bauman offered him a partnership.

From the age of 19, he had his own studio where, as a free-lancer, he made portraits of stars such as Judy

Garland (), Cary Grant (), Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Sammy Davis Jr and Marlène Dietrich ().
He quickly joined the photographers group selected to work in big magazines as Life, Look, Colliers, Vogue,

Harper’s Bazaar (;,,,,

In 1942, he married his youthful romance, Evelyn Franlklin(). After a 7 years wedding, they divorced in 1949.
(Later she would marry and divorce Richard Avedon, another photographer).

One of his friends was Jesse Rand, a talented manager. He was in charge of Sammy Davis Jr and asked Milton to make the cover of Sammy Davis"s record, at Decca Records. Rand invited Milton to attend Sammy Davis's show at the Copacabana.

Milton was a shy person, with a nature inclined to depression, introverted and with a sullen mood.

September 1949 : thanks to her agent Johnny Hyde, Marilyn crossed the thresold of the gorgeous residence of Rupert Allan, overhanging the Beverly Hills canyon. Rupert Allan, editor of Look magazine, had joined this evening, a New York photographers team and also a horde of starlets in preparation of a photo test.

It was this evening that Marilyn met Milton Greene, aged 27, who worked for Life magazine.

He impressed Marilyn; despite his shyness, his enthousiasm, the passion he used to talk about his job, his original ideas captivated Marilyn. He compared photography with a "camera painting", a celebration of the feminine beauty. At that time, he lived at the Château Marmont Hotel, on Sunset Boulevard.

Greene would fly to New York City on September 14, whitout any pictures of Marilyn.

In 1952, Amy Franco (future Amy Greene) obtained an appointment with Milton, in order to present him her book. But at this meeting, Milton was late and Amy went back whitout having seen him. Few months later, her agency gave her another appointment with Milton.

They met before Milton flew to Paris where he covered the couture collections for Life magazine : with David Haft (amy fated him sometimes), Milton organized a party at his studio. After the missed appointment, Amy said "Good evening, Milton Greene, good bye Milton Greene".

Summer 1952 : Milton was in Paris. At that time he dated a model, Nelly Nyad. From Paris, they travelled to Spain.

Fall 1952 : during another date with David Haft, Amy went at David's home. He announced her that he had invited Milton Greene for the evening, this one being just separated from Nelly Nyad, his former companion.

Milton arrived and while David was getting ready, he talked with Amy. This is the moment where they fell in love.

Amy called him back but Milton didn't answer her. She sent him a card for Christmas and this time, he called her.

He took her to Connecticut where he had a house; she remained there.

While Amy organized their wedding for September 1953, Milton went to Hollywood for a contract with Look magazine. Among others, he had to take pictures of Marilyn, Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly.

Between 1953 and 1957, he gave Marilyn the courage to leave the all-powerful studios to stand on her own twe feet.

He had built a strong and quick reputation of fashion photographer who knew how to deal with the stars (Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn). He was estimated by Richard Avedon, who considered him as "the greatest women photographer".

In September 1953, he met Marilyn at the Fox studio.

Pictures Los Angeles

Balalaïka :

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Country :

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Laurel Canyon :

floral skirt

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sandals

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With the editors of Look magazine :

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When Milton sent her the snapshots, Marilyn, much satisfied with the result, sent him a bunch of dozen of roses. She thought they were the most beautiful pictures she had ever seen.

After their wedding, the newly weds went in honeymoon, travelling to New Orleans where director Joshua Logan
directed Charles Boyer and Mary Martin in "Kind Sir".
For this occasion, Milton received the keys of the city to thank him for his publicity.

They arrived in Los Angeles in October 1953, for a fashion reporting for Look magazine : .

Milton wanted to meet Joe Schenck ; Marilyn introduced them to each other and Milton took pictures of Marilyn, at Schencks:

with the Pekinese dogs of Sidney Guilaroff :

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seated with a glass

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in bed :

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négligé :

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terrace :

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salon
sofa

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statue

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phone

black dress :

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coat

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End of 1953 when he came back from Los Angeles wioth his wife Amy, Milton encouraged Marilyn to protest against the poor salary assured by her contract and againts the parts she thought degraded her. Marilyn delighted to follow him, wasn't disconcerted by Milton's lack of experience. It needed a year to clear things up, while Marilyn married and divorced DiMaggio.

In May 1954, Milton was again in Los Angeles; he found in the Fox wardrobe, the costume of Jennifer Jones in "The Song of Bernadett", a close-fitting jacket, a long skirt, thick black stocking and black sabots.

He took Marilyn in the Fox studios, in the little french village built for "What a Price Glory?" and took her in pictures :

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Grey fur :

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Hat and white fur :

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"Gypsy" session :

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"Bus Stop" clothes :

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In her dressing-room, at Fox :

Other pictures Los Angeles :

horseback

with her Cadillac :

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make-up :

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September 1954

New York

St Regis Hotel :

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Ballerina series :

Photo session made at Milton's studio, on Lexington Avenue. Marilyn wears a dress, too small for her, of Anna Klein.

seated

standing up

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portrait

seated

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standing up

Daisy series :

Gold dress:

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Wicker sitting :

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Party at El Morocco :

10 days after the huge reception at Romanoff which consecrated Marilyn as a big Hollywood star (November 6, 1954), Greene organized her departure to New York.

December 2, 1954, they attended a party given at Jess Rand's home (Sammy Davis Jr's publicist) :

; then they went to the Mocambo :

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On December 8, 1954, birthday party at Sammy Davis Jr's home :

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In December 1954 she took refuge in a hotel in New York City, then at the Greenes, in their house in Connecticut :

The press rushed at the idea that the star was over, but Marilyn and Milton held a press conference on January 7, 1955 to announce the setting up of the Marilyn Monroe Productions :

press conference

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with Marlene Dietrich

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They were both the owners of the company with 51% for her as president and 49% for him as vice president. But the Fox frowned upon and didn't want to give up Marilyn's contract without fighting.

The young production company had to fight to keep Marilyn star status, whitout having the benefit of none income and on the only basis of their plans. Greene hypothecated his last coin to make her keeping her star lifestyle.

Marilyn's spending included :

250$ a week for her suite at the Waldorf Astoria

100$ a week for her mother's care

125$ a week for her analyst and the renewal of her wardrobe (she had arrived in New York with very few clothes).

Pictures New York 1955

Office of the Marilyn Monroe Productions :

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Milton's studio :

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White fur photo session :

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Bathrobe photo session :

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Red sweater photo session :

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Tennis photo session :

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With Maurice Chevalier :

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Walkway New York :

Other sessions :

black boa :

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striped black and white top

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strapped dress/mirror Milton's studio

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strapped dress/black cape :

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blouse/mirror

coat

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white sweater:

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March 1955 : she began to take drugs (barbiturates) with Milton's help, whose brother, Lee B.Greene (born in 1910) was a doctor, attached to the Bellevue Hospital, New York.

March 9, 1955, premiere of "East of Eden" :

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March 17, 1955, at the Friars Club :

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March 30, 1955, at the Madison Square Garden :

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April 8, 1955, Marilyn is the guest of the program of Edward R.Murrow, "Person to Person", directed in Weston, at the Greenes :

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June 1955, Weston, Connecticut :

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On December 12, 1955, Marilyn attended the premiere of "The Rose Tattoo" in aid fo the Actors studio, party given at the Astor Hotel, New York.

At Greene's studio, with Marlon Brando :

with ticket

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with scarf

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with coats

At the theater :

When it was obvious that Greene wouldn't found any rich sponsor to fund the Marilyn Monroe Productions, his lawyers team got the green light to renegociate a new contract with the Fox.

On December 31, 1955 : the Fox agreed the terms established by Marilyn and Milton; she spent the New Year's Eve at Greenes house.

February 8, 1956, Black series:

stocking

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boa

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hat

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glass

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Milton assisted her for a triumphant come-back in Hollywood, on February 25, 1956, for "Bus Stop" :

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It was a moment af great proud for Marilyn, who, thanks to Milton, won kind of a perfect command of her career. Greene searched contracts, negociated in Marilyn's name, eliminated the difficulties and played the go-between, among Marilyn and the rest of the world.

He attended the dancing rehearsals for "Old Black Magic" Marilyn played in "Bus Stop" :

Greene's creative contribution to Marilyn's career appeared also in the fact that he took pictures of her. He invented the atmosphere of "Bus Stop", supervised the lighting and imagined the incredible pale make-up of Cherie. Milton's ideas (mostly the make-up) aroused kind of anxiety at the Fox's direction;Buddy Adler, producer of the movie, talked to him about it but after having seen the rushes, he was very impressed by Greene's work and even offered him a production work in Los Angeles :

March 1, 1956 : agreement with the Warner :

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March 1956 : Milton negociated with Lee Strasberg, because Paula Strasberg's presence wasn't appreciated by Joshua Logan on the set of "Bus Stop"; he obtained that Paula stayed in Marilyn's dressing-room but not on the set.

Marilyn and the Greenes rented a house at 595 North Beverly Glen Boulevard, West Los Angeles, during the shooting of "Bus Stop".

Pictures :

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Bus stop

With Amy Greene and Paula Strasberg

With Joshua Greene :

Cherie costume :

In bed :

On March 15, 1956, departure from New York to Phoenix :

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Arizona

With Milton Greene :

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In the arena

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Rodeo scene :

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Idaho

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Other

alone

with Don Murray

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with Joshua Logan

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with Paula Strasberg

with Milton Greene

June 2, 1956, back to New York City:

The people who came in Marilyn's circle in 1955 and 1956, precipitated Milton's fall. Lee strasberg adviosed Marilyn to see a psychoanalyst; Milton advised her Margaret Hohenberg who had been his own analyst.
Marilyn also spent a lot of time with Arthur Miller who didn't trust Milton.

1956, with Arthur Miller :

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July 1, 1956 : religious wedding of Marilyn and Arthur Miller : .

The Marilyn Monroe Productions used "Bus Stop" great success to produce their only movie "The Prince and The Showgirl" (1957), shot in England.

Shooting:
alone

with Laurence Olivier

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alone

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with Laurence Olivier

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fitting

Hairdressing and costume tests :

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On July 24, 1956, the writer Terence Rattigan gave a party for the beginning if the shooting of "The Prince and The Showgirl", to which Marilyn and Arthur Miller attended, dressed in Edwardian outfit :

January 1957

Red dress session :

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April 1957 : Marilyn broke up with Milton and initiated a procedure to force him to resign. They would never meet again.

In July 1962, he called Marilyn and they talked together for an hour and a half. They suggested to see each other in August, after Milton's return, because he had to go to Paris to cover the haute couture collection.

On August 4, 1962, Milton and Amy had dinner in Paris with Marlene Dietrich and Alicia Corning Clark.
On Sunday August 5,, they had a picnic in Fontainebleau and learned Marilyn's death. First, Milton believed of Marilyn's accidental suicide, then, years later, with the appearance of new elements, he would'nt believe to the accident anymore.

The lawyers would fight during a year until she would buy back Milton's parts for 100 000$ (his earnings of more than 2 years of work) and he would give up his career as producer. He would work back as photographer but would began to feel rancor and soon would give in to drugs and alcohol. However, he would always remain courteous towards Marilyn.

On the international level, he worked for publicity agencies and magazines as Life, Vogue et Harper’s Bazaar.

He linked up with Joe Eula and founded the Greene-Eula Corporation. Milton bought a small building on East 55ème Street, which would become their business center.

Despite his success in "Bus Stop" and "The Prince and The Showgirl", Milton became persona non grata in the movie circle.

1982 :

Bibliography

"Milton's Marilyn", Milton M. Greene, James Kotsilibas-Davis, Joshua Greene, Munich, Schirmer/mosel Verlag Gmbh, 1995

"Of Women and Their Elegancee, text of Norman Mailer and picturs of Milton Greene, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1980

"My Story", Marilyn Monroe, New York, Stein and Day, 1974.

Website

Archives Milton Greene

Milton's Marilyn

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