Caitlin Culgan
Dr. Jerome McKeever
English 1020
July 1, 2013
Word Count: 1561
Marilyn Monroe’s Impact on Society
Marilyn Monroe had a significant impact on the twentieth century. She made a new image on Hollywood. She was not just the girl next door star, she was a blonde bombshell that knew how to make a lasting impression. Marilyn Monroe was ahead of her time. She shocked the nation with her sex appeal, and gave Hollywood a new look on women. “In the early and mid-1950s Monroe became one of the most publicized and popular actresses in America, her sexuality and vulnerability proving to be a potent and attractive mixture. She actively involved herself in her own image making and publicity, turning events from her private life to her professional advantage.” (ANB par. 5) She was an outspoken woman with a lot to say. She was not skinny, and made sure that she let the world know that she loved her curves. Marilyn worked her sex appeal to her advantage and it landed her fame long after she passed. Monroe’s impact caused a ripple effect on Hollywood and gave us some of the stars we know today. Marilyn significantly impacted her career path and those of future stars by building on her sensuality and sexuality to achieve fame.
Marilyn Monroe became a sex icon when Hugh Hefner purchased nude photos for five hundred dollars. It was the best investment that Hefner ever made in his lifetime. “In March 1952, the saying "bad publicity is good publicity" took on new meaning when Marilyn became the object of attention in the midst of the scandalous "Calendar Caper". The pictures that were taken years earlier by Tom Kelley became a hit during the early 1950s. They adorned men's walls around the United States and Marilyn Monroe became a national sex symbol.” (Bell par.6) The magazine was released in December 1953 with Monroe on the cover. She was the sweetheart of the month before the centerfolds were known as playmates. “On the front cover of the first edition of Playboy, Marilyn Monroe appeared waving her hand. Inside, Marilyn Monroe bared it all in the centerfold. Monroe did not pose nude specifically for Playboy; Hefner had purchased the picture from a local printer who made calendars.” (Rosenberg par.2) She was the first step in Hefner’s fortune without ever realizing it.
Hugh started his company with Monroe and then by gaining young women to bare it all with the hopes of being famous just as Monroe was. “She was his first centerfold. Marilyn Monroe helped put Playboy magazine on the map.” (Hugh par. 1) It was a hit, men were buying the magazines and women were posing for fame and fortune. It seemed as the perfect set up in the adult industry. The Playboy mansion became just as famous as the magazine. The parties at the mansion are known worldwide. They are exclusive parties for only the very rich and the very famous. The people wanted to know what went on in the mansion and so a reality television series was made. “The Girls Next Door” showed an inside look at Hugh’s life, the girls, and the parties. Marilyn was mentioned in this series numerous times about being an icon to many of the playmates.
Young women continue to line up for auditions to be a part of this company. They have high hopes of becoming rich and famous just like Monroe and many other playmates. The only difference was that Monroe posed for a calendar and not for Playboy. She later regretted that the photos were made public. She said she needed the money at the time so that way it would not destroy her career. “In a brilliant public relations move, Marilyn decided to come clean about the calendar and her motivation behind doing it by arranging an interview with a popular news reporter named Aline Mosby. She confided to Mosby that she posed in the nude only because she was broke and needed the money to survive. Marilyn's well-rehearsed sad story doused the scandalous flames that almost consumed her and instead lead to public sympathy nationwide. After all, who could stay angry with such a beautiful girl who was forced to exploit her body in order to survive?” (Bell par. 8) In our time it turned into a way to gain fame. Being a centerfold went from being a career destroyer to being a career builder as the twentieth century ended and the twenty-first began. Many women have made a name for themselves in Hollywood and have furthered their acting or modeling careers by becoming a playmate. One of the most famous was Anna Nicole Smith.
Marilyn Monroe was an idol to Anna Nicole Smith. Marilyn contributed so much to pop culture. She is who America thinks of when you think of a blonde bombshell so that was exactly what Smith wanted to became as well. Smith seemed to follow in Monroe’s footsteps leading all the way up to a tragic end. Her career took off when she was in Playboy same as Monroe. She was said to be a modern Marilyn. "I just feel a connection with Marilyn Monroe," Smith said. "I just love her. I just completely feel what she went through." Both women died of drug overdoses -- Monroe at 36, Smith at 39.”(Marilyn par. 1) The similarities between them are shocking. Marilyn and Anna both changed their names before becoming famous. Norma Jean Mortensen was Marilyn’s name before she was famous. Vickie Lynn Hogan was Anna Nicole Smith’s previous name. Both were blonde and curvaceous and made a name in Hollywood because of the bombshell look. They both took sex appeal to new levels and made a lot of people unhappy about this. They were both with rich powerful men, had drug problems, and both died at a young age with scandals arising about their deaths. The most remembered and talked about similarity between these two women is the way they died. They both had links to rich powerful men at the time of their deaths. The autopsy that claims they both died of drug overdoses is still some of the most questioned conspiracies in pop culture history.
The admiration that Smith had for Monroe was very noticeable to the public. The lives that they lived shared numerous similarities and they both are still talked about even after their death. “Marilyn Monroe will always be remembered as a beloved icon. How will Anna Nicole Smith be remembered? My best guess is that Anna Nicole will never become the icon in death that she failed to be in life. Anna Nicole was famous, but was not exactly an icon in the sense that Marilyn Monroe was. Marilyn Monroe will be remembered far longer than poor Anna Nicole Smith. Anna Nicole will be remembered for her once lovely body, her outrageous public antics, personal tragedies and controversial life. But there will never be the true fondness people had for Marilyn Monroe, who is remembered not only for her beauty, but for her talent and charm as well.” (Late par. 16) These women both just wanted to be happy and in the end they ended up dying unhappy. They both seemed to be getting their lives together right before death and never got to have the chance to live long enough to finally be happy.
Monroe’s modeling and acting career were the start of something new. She is still famous for the white dress blowing up from the subway. This was one of her most famous actions. Her social impact affected a lot of people. Hugh and Anna were just two of many unnamed people affected by her social impact. She was the start of something new and exciting and will be recognized for this long after she passed. “Decades after Marilyn Monroe's death, the film actress and model has remained one of Hollywood's greatest sex symbols with her eye-catching style, champagne blond hair, and breathless manner of speaking.” (Encyclopedia par. 1) She made an image that was all her own. Monroe’s image is something that will be carried on and new stars will always continue to follow in her footsteps. “Monroe has been imitated over the years by a number of celebrities, including Madonna, Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani.”(Marilyn par. 20) Her legacy will live on until the end of time. As many stars have followed in her footsteps they diminish after time and will not always be remembered like Monroe. As time goes on people will start to forget about Anna because she will fade away into the lime light as just another Marilyn Monroe imitation. Monroe contributed a lot of change to Hollywood. She was the start of a new era of entertainment. She was ahead of her time and she shocked the nation with her actions. She was a symbol for a social cause and was able to change Hollywood forever.
Works Cited
American National Biography Online
http://www.anb.org/articles/18/18-00856.html
Bell, Rachael Marilyn Monroe
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/celebrity/marilyn_monroe/4.html
Hugh Hefner Talks About His Memories of Marilyn Monroe
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/08/03/hugh-hefner-talks-about-his-memories-of-marilyn-monroe/
The Late Anna Nicole Smith and Marilyn Monroe – The Curse of the Blonde Bombshells
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-late-anna-nicole-smith-marilyn-monroe-the-200673.html
"Marilyn Monroe." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Jul 11 2013, 09:19 http://www.biography.com/people/marilyn-monroe-9412123
Marilyn Monroe biography Encyclopedia of World Biographies
http://www.notablebiographies.com/Mo-Ni/Monroe-Marilyn.html#ixzz2ZJNHjqwP
Rosenberg, Jennifer The First Playboy Magazine
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/Playboy.htm
Marilyn Monroe Wannabes The US weekly website
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/marilyn-monroe-wannabes-2011315/15276#ixzz2ZJGpgbEF
Dr. Jerome McKeever
English 1020
July 1, 2013
Word Count: 1561
Marilyn Monroe’s Impact on Society
Marilyn Monroe had a significant impact on the twentieth century. She made a new image on Hollywood. She was not just the girl next door star, she was a blonde bombshell that knew how to make a lasting impression. Marilyn Monroe was ahead of her time. She shocked the nation with her sex appeal, and gave Hollywood a new look on women. “In the early and mid-1950s Monroe became one of the most publicized and popular actresses in America, her sexuality and vulnerability proving to be a potent and attractive mixture. She actively involved herself in her own image making and publicity, turning events from her private life to her professional advantage.” (ANB par. 5) She was an outspoken woman with a lot to say. She was not skinny, and made sure that she let the world know that she loved her curves. Marilyn worked her sex appeal to her advantage and it landed her fame long after she passed. Monroe’s impact caused a ripple effect on Hollywood and gave us some of the stars we know today. Marilyn significantly impacted her career path and those of future stars by building on her sensuality and sexuality to achieve fame.
Marilyn Monroe became a sex icon when Hugh Hefner purchased nude photos for five hundred dollars. It was the best investment that Hefner ever made in his lifetime. “In March 1952, the saying "bad publicity is good publicity" took on new meaning when Marilyn became the object of attention in the midst of the scandalous "Calendar Caper". The pictures that were taken years earlier by Tom Kelley became a hit during the early 1950s. They adorned men's walls around the United States and Marilyn Monroe became a national sex symbol.” (Bell par.6) The magazine was released in December 1953 with Monroe on the cover. She was the sweetheart of the month before the centerfolds were known as playmates. “On the front cover of the first edition of Playboy, Marilyn Monroe appeared waving her hand. Inside, Marilyn Monroe bared it all in the centerfold. Monroe did not pose nude specifically for Playboy; Hefner had purchased the picture from a local printer who made calendars.” (Rosenberg par.2) She was the first step in Hefner’s fortune without ever realizing it.
Hugh started his company with Monroe and then by gaining young women to bare it all with the hopes of being famous just as Monroe was. “She was his first centerfold. Marilyn Monroe helped put Playboy magazine on the map.” (Hugh par. 1) It was a hit, men were buying the magazines and women were posing for fame and fortune. It seemed as the perfect set up in the adult industry. The Playboy mansion became just as famous as the magazine. The parties at the mansion are known worldwide. They are exclusive parties for only the very rich and the very famous. The people wanted to know what went on in the mansion and so a reality television series was made. “The Girls Next Door” showed an inside look at Hugh’s life, the girls, and the parties. Marilyn was mentioned in this series numerous times about being an icon to many of the playmates.
Young women continue to line up for auditions to be a part of this company. They have high hopes of becoming rich and famous just like Monroe and many other playmates. The only difference was that Monroe posed for a calendar and not for Playboy. She later regretted that the photos were made public. She said she needed the money at the time so that way it would not destroy her career. “In a brilliant public relations move, Marilyn decided to come clean about the calendar and her motivation behind doing it by arranging an interview with a popular news reporter named Aline Mosby. She confided to Mosby that she posed in the nude only because she was broke and needed the money to survive. Marilyn's well-rehearsed sad story doused the scandalous flames that almost consumed her and instead lead to public sympathy nationwide. After all, who could stay angry with such a beautiful girl who was forced to exploit her body in order to survive?” (Bell par. 8) In our time it turned into a way to gain fame. Being a centerfold went from being a career destroyer to being a career builder as the twentieth century ended and the twenty-first began. Many women have made a name for themselves in Hollywood and have furthered their acting or modeling careers by becoming a playmate. One of the most famous was Anna Nicole Smith.
Marilyn Monroe was an idol to Anna Nicole Smith. Marilyn contributed so much to pop culture. She is who America thinks of when you think of a blonde bombshell so that was exactly what Smith wanted to became as well. Smith seemed to follow in Monroe’s footsteps leading all the way up to a tragic end. Her career took off when she was in Playboy same as Monroe. She was said to be a modern Marilyn. "I just feel a connection with Marilyn Monroe," Smith said. "I just love her. I just completely feel what she went through." Both women died of drug overdoses -- Monroe at 36, Smith at 39.”(Marilyn par. 1) The similarities between them are shocking. Marilyn and Anna both changed their names before becoming famous. Norma Jean Mortensen was Marilyn’s name before she was famous. Vickie Lynn Hogan was Anna Nicole Smith’s previous name. Both were blonde and curvaceous and made a name in Hollywood because of the bombshell look. They both took sex appeal to new levels and made a lot of people unhappy about this. They were both with rich powerful men, had drug problems, and both died at a young age with scandals arising about their deaths. The most remembered and talked about similarity between these two women is the way they died. They both had links to rich powerful men at the time of their deaths. The autopsy that claims they both died of drug overdoses is still some of the most questioned conspiracies in pop culture history.
The admiration that Smith had for Monroe was very noticeable to the public. The lives that they lived shared numerous similarities and they both are still talked about even after their death. “Marilyn Monroe will always be remembered as a beloved icon. How will Anna Nicole Smith be remembered? My best guess is that Anna Nicole will never become the icon in death that she failed to be in life. Anna Nicole was famous, but was not exactly an icon in the sense that Marilyn Monroe was. Marilyn Monroe will be remembered far longer than poor Anna Nicole Smith. Anna Nicole will be remembered for her once lovely body, her outrageous public antics, personal tragedies and controversial life. But there will never be the true fondness people had for Marilyn Monroe, who is remembered not only for her beauty, but for her talent and charm as well.” (Late par. 16) These women both just wanted to be happy and in the end they ended up dying unhappy. They both seemed to be getting their lives together right before death and never got to have the chance to live long enough to finally be happy.
Monroe’s modeling and acting career were the start of something new. She is still famous for the white dress blowing up from the subway. This was one of her most famous actions. Her social impact affected a lot of people. Hugh and Anna were just two of many unnamed people affected by her social impact. She was the start of something new and exciting and will be recognized for this long after she passed. “Decades after Marilyn Monroe's death, the film actress and model has remained one of Hollywood's greatest sex symbols with her eye-catching style, champagne blond hair, and breathless manner of speaking.” (Encyclopedia par. 1) She made an image that was all her own. Monroe’s image is something that will be carried on and new stars will always continue to follow in her footsteps. “Monroe has been imitated over the years by a number of celebrities, including Madonna, Lady Gaga and Gwen Stefani.”(Marilyn par. 20) Her legacy will live on until the end of time. As many stars have followed in her footsteps they diminish after time and will not always be remembered like Monroe. As time goes on people will start to forget about Anna because she will fade away into the lime light as just another Marilyn Monroe imitation. Monroe contributed a lot of change to Hollywood. She was the start of a new era of entertainment. She was ahead of her time and she shocked the nation with her actions. She was a symbol for a social cause and was able to change Hollywood forever.
Works Cited
American National Biography Online
http://www.anb.org/articles/18/18-00856.html
Bell, Rachael Marilyn Monroe
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/celebrity/marilyn_monroe/4.html
Hugh Hefner Talks About His Memories of Marilyn Monroe
http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/08/03/hugh-hefner-talks-about-his-memories-of-marilyn-monroe/
The Late Anna Nicole Smith and Marilyn Monroe – The Curse of the Blonde Bombshells
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-late-anna-nicole-smith-marilyn-monroe-the-200673.html
"Marilyn Monroe." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Jul 11 2013, 09:19 http://www.biography.com/people/marilyn-monroe-9412123
Marilyn Monroe biography Encyclopedia of World Biographies
http://www.notablebiographies.com/Mo-Ni/Monroe-Marilyn.html#ixzz2ZJNHjqwP
Rosenberg, Jennifer The First Playboy Magazine
http://history1900s.about.com/od/1950s/qt/Playboy.htm
Marilyn Monroe Wannabes The US weekly website
http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/pictures/marilyn-monroe-wannabes-2011315/15276#ixzz2ZJGpgbEF