Marilyn Monroe is iconic the world over. But perhaps nowhere is she loved more than in Palm Springs, California. To this day, Palm Springs is fascinated with Marilyn’s legendary stardom, beauty, sex appeal, and mystique. Once a playground of the rich and famous, the posh community of Palm Springs still maintains its mid-century charm and nostalgic Hollywood appeal. Names like Marilyn, Elvis, Bing, Liberace, and Gloria still live on in The Springs.
While there isn’t a lot known about Marilyn’s Palm Springs escapades, many stories have filtered down over time. We do know that Marilyn frequented the Mira Loma hotel (known today as Palm Springs Rendezvous), and would stay in the room that is known as Pretty in Pink as did many other celebrities of the era, including Veronica Lake and Gloria Swanson. The blonde bombshell must have been impressed with the hotel and the community, since she eventually purchased a home in the town. Today, the exterior of that home remains virtually as it did when Marilyn resided there—and is a popular tourist destination.
Golden Girl
Of course, Marilyn’s history extends well beyond the bounds of Palm Springs. During her Hollywood tenure, she rose to such fame that her films became huge money makers. Her films grossed more than $200 million at a time when movies seldom brought in more than a few million dollars. Marilyn was considered the world’s hottest sex symbol, exemplifying an IT factor that encompassed her beauty, charm, fun-loving humor, and sly wit. Naturally, the sparkle of the golden girl attracted a lot of male attention. Famous men were drawn to her sexual energy and incomparable beauty. She was known for her intimate relationships with celebrities like Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, President John F. Kennedy and manager Elia Kazan. She was also married three times—to Arthur Miller, Joe DiMaggio, and James Dougherty.
Subtle Start
Surprisingly, the mega-star wasn’t always as poised or golden as she’s known to have been. When she first came on the scene, it’s said that producers didn’t believe she had the acting chops needed to be a star. There are also stories that she suffered terrible stage fright, even to the point of being sick before a show. But that rocky start was short-lived. Her talent exploded to meteoric proportions, and as we know, she quickly became Hollywood’s hottest and most popular actress. She proved her acting ability time and again by winning a various honors and attracting huge audiences to her films.
Sad End
Marilyn was firmly entrenched as Hollywood’s IT girl, but as Robert Frost famously wrote, “Nothing gold can stay.”On August 5, 1962, on a clear day in Los Angeles, California, Marilyn passed away at the age of 36. The sunny weather didn’t match the circ*mstances of the day, in which the starlet was tragically found dead at her newly-purchased LA home. An empty container of sleeping pills was discovered in her bedroom. While the coroner labeled her death a suicide, many rumors began circulating that foul play could have been a factor. Conspiracy theorists even hinted at potential presidential involvement, but no evidence of any nefarious behavior was ever proven. Although the star’s light went out that day, her brightness never dulled.
Tearful Tribute
Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortensen, had a tumultuous upbringing where she was passed between family members and foster homes. Ironically, the girl who seemed loved and unwanted as a child rose to become a woman that everyone loved and wanted—and no one would ever forget. A decade after Marilyn’s demise, Elton John and his writing partner Bernie Taupin famously penned the song, “A Candle in the Wind,” as a tribute to her short, but impactful life.
Goodbye Norma Jeane
Though I never knew you at all
You had the grace to hold yourself
While those around you crawled
They crawled out of the woodwork
And they whispered into your brain
They set you on the treadmill
And they made you change your name
And it seems to me you lived your life
Like a candle in the wind
Never knowing who to cling to
When the rain set in
And I would have liked to have known you
But I was just a kid
Your candle burned out long before
Your legend ever did
Loneliness was tough
The toughest role you ever played
Hollywood created a superstar
And pain was the price you paid
Even when you died
Oh the press still hounded you
All the papers had to say
Was that Marilyn was found in the nude
Goodbye Norma Jeane
From the young man in the 22nd row
Who sees you as something as more than sexual
More than just our Marilyn Monroe
The haunting melody and tearful lyrics tug at the heartstrings of those who remember, revere, and respect the tragic tale of Marilyn Monroe. Her life may have been cut short, but her place in history, and her place in our hearts and minds, will never been forgotten.
