What Marilyn Monroe’s Net Worth Was & Who Inherited Her Fortune After She Died (2024)

Marilyn Monroe is one of Hollywood’s most enduring stars, but the tragedy of her short life often overshadows what an incredible talent and in-demand face she was on-screen. With 33 acting credits in a career lasting just 15 years, you might be wondering what Marilyn Monroe’s net worth was and who inherited her estate after she died.

Some of Monroe’s most famous works feature her as a “blonde bombshell” character with a penchant for the finer things in life; movies like How to Marry a Millionaire and songs like “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to name a few. But she was wary of the industry at the same time. A quote attributed to Monroe alludes to her knowledge of how exploitative the film industry could be: “Hollywood is a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss and 50 cents for your soul,” she once said. Even now, 60 years after her death, Marilyn Monroe’s net worth still makes her among the highest-paid celebrities ever.

What Marilyn Monroe’s Net Worth Was & Who Inherited Her Fortune After She Died (3)

What is Marilyn Monroe’s net worth?

What is Marilyn Monroe’s net worth? Celebrity Net Worth estimates Monroe’s estate was worth around $800,000 at the time of her death which is around $7.8 million in 2022 adjusting for inflation. During her career, she earned little under $3 million ($24 million by today’s economy) from film salary. “She gained a fame in the world, but that’s not an identity you can live with,” Joyce Carol Oates, the author of Blonde on which the Netflix movie starring Ana de Armas as Monroe is based, told Variety. It is one that made a lot of money for a lot of men, but not much for herself. When she died, at 36, she didn’t own enough money for a proper funeral.” She was generous with her wealth, and many reports say she spent her money freely on clothing, jewelry, as well as gifts for friends and employees. Monroe’s life was tragically cut short in 1962 when she died from an apparent suicide. Her net worth was whittled down to just $370,000 ($3.5 million today) after various settlement costs and estate fees, according to the will that was filed in Los Angeles County. Monroe’s most valuable asset was her home in Brentwood, LA, bought just months before the actor passed. It was the only home she ever owed, purchasing the property in January 1962 for $77,500, and Celebrity Net Worth reports she had to borrow money for the down payment from her ex-husband Joe DiMaggio. The sprawling home sold for $7.25 million in 2017.

Who inherited Marilyn Monroe’s estate?

Who inherited Marilyn Monroe’s estate? Per Monroe’s will, Monroe gave $10,000 each to her longtime assistant and to her half-sister. She put $5,000 in a trust fund for the education of her assistant’s child, and she left a $100,000 trust fund for her mother. 75 percent of Monroe’s intellectual property and estate were left to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg, and the remaining 25 percent was given to her New York psychiatrist Dr. Marianne Kris. “She felt that [Kris] was very helpful and sympathetic,” Sarah Churchwell, author ofThe Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe, told NPR in 2012. “She found that [Kris] was starting to help her understand what it was that she was going through.” After Dr. Kris died, a portion of her estate was transferred to the Anna Freud Centre in London, which works with children experiencing mental health issues. “That would have made [Monroe] really happy,” Churchwell said. “She did want to do good, and she wanted to feel as if she had accomplished something.”

What Marilyn Monroe’s Net Worth Was & Who Inherited Her Fortune After She Died (4)

Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates

'Blonde' by Joyce Carol Oates

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When Monroe’s acting coach Strasberg died in 1982, his second wife Anna Mizrahi inherited Monroe’s estate and hired CMG Worldwide—a company that manages the estates of dead celebrities—to license Monroe merchandise and that’s when the Some Like It Hot star really started bringing in the big bucks. “We did hundreds and hundreds of programs with companies like Mercedes-Benz to Coca-Cola to fragrance, clothing, giftware, collectibles, paper products, things like that,” CMG CEO Mark Roesler told NPR. Mizrahi made Monroe one of the highest-paid dead celebrities in the world, according to Forbes. Marilyn Monroe LLC was established and between the years 1996 and 2000, she made more than $7.5 million in licensing revenue.

Monroe’s will stated that she wanted her personal effects and clothing to go to her friends and colleagues, but Mizrahi commissioned auctioneer’s Christies to sell off the items in 1999, including the famous peach-and-rhinestone dress she wore to sing “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy (and which Kim Kardashian infamously wore to the Met Gala in 2022). The dress went for more than $1 million (it was sold again in 2016 for $4.8 million to Ripley Entertainment). Monroe’s cherished grand piano sold for $600,000 to pop icon Mariah Carey. “I wish her things didn’t have to be auctioned off,”Carey said at the time. “It’s a shame—I wish somebody had the money to buy it all and put it in a museum.” In 2011, Mizrahi sold her 75 percent stake in Monroe’s estate to Authentic Brands group for a deal estimated to be between $20-30 million.

What Marilyn Monroe’s Net Worth Was & Who Inherited Her Fortune After She Died (5)

How did Marilyn Monroe die?

How did Marilyn Monroe die? Her autopsy revealed a lethal dose of barbiturates, a.k.a. sleeping pills, in her system. Her housekeeper Eunice Murray had been staying overnight at Monroe’s home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, on the night Monroe passed away. The housekeeper is said to have awoken at 3am sensing something was wrong and, noticing a light on in Monroe’s bedroom, she tried to enter but the door was either blocked or locked. Murray called the star’s LA psychiatrist, Dr. Ralph Greenson, who broke into Monroe’s bedroom through the window and found the star unresponsive in her bed. At 3.50 am, Monroe’s doctor arrived and pronounced her dead at the scene of an apparent suicide.

What Marilyn Monroe’s Net Worth Was & Who Inherited Her Fortune After She Died (6)

My Story by Marilyn Monroe

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For more about Marilyn Monroe, read her 1974 autobiography, My Story. Written in her own words, My Story takes readers through Marilyn’s life, from her childhood as an unwanted orphan to her rise as a movie star and sex symbol. The intimate book also tells all of Marilyn’s three marriages (including with her controversial second husband, Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio) and the vision she had of herself as “the kind of girl they found dead in the hall bedroom with an empty bottle of sleeping pills in her hand,” according to the publisher’s description. Illustrated with rare photos of Marilyn throughout her life, My Story tells the real story of how Marilyn became the American Hollywood icon the world knows and loves today.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission from the sale.

What Marilyn Monroe’s Net Worth Was & Who Inherited Her Fortune After She Died (2024)

FAQs

Who got Marilyn Monroe's money after death? ›

75 percent of Monroe's intellectual property and estate were left to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg, and the remaining 25 percent was given to her New York psychiatrist Dr. Marianne Kris.

How much was Marilyn Monroe worth when she passed away? ›

What is Marilyn Monroe's net worth? Celebrity Net Worth estimates Monroe's estate was worth around $800,000 at the time of her death which is around $7.8 million in 2022 adjusting for inflation.

How old was Marilyn Monroe when she died and what was her net worth? ›

Marilyn Monroe's market value is still shining brightly 60 years after her death. The Hollywood actress, also known as America's most famous sex symbol, died in August 1962 at age 36. According to reports, the star had a net worth of $800K at the time of her death, which is nearly $8 million in today's money.

Who owns the house Marilyn Monroe died in? ›

The mansion sold for $2.727 million. It was sold to a young couple who look like Marilyn and Joe themselves. As it turns out, this would be their claim to fame. According to a 2021 Inman article, the house currently belongs to a woman named Jasmine Chiswell and her husband Maverick McNeilly.

Who owns Marilyn Monroe dress? ›

Estimated to go for about $2 million, it ultimately sold for $4.8 million to Ripley's Believe It or Not!, which later advertised it as “the world's most expensive dress!” and kept it in a vault in its museum in Orlando, Fla.

Who owns the rights to Marilyn Monroe? ›

Monroe's estate is controlled by her surviving relatives, while Presley's estate is controlled by his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. However, both estates have licensed the use of Monroe and Presley's image and likeness to various companies and individuals over the years.

How much did Marilyn Monroe leave her mother? ›

“Over the years, the two of them did slowly develop a relationship.” When Monroe died in 1962, she left her mother $5,000 a year from a $100,000 trust fund.

How much was Marilyn Monroe dress Kim Kardashian wore? ›

What is the cost of the 'world's most expensive' dress? Marilyn got the dress for USD 1,440 (Rs. 1,12 lakh) for it. In 1999, the dress was sold at an auction for USD 1,267,500 (Rs 9.37 crore).

How much did Marilyn Monroe pay for her house? ›

In February 1962, Monroe purchased the property for $77,500. She reportedly paid for half of the home in cash and took out a mortgage for the second half. In the early morning of August 5, 1962, six months after purchasing the home, Monroe was found dead of a barbiturate overdose in her bedroom.

What ethnicity was Marilyn Monroe? ›

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926, at the Los Angeles General Hospital in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Gladys Pearl Baker (née Monroe; 1902–1984), was born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico to a poor Midwestern family who migrated to California at the turn of the century.

How old would Marilyn Monroe be today if she lived? ›

The Hollywood icon passed away on August 4, 1962, aged 36, but if she were alive in 2022, she would be 96 years old, the same age as Queen Elizabeth II. Fourteen other bottles of medicines and tablets were on the night stand. The impact of Miss Monroe's death was international.

Does Marilyn Monroe have any living relatives? ›

Berniece is the closest relative to Marilyn that is still alive today. Marilyn and Berniece have the same Mother Gladys. A lot of fans are fascinated by Berniece as they wonder if Marilyn would of looked like this had she lived. Mary Kay Smolin McGuire and 358 others like this.

Who kept Marilyn Monroe's money? ›

75 percent of Monroe's intellectual property and estate were left to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg, and the remaining 25 percent was given to her New York psychiatrist Dr. Marianne Kris.

How many pills did Marilyn take? ›

Miss Monroe's physician had prescribed sleeping pills for her for three days. Ordinarily the bottle would have contained forty to fifty pills.

Where does Marilyn Monroe live now? ›

Did Marilyn Monroe have children? ›

Does Marilyn have any children? No. Although Marilyn was married three times (first to James Dougherty, followed by baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller), she did not have any children before her death in 1962. However, she really wanted to have a family and did have multiple documented pregnancies.

Does Kim Kardashian bought Marilyn Monroe dress? ›

The reality star is also known to have purchased items relating to the late-Michael Jackson, in addition to Marilyn Monroe. After wearing the 1962 dress to the Met Gala, on loan from Ripley's Believe it or Not, the star faced criticism for damaging a historic artefact.

Who kept Marilyn Monroe's clothes? ›

After Monroe's death in 1962, Travilla kept the dress locked up with many of the costumes he made for her, to the point the collection was rumored lost. After he died in 1990, the clothes were displayed by his colleague Bill Sarris.

Who claimed to be Marilyn Monroe's father? ›

What did Gladys tell Marilyn about her father? At one point, Gladys told Marilyn that her father was one of her co-workers (and her superior) at RKO Studios—a man named Charles Stanley Gifford, Biography says. Gladys got pregnant while working for Charles.

Who found Marilyn Monroe? ›

Miss Monroe's body was discovered after her housekeeper and companion, Mrs. Eunice Murray, awoke about 3 a.m. and saw a light still burning in the actress' room. Mrs. Murray found the bedroom door locked.

How much did Shaq pay for Marilyn Monroe? ›

Talking during an interview, Shaq said, “Who owns Marilyn Monroe? Who owns Elvis Presley? Me!” The former NBA champion spent around $135,000,000 to buy the rights to royalties from stars like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe. This deal was possible due to Shaq's smart business investment.

Was Marilyn Monroe fatherless? ›

What happened to Marilyn Monroe's jewelry? ›

Instead she accumulated a small number of items gifted to her from husbands, admirers and even the Emperor of Japan, which she happily gave away. (Marilyn bequeathed all her jewellery to acting coach, Lee Strasberg).

Who has the most expensive outfit at the Met Gala? ›

It comes as no surprise that a Kardashian has worn the most expensive dress to the Gala. In 2022, Kim Kardashian got her hands on Marilyn Monroe's custom gown she wore to sing Happy Birthday to President John F.

How was Kim Kardashian able to fit in Marilyn Monroe's dress? ›

While Kardashian said she lost 16 pounds in three weeks and cut out sugar and carbs so she could fit into the gown, Dr.

Who has the most expensive dress at the Met Gala? ›

It has been reported that the most expensive dress ever worn at the Met Gala was Marilyn Monroe's golden gown. Six decades after Monroe wore this famous outfit, Kim Kardashian decided to pay tribute to the late singer by putting it on at Met Gala 2022.

What was found in Marilyn Monroe's ceiling? ›

Mom renovating Marilyn Monroe's final house with Joe DiMaggio makes shocking discovery in ceiling: 'Truly remarkable' Unfortunately, this video is missing or damaged and cannot be played. A mom changing a lightbulb in her historic Hollywood home made a shocking find in her ceiling, and Marilyn Monroe fans are stunned.

What hotel did Marilyn Monroe stay in? ›

Marilyn Monroe lived at the Hotel Bel-Air during a decade-long period that included her marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, as well as the filming of Some Like It Hot.

Did Marilyn Monroe have her own house? ›

Following her third divorce, Monroe bought a Mediterranean-style home in 1962 in Los Angeles' affluent Brentwood neighborhood for $75,000. Built in 1929, the 2,097-square-foot home with lots of green grass, flowers and citrus trees was the first home that she bought on her own.

What religion is Marilyn? ›

After her marriage to Miller ended in 1961, Monroe is believed to have maintained her Jewish identity. She kept in her possession the prayer book and a menorah, which played the Israeli national anthem, until she died a year later.

What color were Marilyn Monroe's eyes? ›

Monroe's natural eye color was most likely to be blue, as recorded in her sister's autobiography (48) – “but our eyes were different … Norma Jeane's were blue like our mother's” – and on her autopsy report (49), in addition to Capote's description of her “blue-grey eyes” while wearing glasses (46).

Was Marilyn Monroe's hair naturally white? ›

In the late '40s, she dyed her locks blonde after being told by her modeling agency that it would help her succeed in film. We were shocked too 🙀 It's said she had naturally auburn hair which turned into a strawberry 🍓 shade. She, of course, dyed it blonde for film later in her life.

Who is the modern equivalent of Marilyn Monroe? ›

Jasmine Chiswell is a modern-day Marilyn Monroe and a social media star. Jasmine has literally made a name for herself on the internet by recreating iconic Monroe looks. She boasts almost 9 million followers on social media and her platform keeps growing.

What was the age difference between Marilyn Monroe and her first husband? ›

When Marilyn was just 16, she married her first husband, 21-year-old James Dougherty. The two would only remain married until 1946. Dougherty was actually her next-door neighbor and a police officer with the LAPD, per Today.

How old was Marilyn Monroe when she made it? ›

Photoplay magazine voted Marilyn the Best New Actress of 1953, and at 27 years old she was undeniably the best-loved blonde bombshell in Hollywood.

Is there anyone still alive that knew Marilyn Monroe? ›

THE last living relative to have known Marilyn Monroe has changed her name and spent the last decade living out of the public eye in a retirement village. Mona Rae Miracle, now Booth, is the daughter of the legendary actress' only sister, Berniece Baker Miracle.

What happened to Marilyn Monroe's father? ›

Gifford, who fathered two other children, died of a heart attack at the age of 66 in 1965 – three years after Monroe died of an apparent overdose.

Who was Marilyn Monroe's real mother? ›

Gladys Pearl (née Monroe) Baker, also known as Gladys Pearl Monroe Mortensen Eley (May 27, 1902 – March 11, 1984), was the mother of American actress Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson.

Why did Marilyn leave her money to Lee Strasberg? ›

But she left the bulk of her estate, valued under $1 million, to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg. Marilyn was very close to Strasberg and his wife, Paula. They were like the parents she never had, which perhaps is why she wanted them to benefit from her fortune and protect her legacy.

Was Marilyn Monroe generous? ›

Monroe was incredibly generous

She was especially generous with children and offered assistance to child-focused charities like the Milk Fund for Babies and the March of Dimes. That same generosity continues even after Monroe's death. Though most of Monroe's estate went to Strasberg, a portion was left to Dr. Kris.

What were Marilyn Monroe's last words? ›

Lawford says that in "slurred" speech Monroe told him she was "tired and would not be coming" to dinner. Then, as her voice became less audible, she told him, "Say goodbye to Pat. Say goodbye to Jack [President Kennedy]. And say goodbye to yourself, because you're a nice guy."

Why did Marilyn change her name? ›

The 20-year-old model — who was born Norma Jeane Mortenson and later baptized Norma Jeane Baker — suggested Monroe, another surname on the mother's side of the family, while Lyon came up with Marilyn because she reminded him of Marilyn Miller, the Ziegfeld Follies Broadway musical star who starred with him and W.C.

Where did Marilyn Monroe's wealth go? ›

75 percent of Monroe's intellectual property and estate were left to her acting coach, Lee Strasberg, and the remaining 25 percent was given to her New York psychiatrist Dr. Marianne Kris.

Did Marilyn Monroe have kids? ›

Does Marilyn have any children? No. Although Marilyn was married three times (first to James Dougherty, followed by baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller), she did not have any children before her death in 1962. However, she really wanted to have a family and did have multiple documented pregnancies.

Who took care of Marilyn Monroe funeral? ›

Fact: Joe DiMaggio took care of all of Marilyn Monroe's funeral arrangements. Her casket was solid bronze with champagne silk lining. Her makeup was done as previously promised by Allen "Whitney" Snider.

Who did Marilyn have kids with? ›

Did Marilyn Monroe have children? The answer is no. Though Marilyn was married three times to husbands James Dougherty, Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, she did not have any kids before her death in 1962.

Who raised Marilyn Monroe? ›

Her father was nowhere to be found. Baker didn't have the money to take care of Monroe, so she shuttled the child between orphanages and foster homes. After Baker was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and institutionalized in 1934, family friend Grace Goddard took charge of Monroe's upbringing.

Did Marilyn Monroe have blue eyes? ›

Monroe's natural eye color was most likely to be blue, as recorded in her sister's autobiography (48) – “but our eyes were different … Norma Jeane's were blue like our mother's” – and on her autopsy report (49), in addition to Capote's description of her “blue-grey eyes” while wearing glasses (46).

Who was the last person to talk to Marilyn Monroe? ›

On the night of August 4, 1962, her friend Peter Lawford spoke to Monroe for what would be the last time. According to police reports from 1962, released in 1985, Lawford sensed “something was wrong” when he spoke to the star on the phone that evening.

Who is buried on top of Marilyn Monroe? ›

The "Man with an Eternal Smile?" Joe DiMaggio had purchased two crypts in Westwood Cemetery for he and his famous wife, and while divorcing in 1954 sold his to Richard Poncher. The crypt Poncher bought was located directly above that which would eventually hold the remains of Marilyn Monroe (in 1962).

Is anyone buried with Marilyn Monroe? ›

Though interest was high and the auction garnered an incredible winning bid of $4.6 million, the deal ultimately fell through and Richard is still buried atop Marilyn.

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