Marilyn Monroe: 7 Crazy Facts About Her Life And Death

It’s been almost 55 years since Marilyn Monroe’s death, but that doesn't mean fans can’t celebrate the iconic star on what would have been her 91st birthday.

Monroe is still an icon, and though there are certain things that are known about her life (her affair with President John F. Kennedy has often been reported on over the years), there are still some facts about the entertainer that some may not know. Here are seven crazy facts about Marilyn Monroe’s life and death.

Monroe Spent Part Of Her Childhood In An Orphanage:

Born Norma Jeane Baker, Monroe’s childhood started off rough. According to Mashable, her mother was mentally and financially unable to care for her after her birth, which led to her first stint as a foster child, where she lived for seven years. Her mother then took her back, but suffered from a mental crisis, which led to her daughter becoming a ward of the state. She was eventually shuffled around to other foster homes, and wound up living in an orphanage as well. She eventually married her first husband, Jim Dougherty, at 16 years old to avoid being placed back in foster care once again.

Her “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” Dress Is The Most Expensive Dress Sold At Auction:

The dress Monroe donned to sing “Happy Birthday” to then President Kennedy in 1962, just a few months before her death, has gone on to become the most expensive dress ever sold at an auction. After initially netting a record $1.27 million when it was auctioned at Christie’s in 1999, the sheer, crystal-studded gown broke the record when it sold again in November 2016 to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not for $4.8 million. It broke the record previously held my Monroe’s other infamous dress, the white costume she wore in “The Seven Year Itch,” which had sold for $4.6 million in 2011.

Monroe Helped Pave A Career For Ella Fitzgerald:

Ella Fitzgerald is known for her hit songs throughout her career, such as “At Last.”. However, she may never have gotten a chance to truly showcase her talents had it not been for Monroe, who got her a slot performing at Mocambo in Hollywod, something she previously hadn’t been allowed to do because she was black. Fitzgerald later admitted that she “owed” the superstar for her help.

“I owe Marilyn Monroe a real debt... she personally called the owner of the Mocambo, and told him she wanted me booked immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night. She told him—and it was true, due to Marilyn’s superstar status—that the press would go wild,” Fitzgerald said. “The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table, every night. The press went overboard. After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again. She was an unusual woman—a little ahead of her times. And she didn’t know it.”

Monroe Was A Surprisingly Good Cook:

In 2010, The New York Times tried their hand at making one of Monroe’s unearthed recipes for stuffing. Though she was known as a blond bombshell and was often typecast as a bimbo in her films, Monroe apparently had skills in the kitchen, as the publication found her recipe to reflect on her as both a complex and confident cook.

Her Connection To Joe DiMaggio Was Stronger Than Believed:

Though their marriage lasted less than a year, it has been rumored that at the time of her death, Monroe was considering remarrying her second husband, whom she had reconnected with. That theory has never been proven, though DiMaggio did keep a promise he supposedly made to her that if she died first, he would always leave flowers at her grave. DiMaggio kept that promise for 20 years, arranging for red roses to be delivered there two times a week. After his own death in 1999, his lawyer claimed that his final words on his death bed were that he would “get to see Marilyn again,” though that has been heavily disputed by other witnesses.

Though Her Death Was Ruled A Suicide, There Are Several Theories That She Was Murdered:

Though Monroe’s death in 1962 was ruled as a possible suicide, the fact that toxicology tests were only run on her liver—other organs were reportedly destroyed, preventing further testing later—has led to several theories that she was actually murdered instead over the years. Among the theories have been ones that she was either murdered by the Kennedy family to keep her from going public with her affairs with both John and Robert, mob boss Sam Giancina, or very recently, the CIA, in order to keep her from revealing what she knew about extraterrestrial life.

Hugh Hefner Owns The Burial Vault Next To Her:

In 1992, the Plaboy Publisher purchased the burial vault next to Monroe’s plot for $75,000. The unit directly above Monroe’s, located in the Westwood Village Memorial Park in Los Angeles, was previously owned by a fan, Richard Poncher, who requested to be buried facing down on top of Monroe upon his death. He remained in the plot for 23 years until his wife sold it in 2009 for $4.6 million on eBay. Poncher’s plot was moved over one space to accommodate the winning bidder.