Marilyn Monroe was a famous American actress, model, singer, and sex symbol during the 1950's and early 1960's. Her early career as a model led to her contract with 20th Century Fox in 1946. She made a few minor film appearances before she was given her first of many leading roles in the movie Don't Bother to Knock in 1952. She built a persona of a "dumb blonde" that helped her gain the affection of her fans and influenced the many successful roles she was cast. Her lifelong desire to "be wonderful" resulted in her determination as an actress. She studied at the Actors Studio and worked with an acting coach until she knew each character inside and out and was able to become that person in her role.
Marilyn was married and divorced three times in her life. She was loved and adored by so many other men as well and soon came to be known as a heartbreaker. She posed nude for a calendar under the name "Mona Monroe" in 1949 simply because she needed the money. It was the only time she was ever paid to pose nude yet it became one of the greatest scandals of her career. She was a beautiful model and because of her beauty she had an inherent "seductive" air about her. Film producers used this aspect of her demeanor in considering the roles they would cast her in. These are just some examples of many that influenced her "sex icon" image.
Marilyn Monroe, however, was not only an image of sex and beauty, she was genuinely a good and honest person. This aspect of her personality, along with her sex symbol image, has continued to inspire some of the greatest actors and songwriters of our time from Elton John to Nicki Minaj. While Marilyn died a young and tragic death, her spirit lives on in the hearts she captured. From the very beginning of her career to this very second she holds up an unusual yet inspirational image of a sexual icon, and that is one of pure beauty on the inside and out.
