culture schlock

credited to 'ed coonenworth' these two series of snaps are very early mm modelling shots.

CONTAINS NUDITY!

along with the 'golden dreams' calendar nudes, marilyn also posed for earl moran a pin up GOD, who turned these pictures into pin up paintings for calendars and ads. most of these, if there was any flashing of flesh, were just boobies but you can see more in the phone/towel pic...

there are some CLASSIC pinup poses here; she really knew her stuff. these are carefree, unself-conscious and a great peep into an early era of mm modelling.

some of the paintings by earl moran, credited to be based on photos he took of marilyn. some are obviously so, and their photo counterpoints can be seen in the moran photo gallery.

once more apologies for some of the quality.

CONTAINS NUDITY!

the infamous 'golden dreams' pictures. taken by tom kelley on 27th May 1949 and then released on calenders circa 1952 - 1955, marilyn was famously paid just $50. the studio urged her to deny that she'd posed for it, but she refused to, proving she was a feisty minx and pretty canny.

it could be presumed, because of the fuss, that these were the only nude shots she did (until her last year, 1962, with shots for her incomplete movie 'something's got to give' and some topless shots for bert stern). however she also posed topless for pin up artist and legend earl moran, (see gallery).

another version of the calender was named 'a new wrinkle'. some were released with her 'modesty' reclaimed - red velvet draped onto her nudie bits or a really crap, drawn on set of lingerie.

marilyn famously said when asked what she thought of the current phenomenon of The Sweater Girl - 'i don't know what all the fuss is about. take away their sweaters and what have they got?'

nice one.

she was, of course, a sweater girl herself in her modelling years. some of the most gorgeous pix around of the young mm/nj.

most of these pictures were taken by david conover and richard miller. conover 'discovered' her when taking pictures in the aircraft factory she was working in.

the one with the penguins is a family snap.

other beach shots that i either don't know who the photographer was or don't have enough to warrent a whole gallery to themselves!

the penultimate photo session - the last one going to bert stern - george barris took a series of shots of mm for life magazine. these from the beach seemingly show a fragile, natural marilyn - she is of course cold (hence towel and starsky cardie) and it's easy to read into it in retrospect. she's gorgeous of course. these pix were used to illustrate gloria steinem's book on mm. sorry again for the quality.

anthony beauchamp seemed to enjoy showing off mm's curves. gawd bless 'im. sorry for the quality. if i come across better versions i shall replace. i thought they were unusual, special and sexy enough to display in this grainy state.

photographer sam shaw knew marilyn for years and took some of the most familiar pictures of her including the iconic seven year itch dress shots. when she married arthur, shaw's family (along with poet norman rosten and family) became great pals with the millers. the record of the summer they all spent together in connecticut can be found in the marvelous book 'among friends'.

these shots, taken on amagensett beach show a very much in love and very, very lovely marilyn.

there's more than one page here! enjoy!

photographer andre de dienes took many photos of young marilyn monroe while reputedly having a little affair with her - i think she was still married to her first hubbie at the time but i may be wrong. probably am but so are so many biographers according to sarah cunninham, author of 'the many lives of marilyn monrore. anyhoo. some of these de dienes clicked pigters have become quite iconic, either the fuzzy haired brunette in sweater or the reddish-blonde beach babe.

here are some of the beach shots. pure cheesecake pin up but - cliche alert! - her vitality does seem to give them more personality than was usual of the genre

please note: the gallery is over two pages. click on the image above to open the gallery and on the thumbnails for a bigger version of the image. enjoy!