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In a world where near-naked Kardashian photos don’t raise eyebrows on social media, it’s hard to imagine Marilyn Monroe’s impact as a Hollywood sex symbol in the 1950s & ’60s.

Marilyn’s real self, Norma Jeane Mortenson, was born 99 years ago on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, but “Marilyn Monroe” wasn’t invented until August 1946 at 20th Century-Fox. Norma Jeane, who’d been modeling for pin-ups and ads, got a screen test at Fox with production executive Ben Lyon. He showed it to studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck, who wasn’t knocked out, but agreed to a six month deal to keep her from signing at RKO. Lyon & Norma Jeane created her new self. Lyon chose Marilyn, with Broadway musical star Marilyn Miller in mind, and Norma Jeane picked Monroe, her mother’s maiden name.

After six months in Fox’s basic training program for acting, dancing & singing, Marilyn’s contract was renewed in February 1947, bringing her some bit parts. But six months later Fox dropped her for being too shy. By then, however, she’d made some valuable Hollywood friends, including Fox co-founder Joseph Schenck, whose pal, Columbia Pictures boss Harry Cohn, signed her in March ’48.

Columbia starred her in the small musical LADIES OF THE CHORUS, but didn’t give her the lead in the high profile rom-com BORN YESTERDAY. They sent her packing in September ’48, but fate stepped in quickly when William Morris agent Johnny Hyde got her small roles in two big 1950 films — ALL ABOUT EVE & THE ASPHALT JUNGLE. Hyde parlayed her good reviews into a seven-year contract with Fox.

In 1953 she exploded as Hollywood’s new sex symbol with her starring role in NIAGARA. Her “dumb blonde” image began with Fox’s musical comedy GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES in a role intended for Betty Grable, the studio’s older 1940’s blonde bombshell.

Marilyn was particularly famous for her then scandalous scene in Fox’s ’55 romantic comedy THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH, directed by Billy Wilder, where she’s standing over a New York subway grate as the breeze from a passing train blows her dress sky high. The scene was shot on location at the Trans-Lux 52nd Street Theatre on Lexington Avenue and was later re-shot on a sound stage.

Monroe’s husband at the time, baseball great Joe DiMaggio, was on set and very upset about the frenzied attention she got from some 2,000 spectators and the media crowd Wilder had invited. The unhappy incident reportedly contributed to Monroe filing for divorce in October 1954 after just nine months of marriage.  

Years of stardom followed, along with a failed marriage to playwright Arthur Miller and front page struggles with her personal demons. Marilyn’s untimely death came Aug. 4, 1962 at 36, nude in bed at home. Although it was officially called a “barbiturate overdose,” some said it could have been murder. What really happened is unknown, but Marilyn’s name still lives on 63 years later.