Marilyn Monroe Quizzed by Helen Hover
(Gretchen Kientz, 208 Highland Ave., Madison, Wis.)
Q. Is it true you dress for men?
A. Don’t most women dress for men? Isn’t it true that men and women have a mutual appreciation for each other?
(Sarah Hockey, W. First Pl., L. A., Calif.)
Q. Why do you wear low-cut gowns?
A. I really haven’t noticed.
(Janice Ann West, Madison Ave., N. W., Roanoke, Va.)
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
A. When an actress is building a career in pictures, as I am, there is very little spare time. What little there is I spend in reading and study.
(Dolores De Fianco, Cleveland, O.)
Q. In Niagara, were you clad only in a sheet when you were lying in bed or were you wearing other clothes underneath?
A. I always wear clothes appropriate to the occasion.
(Berniece Clark, R. F. D. No. 3, Bucyrus, O.)
Q. What is your description of your ideal man?
A. Someone who is gentle and considerate-but I am afraid I’ve never thought of any one “ideal man.” I doubt if there is such a person.
(Eileen Cherry, 643 Northridge Rd., San Francisco, Calif.)
Q. How do you feel being known as the sexiest girl in Hollywood?
A. Isn’t this a “loaded” question?
(Diane Holdridge, 6705 Abbet Ave., Van Nuys, Calif.)
Q. How can I join your fan club?
A. Write to 20th Century-Fox, Box 900, Beverly Hills, Calif.
(Brenda Lagarde, 1008 France St., New Or- leans, La.)
Q. What do you do to keep your figure so beautiful?
A. I walk, exercise and I study body control.
(Carol Glass, 904 Redwood St., Houston, Tex.)
Q. What do you think of the girls in pictures who try to imitate you?
A. This is a free and democratic country, and no one has a monopoly on anything.
(Margie Kirby, 414 Cedar St., Ironwood, Mich.)
Q. What is your age, birthplace and nationality?
A. I was born in Los Angeles on June 1st. I’m an American.
(Mary Ann Williams, Route 1, Box 67, Granite Falls, N. C.)
Q. How many different boy friends do you have a week?
A. I think you’ve been reading too many gossip columns.
(Beverly Roddick, Platteville, Wis.)
Q. Are you happy being the type you are, or would you rather be more like Ann Blyth or Jeanne Crain?
A. I am content to be Marilyn Monroe, to the best of my ability. Being one’s self is a twentyfour-hour a day job anyway, isn’t it?
(Judy Tatelbaum, Howard St., Rochester, N. Y.)
Q. What is your worst fault?
A. I probably have many, but my worst is my difficulty in remembering that there are only sixty minutes in an hour. I’m invariably late, and I can’t break myself of it.
(Shirley Buyer, 1427 Main St., Winnipeg, Canada.)
Q. Do you like to dress up and go out at night to formal affairs?
A. No. I don’t go to many formal affairs, and when I do I usually go by myself because I want to, or else with someone from the studio. These formal affairs are in the line of duty, anyway.
(Gail Ballweg, 8619 Union Tpke., Glendale, N. Y.)
Q. Do you think it rude, or do you like it when men whistle at you?
A. Any girl who resents whistles should live on a desert island.
(Dolores Garey, Hemet, Calif.)
Q. What are your measurements?
A. Bust 37, waist 2312, hips 371/2-or so they tell me.
(Mae Kawatachi, 1939 Ciyne St., Honolulu, Hawaii.)
Q. Is it true that you really posed for calendar pictures?
A. Yes.
(Mary Caruso, Royal Oak, Mich.)
Q. Do you act the same off screen as you do on?
A. When I work, I act; when I’m home I don’t act. Do you do the same things at home as when you’re working at your job as secretary, salesgirl, teacher, clerk or whatever? Why bring your work home with you.
(Linda Wagner, 107-50 92 St., Ozone Park, N. Y.)
Q. What is your favorite pastime?
A. Walking. I can walk alone for hours and enjoy it.
(Lois Lysen, 265 Conklin Ave., Hillside, N. J.)
Q. Were you popular in school?
A. I won no popularity awards, but I did have a number of good friends.
(Ila Ann Gleckler, Metamora, O.)
Q. How many dates do you have a week?
A. When I’m working in a picture I have no time to go out. Besides, I don’t think in terms of dates per week; that’s silly. If someone asks me to go out, and I find his company enjoyable, I go out with him. If not, then I’d rather stay home.
(Emma Lola Cakle, 9118 W. Fort St., Detroit, Mich.)
Q. If you weren’t an actress, what would you want to be?
A. It’s funny, but I’ve never thought of being anything but an actress.
(Ralph Hobson, Old Orchard Beach, Me.)
Q. Do you walk in real life the way you did in Niagara?
A. I never think about the way I walk. But since I was playing a certain type of girl in the picture who was not myself, and since that type of walk helped emphasize her, I walked as I did. I’m sure my real life walk isn’t exactly the same.
(Pat Smitson, 5371 Navarro St., L. A., Calif.)
Q. Are you happy with the type of publicity you get or would you rather be known for something else besides your figure?
A. I want to be known as a good actress.
(Janie Elleman, Eldorado, O.)
Q. Who was your first love?
A. No one you would know.
(Anne Delbert, Moranci, Mich.)
Q. Are you sultry and sexy by nature, and do you enjoy being this type?
A. What is a type? I am myself, Marilyn Monroe.
(Rosalie Davis, 930 Acker Ave., Scranton, Pa.)
Q. What are your favorite hobbies and sports?
A. Swimming, collecting records, reading and dancing-when I have time.
(Mary Olsen, Eau Claire, Wis.)
Q. What is the truth about your romance with Joe DiMaggio?
A. Mr. DiMaggio is a good friend and a gentleman I greatly admire.
(Sandra Bennett, New Bedford, Mass.)
Q. Have you a temper, and what makes you lose it?
A. I have a little temper. And I really lose it when people write untruths about me.
(Louis Andrito, 275-21 Ave., Paterson, N. J.)
Q. What attracts you first to a man, his looks or personality?
A. It depends on the man, but I’d say that personality means more. However, a sense of humor is a wonderful help as far as I’m con- cerned in sizing up a man’s personality.
(Judy Currier, West St., Petersham, Mass.)
Q. Where can I get a picture of you?
A. Write me care of 20th Century-Fox, Box 900, Beverly Hills, Calif., and the studio will be glad to send you a portrait.
(Anna McConnell, 2 Clark St., Everett, Mass.)
Q. Who is your best girl friend?
A. I don’t have a “best girl friend,” but I do have many good friends whose companion- ship is worth much to me.
(Gloria Hodges, 1611 Cedar St., Berkley, Calif.)
Q. Was there friction between you and Jane Russell when you were making Gentlemen Prefer Blondes?
A. None whatsoever. I don’t know why this rumor sprang up unless people just can’t believe two women stars can work together in harmony. I consider Jane to be one of the sweetest persons I’ve ever met, and I’m happy to call her my friend.
(Ann Logan, 595 Grange Rd., Victoria, B. C., Can.)
Q. What’s your idea of a good time when dating?
A. I like a quiet evening with someone whose personality and conversation intrigues me.
(Magda Kiss, Post Ave., Detroit, Mich.)
Q. How do you feel about criticism of your low-cut gowns?
A. I don’t like unfair criticism at any time. Do you? I feel that some of this criticism has been unfair.
(Lou-Ellyn Ferguson, 1600 Bedford Dr., Midland, Tex.)
Q. What kind of man do you want to marry?
A. I really haven’t thought about the “kind” of man I want to marry as I might be starting out with certain preconceived ideas which would be hard to fulfill. But when I fall in love, I’ll know.
(Nadian Ezell, Greenback, Tenn.)
Q. Do you plan giving up your career when you marry?
A. How can I say? I’m not thinking of marrying at the moment. I do want to get married and have children some day, that’s for sure—but I’ll cross the career-marriage bridge when I come to it.
(Joyce Jo Ann Allen, 2901 No. Illinois, Belleville, Ill.)
Q. What kind of life did you live before you became a star?
A. There were some difficult days and some pleasant ones. I went to school, held down a number of jobs, looked for openings in pictures all the time, had many disappointments which were very crushing and finally reached some small measure of success.
(Gloria Hodges, 1611 Cedar St., Berkley, Calif.)
Q. Do you ever want to play something besides a siren on the screen?
A. Certainly. I want to play a variety of roles. I don’t think it’s good to be typed.
Marilyn Monroe is starring in 20th Century-Fox’s River of No Return.
—BY HELEN HOVER
It is a quote. MOTION PICTURE MAGAZINE JANUARY 1954
