Why Marilyn Monroe Won The Hearts Of Fans Over The Other Blond Bombshells Of Her Time
She is still an icon who continues to inspire people today.
It's been 60 years since the icon passed away, and yet the world still knows Marilyn Monroe's name by heart. In fact, even today, people continue to delve into the Marilyn Monroe phenomenon.
Before she became a legend, however, Marilyn was just an ordinary girl who didn't seem like she would immediately stand out in a crowd. Then, suddenly, after a few changes to her looks, she was catapulted into becoming one of the biggest actresses of the 50s.
Men were literally falling at her feet, boys had their walls covered with her photos, and women were trying to copy her every move and wave. She gained enormous popularity, and her photos were all over the billboards of cinemas and on magazine covers.
Even outside of the States, Marilyn's name and works were absolutely loved. At one point, she even became a symbol of the country, and to this day, she remains irreplaceable. Strangely, though, Marilyn wasn't the only blonde bombshell of her time.
There were tons of other blonde and gorgeous actresses working in the field, yet Marilyn beat them all out for the top spot. Let's take a look and try to figure out how this came to be.
How a simple girl named Norma became the famous Marilyn Monroe
Before the start of her career, Marilyn realized that a blonde girl with styled hair had a better chance of making it in the entertainment industry, so she changed her look drastically.
It was only then that she was able to sign her first contract with 20th Century Fox.
Right away, they began to think of a screen name for her, and since her husband's surname, Dougherty, had too many possible pronunciations, Ben Lyon wanted it changed immediately.
Norma/Marilyn offered the use of the surname from her maternal line, while Lyon chose the name Marilyn because Norma resembled the star of the Broadway musical Ziegfeld Follies, Marilyn Miller.
In one of her letters, the actress admitted that the nickname Clare Normal was also in the running for her screen name. It would take 10 more years for her to officially change her name.
CAP / SFS / Capital Pictures / East News, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation / Collection Christophel / East NewsOf course, making Marilyn Monroe is not just about finding the right name. The actress' overall look was shaped over time.
At the start, she began only getting small roles as the chic, luxurious woman. The audience loved the image, and from there, Monroe's popularity started to grow.
Monroe then began receiving more offers to take part in movies, but she wanted to develop as a professional actress, so she took acting lessons. Unfortunately, it seemed that nothing came of it because directors only saw her as an attractive doll.
Because of that, Monroe decided to do what she could do best, which was to portray beautiful women.
Capital Pictures / East News, © Everett Collection / Everett Collection / East News
This is a shot from The Prince and the Showgirl, and it's the only film with Monroe's participation that wasn't shot in Hollywood.
Despite being in so many films, however, many women didn't like Monroe's image. They thought she was too vulgar.
However, Monroe was still a trendsetter, and she started a trend for dresses that hugged the curves of the body. She was simply never shy about choosing outfits that made her more attractive and beautiful.
Mary Evans/ AF Archive/ Cinetext Bildarchiv/ Mary Evans Picture Library/ East News
Because of her success, many studios actually tried to copy and paste Monroe's image onto numerous actresses. In a way, they wanted to clone her looks and her appeal without the naughtiness that Monroe developed.
Here are some of her most famous "clones."
Marilyn and Lana Turner
Turner wasn't essentially a clone of Monroe, especially given that Turner appeared on TV before Monroe did, but the two were often compared to each other. One of their similarities is that neither of them could boast a happy childhood.
In 1951, Turner was called the most glamorous woman in the history of world art.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures / Collection Christophel / East News, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation / Collection Christophel / East News
Marilyn and Grace Kelly
Another blonde who was often compared to Monroe was Grace Kelly, who finished her career on TV to become the wife of the Prince of Monaco. However, rumors say that the prince was recommended to marry a Hollywood actress, and he apparently initially chose Marilyn.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures / Collection Christophel / East News, Collection Christophel / Collection Christophel / East News
Marilyn and Jayne Mansfield
After Monroe's success, one blonde after another started sprouting up in Hollywood, trying to recreate her success. One of those actresses was Jayne Mansfield, who also signed a contract with 20th Century Fox.
The studio apparently planned to replace the demanding and naughty Monroe with the new blonde; however, Mansfield didn't consider herself simply to be Marilyn's clone.
She often insisted that she and Monroe didn't actually look much alike.
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Marilyn and Kim Novak
Another blonde who was often compared with Monroe was Kim Novak, who was coincidentally named Marilyn at birth. Novak's most iconic film was the Hitchcock classic Vertigo.
Novak was actually hired not to replace Marilyn but another popular actress, Rita Hayworth, who was becoming extremely difficult to work with and who was no longer bringing in a significant income for the studio. They hoped Novak would bring in as much money as Marilyn.
To do that, they tried to mold her into the familiar viewer's stereotype; however, Novak wasn't so simple. She kept confronting them and insisted on maintaining her uniqueness.
The studio demanded she change her name, but the actress refused. The studio also wanted her to lose more weight and dye her hair lighter.
After finding the right wardrobe for her, Novak was turned into an ideal copy, and the studio's hopes were fulfilled. She did bring in mountains of money for them.
Mary Evans / AF Archive / Mary Evans Picture Library / East News, © Columbia Pictures / Collection Christophel / East News
Marilyn and Betty Grable
One other actress who looked a lot like Marilyn was Betty Grable. The two actresses even actually worked together in the film How To Marry A Millionaire.
There were rumors, though, that the two didn't get along and that Grable, whose fame was declining at that point, was said to envy Marilyn. In reality, however, the two had a good relationship.
It's said that Grable even told Marilyn that she had already gotten what she wanted and wished her good luck.
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation / Collection Christophel / East News, Mary Evans / AF Archive / Mary Evans Picture Library / East News
Marilyn and Sheree North
Sheree North is another blonde actress who was rumored to be hired by 20th Century Fox to frighten the naughty Monroe. Not only was North as light-haired as Monroe, but she also matched Monroe's parameters almost 100%.
Unlike other actresses, however, North wasn't shy about aging, and she was perfectly fine with playing the roles of older and more mature women.
Mary Evans / AF Archive / Mary Evans Picture Library / East News, Courtesy Everett Collection / East News
Marilyn and Mamie Van Doren
Mamie Van Doren is another actress who was called Marilyn's clone. She was working with Universal, which was also in search of Monroe's analog.
To try and replicate Monroe's success, Mamie was dyed blonde and made to take on roles of silly but attractive beauties. In her interviews, Van Doren also admitted that studios didn't seem to know what to do with her since they were used to working with male actors like Jeff Chandler, Rock Hudson, and Tony Curtis.
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Marilyn and Diana Dors
Diana Dors was called the British version of Monroe because of her strong resemblance to the actress. When Monroe's film The Asphalt Jungle came to the UK, many journalists remarked that the lead actress looked very much like Dors.
In 1956, Dors crossed the pond to try and make it in Hollywood. She signed an agreement with RKO Films, but unfortunately, the studio soon put a stop to the agreement because her films failed.
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Marilyn and Anita Ekberg
Another actress the studio was planning to replace Monroe with was Anita Ekberg. She visited the USA as a participant in the Miss Universe contest from Sweden, and though she didn't win, she was noticed by Universal Studios.
Then, in the mid-50s, Paramount started to work with her and even promoted her as "Paramount's Marilyn Monroe." She achieved world fame because of her role in the movie La Dolce Vita.
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These days, modern stars feel no shame in copying Marilyn's look
Marilyn definitely left a range of classic looks that have become mainstays in pop culture. Even today, big stars like Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Mariah Carey, and Lady Gaga have tried to replicate her looks.
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There really is no one to replace Marilyn, and her image doesn't just fade over time. Even now, her name is still uttered with reverence and respect because of her contributions to the world of entertainment.
She was simply one of a kind, which is why no other blonde actresses have been able to match her iconic status.
