Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio may have a short-lived union, but their relationship is one of the most publicized in Hollywood.
With the anticipated arrival of Netflix’s “Blonde,” a fictional take on Monroe’s life, one of the pivotal moments seen again in the film is her relationship with DiMaggio, with whom she had a brief, brief marriage and, later, shared a friendship.
The two met in 1952, when DiMaggio, who had retired from professional baseball the previous year, asked an acquaintance to introduce him to Monroe, who was still a rising star at the time.
According to her autobiography “My Story” written by Ben Hecht, the actress was reportedly hesitant to meet with the New York Yankees legend, expressing her concerns that he would be a stereotypically arrogant athlete.
Later, the couple began a long-distance relationship with Monroe on the West Coast, while DiMaggio remained in the east. Although they tried to keep their romance private, it was eventually covered extensively by the press.
In January 1954, the two tied the knot at San Francisco City Hall, where they were apparently collected by fans and paparazzi.
Since it was a getaway, Monroe did not wear a traditional wedding gown. Instead, she opted for a dark brown suit with a white fur collar and black pumps, while DiMaggio wore a simple suit as she posed for photos in front of St. Peter and Paul Church.
Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio press through a crowd of reporters after their wedding in the office of Municipal Judge Charles Peary at San Francisco City Hall on January 14, 1954.
Bateman Archive
At that time, the couple could not have a church ceremony as they were both already married and divorced. Their union marked both of their second marriages.
According to her autobiography, despite the actress suffering from endometriosis, the couple shared similarities, including an interest in having children.
No matter how strong their relationship, the marriage was doomed from the start due to DiMaggio’s jealous and controlling attitude and Monroe’s frantic filming schedule.
During her honeymoon in Japan, Monroe was asked to travel to South Korea and perform for American soldiers stationed there during the Korean War, which she did, which angered her husband.
The relationship was further strained by her unease about her universal “bombard” image.
Most notably, when the actress was filming for “The Seven Year Itch”, which featured her now-iconic “Flying Skirt” scene, fans and paparazzi were also clearly present and cheering for her. , which was caused by director Billy Wilder, who reportedly arranged it. DiMaggio, who used to be on set, was reportedly furious, which caused the two to publicly fight.
In October 1954, after returning to Los Angeles after filming in New York City, Monroe filed for divorce from DiMaggio, citing reasons for “mental cruelty,” according to the file. Both were married for only nine months.
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe at the premiere of their film “The Seven Year Itch” in 1955
Bateman Archive
In 1956, Monroe moved in and married the famous playwright Arthur Miller. However, this union also ended, the couple divorced in 1961.
For the first half of 1961, Monroe underwent several surgeries, one of which was for her endometriosis, and spent four weeks hospitalized for depression at a psychiatric clinic in New York.
During this time, he and DiMaggio rekindled a friendship, with the former athlete securing his release and taking him to Florida where he was working for the Yankees as a batting coach at the time.
Despite the rumors of remarriage, the two maintained a good relationship as friends.
On August 5, 1962, Monroe died of an overdose of barbiturates at his Los Angeles home. At the time, authorities treated her death as a possible suicide. She was 36 years old.
A heartbroken DiMaggio, with the help of Monroe’s half-sister Bernice Baker Miracle and business manager Inez Melson, arranged a funeral service on August 8 at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery.
For 20 years, she made sure to deliver half a dozen red roses to her cellar three times a week.
After her death, DiMaggio refused to discuss Monroe publicly and never married again.
Originally published at Pen 18
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