Monroe enjoyed an acting career that spanned fifteen years before her untimely death at the age of thirty six - in that time she created some of the most iconic images in cinema.
Monroe kicked off her career as a model working for Blue Book where she was one of their most successful models.
With the success of her modelling career it wasn’t long before movies came calling when she grabbed the attention of 20th Century Fox.
She landed not speaking roles in movies such as Western Green Grass of Wyoming and You Were Meant For Me.
By the end of the 1940’s she had signed a contract with Columbia Pictures but she only had a short stint with the company.
She went on to appear in Love Happy in 1949 and it was with this role that she caught the eye of talent agent Johnny Hyde - who went on to represent her.
She went on to appear in movies such as The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve and Monroe’s career finally seemed to be on its way.
She survived a nude photo scandal in 1949 and went on to strike the famous pose on the front of Playboy four years later.
The early fifties saw her appear in the likes of Clash By Night and We’re Not Married and it wasn’t long before she was an international success.
Movies such as There’s No Business Like Show Business, The Seven Year Itch and The Prince and the Showgirl that really made her a household name all over the world.
The Prince and the Showgirl was released in 1957 and saw Monroe with Laurence Olivier, who was directing as well as starring in the movie,
The Seven Year Itch is one of her most famous roles as worked with director Billy Wilder as it featured her in her famous white dress.
Standing over the subway gate in that dress remains one of the most iconic images in cinema that is as striking today as it was back in 1955.
But in 1959 she starred in what is perhaps one her most famous roles Some Like It Hot, which reunited her with director Billy Wilder.
Monroe starred alongside Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in the comedy, which is widely recognised as one of the best movies in this genre of all time.
For her central performance in the movie Monroe won a Golden Globe Award.
But Monroe was one of the greatest cinema stars of her time and the press were just as interested in what she did off screen.
Her personal life filled up many column inches as she was married four times and was alleged to have had affairs with both John and Robert Kennedy.
On August 5th 1962 Monroe was found dead at her home at the age of just thirty six and at the height of her fame.
There have been many rumours surrounding her death from suicide as chloral hydrate and Nembutal were found in her system as well as theories of murder.
But no star shined as brightly on the big screen than that of Marilyn Monroe during the fifties as she transcended the movies to become a true global star.
And that star as endured for the fifty years after her death, it is the fiftieth anniversary of her passing this weekend.
During her career she starred in come great movies and created some truly iconic cinematic moments.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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