Buzz
Marilyn Monroe, a global movie icon, was often seen as someone who only appreciated diamonds and the luxury lifestyle. While she certainly enjoyed life's finer things, she also found joy in simpler, more everyday pleasures. Despite her fame, Marilyn had an affinity for the things that many people, regardless of their status, hold dear.
Though she often rubbed elbows with legends, Marilyn was equally content strolling solo, with a scarf over her head, sunglasses on, in casual clothes, and no makeup. She was down-to-earth and could easily connect with those around her. Photographs often show her with her arm around someone or offering a comforting touch. Marilyn had a natural way of connecting with her fans. Many stories have been written about her, but too often, the myths and negative portrayals overshadow the true, positive aspects of her life. Let’s explore some lesser-known facts about Marilyn and the things she truly loved.
10. Children
The paradox in Marilyn's life was that although she never had a child of her own, she had a deep love for children and always longed to be a mother. Her marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller brought her close to her stepchildren, and she formed special bonds with them. Though Marilyn experienced multiple pregnancies, she tragically lost her babies due to endometriosis and ectopic pregnancies. Marilyn was frequently photographed with children on set or in public, always showing affection for her young co-stars.
Marilyn enjoyed spending time with children, and author Dale Corvino shares a story of how she once babysat for his mother. During a visit to San Francisco before her marriage to Joe, she took his mother and sister to Playland, an amusement park, where she tried to enjoy the day in disguise with a scarf over her head. However, when the wind blew it off, the attention from fans grew overwhelming, and their day was cut short. Marilyn was always kind to young fans, signing autographs and offering sweet gestures like pecks on the cheek. She also dedicated time to visiting children in hospitals and was a regular participant in charity events supporting children.
9. Charity Work
Marilyn's love for children was inseparable from her generous spirit. She was a staunch advocate for charitable causes and was often seen visiting children's hospitals, bringing joy to young patients. Before her passing, she visited an orphanage in Mexico and made a substantial donation to aid their efforts. Throughout her life, Marilyn supported various organizations, including the World Adoption International Fund, the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation (where she famously rode atop a pink elephant in Madison Square Garden), the March of Dimes, the Milk Fund for Babies, St. Jude’s Hospital, and Toys for Tots.
She also had the honor of kicking off the first ball at Ebbetts Field for a charity soccer match between the United States and Israel. Marilyn devoted several days in Korea entertaining the troops, an experience she called 'the highlight of my life.' She also spent time with soldiers at Camp Pendleton and visited injured soldiers in Japan, even lying on the floor in her mink coat to converse with one soldier who was suspended upside-down in bed due to his injuries.
8. Pets
Marilyn Monroe was a true animal lover. As a young girl, her first pet was a dog named Tippy. Tragically, Tippy was killed in an accident, but this loss didn’t stop Marilyn from opening her heart to other animals. She later had a collie named Muggsie, a cherished companion from her marriage to her first husband, Jim Dougherty. Marilyn also spent time with her mother’s friend Grace Goddard, who raised spaniels, and Marilyn, along with Grace’s stepdaughter Bebe, developed a fondness for the breed. Early in her career, Marilyn had a chihuahua named Josefa.
As her fame grew, Marilyn mentioned having pet goldfish named Marmaduke, Mike, and Mo in an interview. She also joked that she loved the name Antonio but thought it was a bit much for a goldfish. While married to Arthur Miller, they had a basset hound named Hugo, a parakeet named Butch, a Siamese cat named Serafina, and a horse named Ebony on their Connecticut farm. In her later years, Marilyn had a white Maltese dog named Maf, a gift from Frank Sinatra. She affectionately called him 'Maf Honey' or simply 'Maf,' partly as a playful nod to Sinatra’s rumored mafia ties.
7. Reading
Though Marilyn Monroe was often stereotyped as the 'dumb blonde,' she was far from that. Despite not completing her high school education, she possessed an insatiable thirst for knowledge. This was clearly reflected in her library. During her early years as a contract player at the Hollywood Studio Club, her fellow residents recalled how she would carry books with her, and that they were a central part of her room.
In 1999, the collection of books that Marilyn had accumulated was auctioned off at Christie’s Auction House, alongside other personal items. She was often captured in photos enjoying a good book. Marilyn had a fondness for poetry, classic literature, and politics. Some of her favorite works included John Steinbeck’s *Once There Was A War* and *Tortilla Flat*, Albert Camus’s *The Fall*, and Ernest Hemingway’s *The Sun Also Rises* and *A Farewell to Arms*.
6. Cooking
Marilyn had a genuine love for cooking and often prepared meals to delight the people she cared about. Among the items auctioned at Christie’s in 1999 were her cookbooks, some of which had personal notes written in her own hand. Her pots fetched over $25,000 at the sale. In her early years, before she became famous and while still known as Norma Jeane Dougherty, Marilyn, at the age of 16, frequently cooked peas and carrots because she loved the vibrant colors of the dish. Her first husband, Jimmie, gave mixed reviews of her cooking; some reports claimed she was a terrible cook, while others said she was excellent and had a talent for preparing game dishes.
During her leaner years as a starlet, when funds were tight, Marilyn would cook simple meals for herself and often drank black coffee. While married to Joe DiMaggio, she learned to cook from his sister Marie, and enjoyed grilling steaks for Joe. When she was married to Arthur Miller, she made dishes like matzah ball soup, gefilte fish, and stuffed cabbage. A recipe for a special poultry stuffing, written in her own handwriting, later went viral. This recipe, which probably came from Joe’s sister, was written on paper from a San Francisco business and included elements of the city, like sourdough bread.
5. Exercise
Long before it became fashionable, Marilyn was often seen out exercising. She would jog through the quiet backstreets of Beverly Hills as the sun began to rise. Marilyn also included calisthenics in her fitness routine, using barbells and free weights to keep her curves in shape. When she lived on Catalina Island with her first husband, James Dougherty, who was a physical-training instructor, Marilyn worked out with one of his trainers and took her dog Muggsie on walks to stay fit.
Riding bikes, walking, and beach outings were other favorite activities that helped Marilyn maintain her figure. In a 1952 interview with *LIFE*, she revealed that she spent 10 minutes every morning working out with small weights. She would start her routine right after brushing her teeth and washing her face, and it included what she called a “bust-firming routine,” which involved moving her arms in small circular motions.
4. Gardening
Marilyn had a long-standing love for plants and a natural talent for gardening. In her early days in Hollywood, she was often photographed tending to her plants at her apartment. She had a keen interest in horticulture, and books on the subject were among her favorite reads. Her gardening hat, along with many other personal items, was auctioned off at Christie’s after her passing.
On the morning of her death, a delivery of plants and flowers arrived at her home. She had placed the order only days earlier from Frank’s Nurseries and Flowers, intending to plant them around her property for a special event she had planned—a remarriage to Joe DiMaggio. The receipt included begonias, Valencia oranges, Mexican limes, and a variety of other plants. Sadly, after her passing, photographs show the plants still sitting in their pots on her property, waiting to be planted and never used for the occasion she had hoped for.
3. Walks in the Woods
Marilyn also relished forest walks with Joe DiMaggio during their first honeymoon. A notable image of Marilyn in the woods was discovered in 2009 when LIFE magazine digitized its archives. Taken by photographer Ed Clark in 1950, these photos captured Marilyn, then 24, in Griffith Park. She was at ease with nature, even reclining on a log bench. Though the photos were initially dismissed with the editors asking, 'Who the hell is Marilyn Monroe?' they were later shelved. Only two years later, Marilyn would appear on the cover of LIFE as 'The Talk of Hollywood.'
A cherished photograph of Marilyn walking in the woods was uncovered in 2009 when LIFE magazine was digitizing its photo archive. Taken in Griffith Park in 1950, the image showed the 24-year-old Marilyn at ease in nature. Photographer Ed Clark captured her lounging on a log bench. At the time, her beauty was undeniable, but LIFE editors questioned, 'Who the hell is Marilyn Monroe?' just two years before she became the subject of the cover story, 'Marilyn Monroe: The Talk of Hollywood.'
2. Foods and Champagne
Throughout her career, Marilyn was frequently captured in photos indulging in a variety of foods. Some of these images show her enjoying a hot dog topped with sauerkraut, taking a bite out of a burger, savoring a scoop of ice cream, being fed cake by servicemen, and eagerly devouring ribs, to name just a few. In a 1952 interview, she shared that her daily routine started with a glass of warm milk mixed with a beaten egg, followed by a multivitamin. A grilled steak, one of her favorites, was also part of her typical meal. She revealed that for both lunch and dinner, she would often enjoy a piece of meat—whether it was steak, lamb, or liver—accompanied by carrots.
Marilyn also had a strong craving for New York deli-style food, and when she was in Los Angeles, she was often seen dining at Canter’s on Fairfax. Not long before her death, her housekeeper, Eunice Murray, would prepare poached egg whites for her using safflower oil, reserving the yolks for baking pound cake. However, following gallbladder surgery in 1961, Marilyn adjusted her diet. Many of her favorite dishes were enjoyed alongside champagne, a drink she adored, with Dom Perignon being her top choice. She regularly ordered it and made sure her home was always stocked with the luxury beverage.
1. New York
Marilyn developed a deep affection for New York, having visited the city multiple times before deciding to leave Hollywood at the end of 1954. By the time of her death in 1962, she was technically a resident of New York, despite also having a home in California and an apartment on East 57th Street near Sutton Place. She was truly enchanted by what New York had to offer.
Although Marilyn kept her home in California, she preferred it as a retreat when she was working on films, rather than staying in hotels. She once mentioned in an interview that she planned to retire to Brooklyn. Marilyn thoroughly enjoyed exploring New York, from wandering through the shops and dining at local restaurants to sipping coffee or grabbing food from street vendors. She cherished spending time in Central Park, relaxing in Sutton Park at the end of her block, visiting art galleries, and hailing cabs to venture throughout the bustling city.
