Marilyn Monroe’s Boyfriends, Husbands & Lovers

1. Marilyn Monroes Love Life: FACT OR FICTION?

imagesource/biographyOver the years, Marilyn Monroe's love life was put under scrutiny as it was shrouded in mystery and legend. Her old friend and photographer, Sam Shaw once said, "If Marilyn slept with every guy that claims he was with her, she would have never had time to make any movies." Here are all the men linked to Hollywood's greatest sex symbol.

2. John F. Kennedy

imagesource/twitterMonroe and JFK were introduced in 1954 and between 1961 and 1962 the pair met up four times. In the weeks running up to her death, it was said that Monroe was threatening to hold a press conference to expose her relationship with the President and his brother - igniting the conspiracies.

3. Natasha Lytess

imagesource/dailymailMonroe's beloved drama coach was openly hostile to Monroe's male suitors, especially Joe DiMaggio. Rumour has it that the pair had a short sexual relationship and in her 1954 autobiography she wrote, "A man who had kissed me once had said it was very possible that I was a lesbian because apparently I had no response to males — meaning him,"

4. Robert F. Kennedy

imagesource/londonluxuryMany people suggest that her relationship with President John F Kennedy and his brother Robert may have played a role in her untimely death. Rumour has it that her sultry Happy Birthday performance sparked their affair, just months before she died. Monroe's biographer said, "it was pretty clear that Marilyn had had sexual relations with both Bobby and Jack."

5. Jim Dougherty

imagesource/wikipediaNorma Jeane Baker, also known as Marilyn Monroe married classmate Dougherty at the age of 16. The relationship began to crumble however, when Dougherty joined the Merchant Marines and Monroe started modelling.

6. Charlie Chaplin Jr

imagesource/thenetlineThe legendary stars son, Charlie Chaplin Jr had an affair with Monroe in 1947, but the relationship allegedly ended when Charlie caught Marilyn in his brother Sydney's bed. In Chaplin's autobiography, he references the affair.

7. Milton Berle

imagesource/pintrestThe comedian and Monroe met on set of a movie while he was dating film star Adele Jergens and the pair apparently had a brief affair. "Marilyn was on the climb in Hollywood, but there was nothing cheap about her," he wrote in his autobiography. "She wasn't one of the starlets around town that you put one meal into and threw into the sack. Maybe she didn't know exactly who she was, but she knew she was worth something. She had respect for herself. Marilyn was a lady."

8. Elia Kazan

imagesource/thehollywoodreporterOne of Hollywood's greatest directors, Elia Kazen, admitted to having an affair with Monroe while he was married to playwright Molly Thacher. In unearthed letters to Thacher, Kazen said that DiMaggio beat Monroe up several times and that he wasn't sorry for his affair.

9. Joe DiMaggio

imagesource/biographyThe pair married in a private ceremony in 1954 but problems began to arise soon into their marriage when DiMaggio couldn't handle his wife's skyrocketing fame. The couple divorced none months after their wedding, with Monroe explaining that the infamous scene in The Seven Year Itch was a point of contention. "He said ... exposing my legs and thighs, even my crotch — that was the last straw." 

10. Marlon Brando

imagesource/wonderwallPerhaps the best known actors of their generation, Monroe and Brando dated briefly in 1955 after her divorce from DiMaggio and before her relationship with Miller. The pair were seen at the premiere of The Rose Tattoo and the two remained friends until the end of her life.

11. Arthur Miller

imagesource/esquireMonroe claimed it was love at first sight when she met Miller on set of As Young As You Feel. After she divorced DiMaggio in 1995 and moved to New York City, the pair began dating. Marilyn's drug addiction caused issues on set and at home and a year a half before her death, the pair divorced.

12. Frank Sinatra

imagesource/peopleAfter her divorce with Miller, Marilyn and Frank dated briefly. She stayed at Ol' blue eyes' house for a short time after moving back to Los Angeles but the romance cooled off in 1961 when Sinatra proposed to Juliet Prowse. The two remained friends until she died.

13. Jerry Lewis

imagesource/thesunThe late comedian claimed he had a secret affair with Marilyn, as well as insisting that the affair with JFK never happened. "I'm telling you what I know. Never! And the only reason I know is because I did. Okay?" He claimed that Marilyn "needed the contact with someone to be sure it was real!"

14. Yves Montand

imagesource/vogueOutside of her marriage with Miller, Monroe had a brief affair with French actor Yves Montand. The pair would meet at the Beverley Hills Hotel in the private bungalows 20 and 21 to conduct their affairs - which didn't last long. After the film "Let's Make Love" stopped filming, the pair parted ways.

15. Tony Curtis

imagesource/pintrestIn his memoirs, American actor Tony Curtis revealed he had a passionate affair with Monroe in the early 50s. Curtis also claimed that he was the father of the child that Monroe was expecting and unfortunately miscarried whilst being married to Arthur Miller.

16. Clark Gable

imagesource/pintrestMarilyn and Clark met onset of Misfits in 1960, and Monroe quickly fell for the 59-year-old. However, there isn't much proof of an affair, in fact, people say Gable actually found the actress quite annoying on set and that his death and heart attack was due to stress from shooting with her.

17. Sam Giancana

imagesource/historykitThere are many rumours and conspiracies circulating the movie stars death and rumour has it, Monroe spend her last night alive with mafia crime boss, Sam Giancana, whom she was dating at the time. Frank Sinatra and JKF were both linked to the mafia which gets people thinking, was her death linked to them?

18. José Bolaños

imagesource/vintageeverydayBolaños escorted Monroe to the Golden Globes in 1962, not long before her death. He was known for being somewhat a bit of a playboy and one year after her death it was claimed that they were going to get married and adopt a child. But the statement was never proven.

19. Joan Crawford

imagesource/vanityfairOf her one-night affair with Joan Crawford, she said: “Next time I saw Crawford, she wanted another round. I told her straight-out I didn't much enjoy doing it with a woman. After I turned her down, she became spiteful.”  That's where the real feud began

20. Robert Mitchum

imagesource/themarilynmonroeConsidered as great friends, Mitchum first met the teenage Norma Jeane before working together on set of a movie in 1954. Rumours circulated about the pair hooking up, but we all know what the media is like when it comes to causing a stir with co-stars.

21. Robert Slatzer

imagesource/marilynRobert Slatzer is known as a liar and a fantasist after writing his book "The Life and Curious Death of Marilyn Monroe". He claimed that he and Monroe were married in Mexico in 1952 and that they lasted just five days because her boss at 20th century fox insisted they dissolve the marriage.

22. George Sanders

imagesource/pintrestThis rumour seems the most unlikely of them all, considering George Sanders was notoriously unfriendly and unhelpful to all of his co-stars, so where he and Monroe starred in All About Eve, it was safe to say, the pair didn't have much to talk about off set - he had also just married Zsa Zsa Gabor, the most beautiful woman on the planet.

23. Milton H. Greene

imagesource/marilynrememberedMilton Greene took some of Marilyn's most iconic photographs and rumours began to circulate. the pair struck up a friendship and when Monroe left LA for New York City, she even stayed with Greene, however, the friendship ended in 1957 when Monroe fired Greene from the production of The Prince and the Showgirl.

24. Joseph M. Schenk

imagesource/infinitemarilynmonroeJoseph Schenk had enormous power over the way Monroe's future played out and it was always said that Marilyn only made love when it was either repayment for their kindness towards her or when it would help her get further in her career...or on the odd time that she actually fell in love.

25. George Jessel

imagesource/historianalanroyleMarilyn and George had a brief encounter in 1948 and no one is fully sure if they actually dated or if it was just a fling. But the pair were pictured together a few times at awards and parties & the pair stayed friends until his death, which was just 10 months before hers.

26. Jorge Guinle

imagesource/Jorge was associated with Marilyn Monroe  during his younger years. He was a billionaire from the Guinle family of Rio, Brazil and was known as one of the richest men on earth - the last tycoon playboy. The pair had a short relationship and he was linked with other stars like Rita Hayworth and Jayne Mansfield.

27. Darryl F. Zanuck

imagesource/britannicaBefore Harvey Weinstein, there was Mr Z, also known as Darryl Zanuck who was legendary in the industry. Marilyn Monroe once famously wrote in a memoir about the sexual predators in her industry. “I met them all, Phoniness and failure were all over them. Some were vicious and crooked. But they were as near to the movies as you could get. So you sat with them, listening to their lies and schemes. And you saw Hollywood with their eyes — an overcrowded brothel, a merry-go-round with beds for horses.”

28. Howard Hughes

imagesource/encyclopediabritannica'The Bungalow' at the Beverley Hills Hotel, is inspired by Marilyn and Howard Hughes, who were frequent guests. Marilyn and Howard were both known to meet up there with others and spend the night...sometimes with each other.

29. Eddie Fisher

imagesource/infinitemarilynmonroeRumour has it the pair hooked up in 1948, according to Fisher, ‘Marilyn Monroe was a serious player. She used people — she played them off, and I was a victim, too. When I first met her at the start of the Fifties, she made a beeline for me and asked me out on many occasions for a date.'

30. Monroe's Love Life

imagesource/britishvogueThe details of the Hollywood star's most famous relationships have been shrouded in conflicting reports but some of them on this list may be extra shocking. Who knew the most wanted woman in Hollywood had engaged in affairs with her partners brothers! Oh to be a Hollywood star.

31. Little Known Facts About Marilyn Monroe: She Was Taken To A Foster Home By Her Mother

image source: biography.com

Marilyn Monroe didn't have a straightforward childhood, and she was actually taken to a foster home by her own mother when she was only two weeks old. The foster home was located in Hawthorne, California, and while the identify of the father was originally a mystery, it was later revealed that Marilyn's sad was one of her mother's co-workers from Consolidated Studios. The reason her mother, Gladys, took her to the foster home was because she didn't think she could give Marilyn the care she deserved. Despite this, she still wanted to visit and see her daughter.

32. Marilyn Was Put In A Duffel Bag When Her Mother Tried To Steal Her Back!

image source: biography.com

Gladys was still determined to have a relationship with Marilyn even though she'd placed her in a foster home, due to her other two previous children being taken from her custody. When Marilyn was 3 years old, her mother then said she wanted to take Marilyn home with her. When the home refused, Gladys decided to take matters into her own hands, and it's alleged she broke into the home to hide Marilyn in a duffel bag whilst locking her foster mother out of the property. The escape/breakout plan didn't work in the end, though!

33. The Origins Of The Name 'Marilyn Monroe'

image source: allthatsinteresting.com

Marilyn was originally born with the name Norma: Norma Jeane Mortenson was her full name, which you might agree doesn't quite sound like Hollywood royalty, or as catchy as Marilyn Monroe. So when Norma decided to change her name, did she choose Marilyn randomly, or was there a reason behind it? There was, in fact: it was actually studio executive Ben Lyon who came up with the name change. When she became Norma Jeane Dougherty through marriage, Lyon thought it was too complicated, and Norma suggested 'Monroe' after a name in her family. Marilyn then came from an actor named Marilyn Miller, who Lyon had worked with before.

34. It Was Once Believed That Marilyn Had Six Toes

image source: snopes.com

There's many things you can say about Marilyn Monroe, but the most common is to say that she was the epitome of Hollywood beauty - so you may be surprised to hear she was once considered as having what some might call an 'imperfection'. The rumor of her having six toes started when she did a photoshoot. The photographer published the photos decades later for a book about Marilyn, and noticed that in one of them it looked like the actress had six toes. He then started a "What's wrong with this photo?" campaign. It began the 'six toes' rumor, but it was later debunked.

35. She Cut Her Honeymoon Short To Perform For Troops

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When Marilyn married Joe DiMaggio and jetted off on their honeymoon together in 1954, she decided to cut the romantic honeymoon short in order to do her part for the troops. She instead went to perform for the soldiers stationed in Korea, and not even for just one performance, either. She ended up staying for four days, where she performed 10 shows for the soldiers - and even ended up having pneumonia due to the cold (no surprise there when she was wearing a dress!). She'd later say that her performance for the troops was one of the best things that had ever happened to her.

36. She Was Close Friends With Ella Fitzgerald

image source: biography.com

No surprise that Marilyn Monroe had a lot of famous friends, and one of those was singer Ella Fitzgerald. The pair were close friends, and Marilyn called Ella her "favorite" person. Her friendship was shown through a rumor that Ella Fitzgerald hadn't been allowed to perform at the Mocambo Club, a nightclub in West Hollywood, on account that they didn't think Ella was "glamorous" enough. When Marilyn found this out, she told the owner of the club that she refused to show on the front row every night if they didn't like Ella perform. The club owner knew that they needed Marilyn to draw in a crowd, so they gave in.

37. Marilyn Was Actually A Businesswoman

image source: imdb.com

There was a lot more to Marilyn that most people would believe, thinking she might just be a blonde Hollywood bombshell. She actually had a successful entrepreneurial spirit. She started her very own production company after some problems with 20th Century Fox. When she realized she was owed more money than she was getting due to how much the production company was making, and when she had ideas of book-to-film adaptations that were rejected, she ignored her contract and went off to start her own production company instead.

38. The FBI Had Files On Her

image source: georgetownsecuritystudiesreview.org

Marilyn was a very well-watched woman, and we don't just mean from her fans watching one of her movies. She also had tabs on her from the FBI themselves. Not only did the FBI keep A LOT of files on her, they also released information from these files to the public in 2012. The reason she was being followed was apparently because they thought she might be a communist, and largely through her marriage to Arthur Miller, who they believed was the front man of the party. They went as far as thinking their marriage was a religious cover up to try and prevent any suspicion over communist activity!

39. Marilyn's Heartbreak Over Her Dog

image source: doggymom.com

Marilyn Monroe was very much a dog lover, and she had a few of her own. But when she got divorced from Joe DiMaggio, the pooch they shared actually stayed with Joe, which broke Marilyn's heart. To cheer her up, friend Frank Sinatra actually bought Marilyn a new dog for Christmas, so that she wouldn't be without one. The dog was a Maltese terrier who Marilyn named Maf (short for Mafia). Marilyn often had photos taken of her with her beloved Maf, and one black and white polaroid of the pair together (shown here) actually sold for $220,000!

40. Her Famous 'Breathy Voice' Actually Comes From Her Covering A Stutter

image source: imdb.com

There are many things Marilyn is famous for when it comes to her image: her blonde hair, her eyelashes, that white dress and also that iconic breathy voice she had. It's one of the most recognizable things from the star, and one thing many people try to imitate if they're singing her songs! While you might think the breathy voice was all just part of being more appealing in Hollywood, it was actually created by her in order to try cover up a stutter she'd had since childhood. She ended up having a speech therapist who recommended she try the breathy voice.

41. Marilyn Had To Be Sewn Into *That* Rhinestone Dress

image source: vanityfair.com

We all know that one of her most memorable outfits - and most memorable performances - is when she was wearing the nude rhinestone dress for President Kennedy's birthday (the dress that Kim Kardashian controversially wore to the Met Gala, but we won't talk about that). The dress was so tight that not only did Marilyn have to be sewn into it - just like Olivia Newton John in that black Grease outfit! - but she also had to go without underwear in order for the dress to sit just right. The dress had a whopping 2,500 rhinestones on it.

42. Audrey Hepburn's Most Famous Role Nearly Went To Marilyn

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Another Hollywood starlet as beautiful as Marilyn was of course Audrey Hepburn, and it was very much whether you were an Audrey kind of person or a Marilyn kind of person in terms of looks! One of Audrey's most famous role was of course Breakfast at Tiffany's - but actually, the role almost went to Marilyn. Author of the original book Truman Capote actually wanted Marilyn Monroe for the role, but Marilyn's acting coach advised her not to accept the role because it thought it might damage her image. Capote then apparently felt 'double-crossed' when they cast Audrey.

43. She Almost Had Her House Bugged

image source: curbedla.com

It's no surprise that Marilyn would be subjected to bugging attempts in her own home when the FBI was also tracking her. When she bought a new home and was preparing to move into it, apparently the real estate agent was asked to try to keep Marilyn away from the house so that had chance to install bugging equipment. Luckily, the agent refused to do it, but that doesn't mean they didn't eventually manage to. He didn't tell Marilyn about what had happened, but he admitted that if they really did want to bug her, they would find another way.

44. Marilyn Apparently Had A Thing For Albert Einstein

image source: biography.com

While Marilyn had a lot of lovers and husbands, there was one special type of man holding a place in her heart: an older man! And we're not talking only a few years older... Marilyn apparently had a thing for Albert Einstein. Could it be she was attracted to brainy men, too? She did marry a playwright, after all. When she was roommates with Shelley Winters, they apparently made a list of men they liked, and all of Marilyn's choices were over fifty years old - and one of the names was indeed Albert Einstein. Not only that, she had a framed photo of the genius on top of her piano...

45. Marilyn's Connection With Jean Harlow

image source: montrealgazette.com

Jean Harlow was another blonde Hollywood starlet, and she was one who Marilyn apparently looked up to. She wanted to play Jean Harlow in a biopic film because she idolized her so much, and there were actually plans to produce the film and cast Marilyn. Just like Harlow, Marilyn ended up dying young, and it was Harlow's fiancé who gave Joe DiMaggio the idea of having roses delivered to Marilyn's grave every week - and this was because, whilst still alive, Marilyn had even said to DiMaggio to please do the same thing if she ended up dying young... Tragically, she did, and he followed through with what he'd promised.

46. The Controversy Of Marilyn's Playboy Photo

image source: biography.com

Marilyn never met Playboy's Hugh Hefner, but he was a huge fan of hers from afar. So much so that he ended up using a nude photo of Marilyn for one of the Sweetheart of the Months. But it turns out that Marilyn had originally done the photo, not for Hefner, but another photographer as a pinup photo - and she hadn't even given Hefner permission to use the photo, nor been paid for it. While Hefner did rightfully buy the photos which had been sold by the original photographer as part of a calendar collection, he'd never gotten approval from Marilyn herself.

47. She Cared About Mental Health

image source: vanityfair.com

Marilyn had her own psychiatrist, Doctor Marianne Kris, and after Marilyn died, she'd actually left behind a quarter of her assets to Dr Kris. The reason for leaving the assets was with the request that it should be used to help psychiatric work, or a psychiatric institution. As a result, the funds were given to the Anna Freud Center, based in London, which then helped children having problems with their mental health. Marilyn herself was known to struggle with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, which is why she had a psychiatrist in the first place.

48. She Had An Enormous Library Collection

image source: openculture.com

No wonder she was attracted to marrying a playwright! Marilyn herself was an avid reader, but not just on the road with borrowed books - she had a huge collection of her own at home, with over 400 books on her shelves. Her favorite pastime for when she had time off was to go to a local bookstore. She was apparently a fan of the classics, too, as it's said at the time of her death she was in the middle of reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. To choose a new book in a bookstore, she liked to turn to a random page and see if she liked what she read!

49. She Thought Actor Clark Gable Was Her Father

image source: tcm.com

We mentioned earlier about Marilyn's biological father being one of her mother's work colleagues, after a DNA found it to be true. But before the identity of her father was known, Marilyn actually thought she could be the daughter of Hollywood actor Clark Gable. This was because her mother had a photograph on her wall of an old lover, who looked very much like Gable - and when Marilyn went to see one of his movies for the first time, she was convinced it was him - mostly because of the matching thin mustaches!

50. She Had An Alter Ego Named Zelda Zonk

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We're used to celebrities doing what they can to hide from the paparazzi - usually massive sunglasses, a large hoody and generally keeping their heads down. For Marilyn, who was of course being hounded by paparazzi at every turn, she actually went so far as to have an alter ego as a disguise. The alter ego was Zelda Zonk, who had a dark wig to hide Marilyn's blonde hair, and sunglasses. When Marilyn morphed into Zelda, she admitted that she felt like a "normal" person out of the spotlight - which must have been a nice break for her!