Marilyn Remembered Fan Club Updates

Published January 23, 2020

“NIAGARA TURNS 67”

This week marks 67 years since the release of the 1953 film noir thriller ‘Niagara’ starring Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotton, Jean Peters and Directed by Henry Hathaway. “Marilyn Monroe and Niagara, a raging torrent of emotion that even nature can’t control!” read the tag line on billboards and advertisements. Twentieth Century FOX pulled out all the stops on what was to be Marilyn’s first starring role in a major motion picture. The official synopsis of the movie reads as follows: “The splendour of both Niagara falls and Marilyn Monroe enhance this taut tale about a faithless wife plotting against her husband. Joseph Cotten stars as George Loomis, a disturbed Korean war veteran staying at Niagara Falls with his wife, Rose (Monroe). Thoroughly sensuous and constantly scheming, Rose intends to kill her husband and run off with her lover. But first she is going to drive George mad by flaunting herself before anyone who will notice.”

Marilyn Monroe enjoyed a good working relationship with her co-stars, in particular with her leading man, Joseph Cotten: “I enjoyed her company. I enjoyed working with her,” Cotten said about working with Marilyn Monroe in her first starring role. He said she had an appetite for laughter and was aware of her sense of humor describing her as a “pretty clown. Cotten recalls hearing about her death and receiving a phone call from the Associated Press for a comment. “At first I was sure it had to be an accident. Such buoyancy of spirit, such sparkling anticipation, such a happy and comic attitude would deny support to any theory,” he wrote. “But she had such moments of fear and insecurity….As to all the other furtive theories-cover-up, murder, etc. – I have no knowledge or interest in such sordidness. I knew and acted with Marilyn Monroe. I am proud of having that privilege.”

Director Henry Hathaway also had kind words to say about working with Marilyn, on two seperate occassions, he was quoted as saying “She’s the best natural actress I’ve directed. And I go back. I worked with Barbara LaMarr, Jean Harlow, Renee Adoree–right up to today. And she’s the greatest natural talent. Wait ’til you see her in this picture!” “Marilyn was marvellous to work with, very easy to direct and terifically ambitious to do better. And bright, really bright. She may not have had an education, but she was naturally bright.

‘Niagara’ was first released in theatres on January 21st 1953 and grossed a healthy $2.35 million return on an outlay of $1,670,000 during its initial run. Today it is still among Marilyn’s most popular films. Happy birthday ‘Niagara!’

Published January 14, 2020

MONROE AND DIMAGGIO WED 66 YEARS AGO

January 14th 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio wed at San Francisco City Hall, today marks 65 years since those nuptials took place.

On January 14th 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were married in the chambers of Judge Charles S. Peery, in a simple, small civil ceremony which lasted merely 3 mins, commencing at 1.48pm.

Hundreds of photographers lined the streets outside the building to catch a glimpse of the newley married couple. Marilyn wore a very modest chocolate brown suit with a high ermine collar and DiMaggio donned a navy blue suit and polka dot tie, seemingly the same one he wore the evening of the couples first date. (Read more about that night here: https://www.marilynrememberedfanclub.com/the-villa-nova/ )

Practically all the people at the wedding were from Joe’s side: best man Reno Barsocchini, Lefty and Jean O’Doul and brother Tom DiMaggio and his wife. Monroe promised to “love, honour and cherish” her husband, omitting the word “obey,” from the vows, which was unheard of at the time.

Joe placed a stunning platinum eternity band set with 35 baguette-cut diamonds on Marilyn’s finger and the couple were pronounced man and wife.

Marilyn’s eternity ring from her husband Joe DiMaggio.

After the ceremony, the couple left the building arm and arm, smiles beaming from their faces and very much in love. They departed in Joe’s blue cadillac, ready to start their married life together.

Sadly the marriage was only to last 9 months and the couple divorced shortly after. A lot has been said about what may or may not have gone on behind closed doors during their marriage, but on this day 65 years ago, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio’s hearts were full of love and devotion to one another. So we are here to celebrate the love that was shared on that day by Marilyn and the man she called “my slugger.”

Published January 8, 2020

MOVIE MEMORIES: DANGEROUS YEARS

“Hi small change!”

“Dangerous Years” is a 1947 American drama film produced by Sol M. Wurtzel, directed by Arthur Pierson and starring Billy Halop and Ann E. Todd. Released on January 16^th 1948 through Twentieth Century FOX, it is credited as being Marilyn Monroe’s second movie.

PLOT:

Schoolteacher Jeff Carter spends his spare time running a social club for teenage boys in Middleton, USA. His efforts there are undermined, however, by the arrival of Danny Jones, a hotshot troublemaker who begins to involve other youths such as Willy, Doris, Leo and Tammy in his pretty criminal activities. When Jeff learns of the gang’s planned raid on a perfume warehouse he intercepts the robbery, but as the kids flee, Danny shoot and kills the kindly schoolmaster.

FUN FACTS:

* Despite Marilyn Monroe having filmed and appeared in “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” first, “Dangerous Years” was actually released three months prior and therefore often credited as Monroe’s first feature film.

* Marilyn Monroe was paid $125 for her walk-on role in this film.

* “Dangerous Years” was filmed in August of 1947, just days before Twentieth Century FOX dropped the option of Marilyn’s contract.

* As of October 2019, “Dangerous Years” has an average rating of 5.8/10 on imdb.com

* In 2014, the “Marilyn Monroe History 2” channel on YouTube uploaded the movie in its entirety and as of October 2019, has amassed over 22,000 views.

* Nana Bryant has a small role as Miss Templeton near the end of the movie. Bryant would also appear in Marilyn’s next film “Ladies Of The Chorus” as Mrs Adele Carroll.

MARILYN’S WARDROBE:

Marilyn only has one outfit throughout the entire film: the waitressing uniform she wears to work.

CRITICS’ RESPONSE:

“Director Arthur Pierson has seized upon a good script, has handled it with delicacy, has side-stepped numerous pitfalls of over-sentimentality, and has aroused and maintained interest throughout. The happy result is a high-grade budgeter.” (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)

“This yarn is strictly fiction. It might have some resemblance to real life, but the dividing lines of fact and fabrication are too obvious… Film is minor scale stuff that limps along. It contributes little to the sphere of dramatic entertainment.”

Buy your copy of “Dangerous Years” on DVD today: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Marilyn-Sus-Comienzos-Dangerous-Scudda/dp/B01BMVWRBU/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=marilyn+monroe+dangerous+years&qid=1570544433&sr=8-1

Sources:
imdb.com
“Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career Of Marilyn Monroe”
“Marilyn Monroe: Platinum FOX”

Published January 5, 2020

MOVIE MEMORIES: SCUDDA HOO! SCUDDA HAY!

“A cry that stirs young hearts to love!”

Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! is a 1948 American comedy film written and directed by F. Hugh Herbert starring June Haver, Lon McCallister and a very young Natalie Wood. Released on April 26^th 1948 through Twentieth Century FOX, it is known for being the first movie Marilyn Monroe appeared in.

PLOT:

The two leads: June Haver and Lon McCallister share an embrace.

Snug is unhappy living on the farm with his mean-spirited stepmother Judith and Surly stepbrother Stretch. When his father goes off to sea, bequeathing all of his possessions to his natural son in the event of his own death, Snug takes on work as a farm hand for irascible Roarer McGill and, under contract to pay $5 a week for one year, buys two mules from him.

The mules. Moonbeam and Crowder, start working well for Snug, but life is made difficult by nasty Stretch, who is not only making advances to Snug’s sweetheart, Rad, but also attempting to have him fired from his job and thus unable to keep up the payments on the mules.

Marilyn Monroe’s additional scenes were sadly confined to the cutting room floor. All that remain are stills like these.

FUN FACTS:

* This movie is only for the die hard Marilyn fans, as she only appears on screen for a matter of seconds and has only one line: “Hi Rad!” so please bare that in mind if you’re thinking of adding it to your collection.

* The original shooting script confirms that another slightly longer scene featuring Marilyn was definitely shot, only to be edited out just prior to the film’s release. This took place at the lake, preceding the segment in the released version in which Snug spies Stretch and Rad approaching the creek together in a boat. Stretch is sunning hiself on the dock when a boat approaches containing Betty and June (Colleen Townsend), described as “a couple of pretty bobby-soxers”;

Betty (gayly): Hi Stretch.
Stretch (drawling): Hi Betty– hi June.
June (coyly) Is it all right with you if we swim off your dock?
With one bare foot, Stretch shoves the nose off the boat out into the stream again
Stretch (grinning): No—it ain’t.
Betty: Ah, Stretch—why not?
Stretch: You’re too young, Come back in a couple of years time.
Giggling, the two kids pull out of the shot.

Unfortunately for both kids, they were also pulled out of the film. All that survives is a long distance background shot of the two girls rowing: neither of their faces are visible.

* Despite being the first film Marilyn ever appeared in, it was actually released after her second movie “Dangerous Years” which was released three months earlier.

* Costing $1,685,000 to film, “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” grossed $2 million during its first run.

* In 2014, the “Marilyn Monroe History” channel on YouTube uploaded the movie in its entirety and as of October 2019, has amassed over 63,000 views.

* As of October 2019, “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” has a rating of 6.1/10 on imdb.com

MARILYN’S WARDROBE:

It really is a ‘blink and you’ll miss her’ appearance from Marilyn, but she still looks super cute in a blue and white day dress.

MEMORIES OF MARILYN:

Colleen Townsend’s scene with Marilyn in a rowing boat unfortunately ended up on the cutting room floor, but here she remembers her time with the future star.
“It wasn’t much of a part for either Marilyn or for me, was it?… I never really knew her very well– you know, we didn’t socialize together –but I remember her best from the classes we attended together for the Actor’s Lab, and I just have very, very fond memories of her… Basically, at her heart, she was a very sweet person, a very loving person.”

CRITICS’ RESPONSE:

“Made for people who like good shots of honestly sweaty farm activity with sentimental tears dripping as heavily as the perspiration. The drips are honest and sincere in both directions.” (NEW YORK WORLD-TELEGRAM)

Buy your copy of “Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!” on DVD today: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Scudda-Hoo-Hay-June-Haver/dp/B01M2C0FYS/ref=sr_1_3?crid=31SJ1OK7ZTIJW&keywords=scudda+hoo+scudda+hay&qid=1570540823&sprefix=scudda+hoo%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-3

Sources:
imdb.com
“Blonde Heat: The Sizzling Screen Career Of Marilyn Monroe”
“Marilyn Monroe: Platinum FOX”