Happy 65th birthday to “The Seven Year Itch” !!
June 1st 2020 marks an incredible 65 years since the premiere of “The Seven Year Itch” the classic comedy starring Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell.
The premiere of “The Seven Year Itch” on June 1st 1955 was a star-studded gala. To mark the event, the Lowe’s State Theatre in Times Square recieved a 52 foot high poster of Marilyn in billowing skirts, at a cost of around $1,500. The original had to be replaced with a less revealing image after complaints were reported. Marilyn was escorted by DiMaggio (she told reporters “We’re just good friends” but than didn’t stop a frenzy of press speculation that a reconcilliation was taking place) into the theatre, where the screening was attended, by among others, Grace Kelly, Henry Fonda, Margaret Truman, Eddie Fisher, Judy Holliday and Richard Rodgers.
The movie was the biggest hit of the summer, grossing almost $5million, and going on to top anywhere between $6 and $15 million by the end of its initial run, depending on who is providing the figures.
Source: The Marilyn Monroe Encyclopedia by Adam Victor