Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), born Norma Jeane Mortenson, but baptized Norma Jeane Baker, was an American actress, singer, and model. After spending much of her childhood in foster homes, Monroe began a career as a model, which led to a film contract in 1946. Her early roles were minor, but her performances in The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve (both 1950) were well received. Monroe was praised for her comedic ability in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, Some Like It Hot and The Seven Year Itch. The typecasting of Monroe's "dumb blonde" persona limited her career prospects, so she broadened her range. She studied at the Actors Studio and formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. Her dramatic performance in Bus Stop was hailed by critics, and she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in Some Like it Hot. The final years of Monroe's life were marked by illness, personal problems, and a reputation for being unreliable and difficult to work with. The circumstances of her death, from an overdose of barbiturates, have been the subject of conjecture. Though officially classified as a "probable suicide", the possibility of an accidental overdose, as well as the possibility of homicide, have not been ruled out. In 1999, Monroe was ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute. ************************************************ Filmography Year Film Role Director 1947 Dangerous Years Evie Arthur Pierson 1948 Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! Betty (uncredited) Hugh Herbert 1948 Ladies of the Chorus Peggy Martin Phil Karlson 1949 Love Happy Grunion's Client (uncredited) David Miller 1950 A Ticket to Tomahawk Clara (uncredited) Richard Sale 1950 Right Cross Dusky Ledoux (uncredited) John Sturges 1950 The Fireball Polly Tay Garnett 1950 The Asphalt Jungle Angela Phinlay John Huston 1950 All About Eve Miss Claudia Caswell Joseph L. Mankiewicz 1951 Love Nest Roberta Stevens Joseph M. Newman 1951 Let's Make It Legal Joyce Mannering Richard Sale 1951 Home Town Story Iris Martin Arthur Pierson 1951 As Young as You Feel Harriet Harman Jones 1952 O. Henry's Full House Streetwalker Henry Koster 1952 Monkey Business Lois Laurel Howard Hawks 1952 Clash by Night Peggy Fritz Lang 1952 We're Not Married! Anabel Norris Edmund Goulding 1952 Don't Bother to Knock Nell Forbes Roy Baker 1953 Niagara Rose Loomis Henry Hathaway 1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Lorelei Lee Howard Hawks 1953 How to Marry a Millionaire Pola Debevoise Jean Negulesco 1954 River of No Return Kay Weston Otto Preminger 1954 There's No Business Like Show Business Vicky Walter Lang 1955 The Seven Year Itch The Girl Billy Wilder 1956 Bus Stop Chérie Joshua Logan 1957 The Prince and the Showgirl Elsie Marina Laurence Olivier 1959 Some Like It Hot Sugar Kane Kowalczyk Billy Wilder 1960 Let's Make Love Amanda Dell George Cukor 1961 The Misfits Roslyn Taber John Huston 1962 Something's Got to Give (Unfinished) Ellen Wagstaff Arden George Cukor