I suddenly asked him, Why do you think you lost the election in 55? A long silence ensued. Not quite sure, he replied tersely several minutes later. Surely he lost because his views were out of sync w...
I brought up Michael’s passionate support of Indira Gandhi. I read The Asian Age every morning, you know, Michael said by way of stressing his deep concern with Indian politics. Much to the outrage of...
Here is Johnson’s comment on writers’ lives in his exculpatory biography of his friend, the rogue poet Richard Savage: The heroes of literary as well as civil history have been very often no less rema...
February 9: Marilyn arrives at 6:00 p.m. for the photo shoot with Rizzo and apologizes, pleading extreme fatigue. Another appointment is scheduled for the next day.
February 27: Pre-production work begins on Bus Stop.
February 27: Marlon Brando sends Marilyn an encouraging telegram, saying, in part, [D]on’t be afraid of being afraid. It can only help. Relax and enjoy it. I send you my thoughts and my warmest affect...
February 23: Isidore Miller writes to Marilyn, I can’t tell you how much your trip to Florida meant to me. I don’t ever remember having such a good time! The guests of the Sea Isle Hotel can’t get ove...
February 22: Pat Newcomb arranges a Mexico City press conference. Wearing a green Pucci dress and green mull (cotton) scarf, she provides a witty performance while sipping champagne.
February 21: Revue (Germany) puts John Florea’s photograph on its cover, showing a deeply tanned Marilyn wearing jeweled earrings and a bracelet, a jewel on the waistband of her elegantly-patterned li...
February 21: Cinemonde (France) shows a heavier Marilyn (during the Some Like It Hot period) wearing a strapless back dress, with a v-shaped front that shows off her cleavage and long white gloves.
February 20: Marilyn is crowned California Artichoke Queen in Salinas, California. Holiday features Marilyn poolside in swimsuits.
February 18: Marilyn draws up her first will. She bequeaths $100,000 to Arthur Miller, $25,000 to Lee and Paula Strasberg, $20,000 to Dr. Margaret Hohenberg, $10,000 to Xenia Chekhov (Michael Chekhov’...
February 18: A federal grand jury indicts Arthur Miller on two counts of contempt of Congress. Each count could mean up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. At Doctor’s Hospital, Marilyn begins tr...
February 17: Simone Signoret spends the night telling Marilyn about film work in France, and Marilyn behaves like a kid who’s delaying the moment for lights out, Signoret recalls in a memoir.
February 16: Gladys confirms to Norma Jeane that Stanley Gifford is her father. Norma Jeane writes to Grace that she plans to visit Gifford, who she assumes will be pleased to see her. It’s something...
February 15: Inez Melson, Marilyn’s business manager, writes a memo about her conversation with Jo Brooks regarding Marilyn’s offer to host a party for Ella Fitzgerald, but Fitzgerald’s opening occurs...
February 14: Chuck Moran sends Norma Jeane a Valentine’s Day card.
Embarking on each new biography is like beginning the world anew, establishing—once again—a network of contacts and conspirators, and inciting the enmity of countless cronies and court whores who do t...
Character actor Ernest Borgnine told a story about Walter Brennan that is typical of the man and his professionalism. Relatively new to motion pictures, but with a burgeoning reputation as an actor, B...
By way of preparing me for a visit to Paul Foot, Michael told me a story about the time Paul, then 14 and a public school boy, visited Jill and Michael at the Abbey Road home. He was shocked that Jill...