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Probably the most
celebrated of all actresses,
Marilyn Monroe was born
Norma Jeane Mortenson
on June 1, 1926, in Los
Angeles General Hospital.
Prior to her birth,
Marilyn's father bought a
motorcycle and headed
north to San Francisco,
abandoning the family in
Los Angeles. Marilyn
grew up not knowing for
sure who her father really
was. Her mother, Gladys,
had entered into several
relationships, further
confusing her daughter as
to who it was who
fathered her. Afterward,
Gladys gave Norma Jeane
(Marilyn) the name of
Baker, a boyfriend she had
before Mortenson. Poverty
was a constant companion
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to Gladys and Norma.
Gladys, who was
extremely attractive and
worked for RKO Studios
as a filmcutter, suffered
from mental illness and
was in and out of mental
institutions for the rest of
her life, and because of
that Norma Jeane spent
time in foster homes.
When she was nine, she
was placed in an
orphanage where she was
to stay for the next two
years. Upon being
released from the
orphanage, she went to yet
another foster home. In
1942, at age 16, Norma
Jeane married 21-year-old
aircraft plant worker
James Dougherty. The
marriage only lasted four