Wave Wire Services
HOLLYWOOD — Fans of Marilyn Monroe gathered June 1 at the TCL Chinese Theatre for a celebration marking what would have been the screen legend’s 100th birthday.
The event was held in the theater’s famed forecourt and included a rededication of the Marilyn Monroe fountain, a visit to Monroe’s handprints and footprints, a birthday cake, a fan singalong of “Happy Birthday” and the distribution of 100 red roses to the first 100 people in attendance.
Organizers said free postcards commemorating Monroe’s 1953 handprint ceremony also were available while supplies lasted, and Marilyn Monroe look-alike Sugar Kiper was on hand to greet fans.
Photographer Lawrence Schiller, who documented Monroe during the final years of her life and is among the few surviving photographers who worked closely with her, was expected to attend. He was scheduled to sign copies of his Marilyn Monroe photography book at an event at the theater at 6 p.m., followed by a screening of the Monroe film “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
Monroe and co-star Jane Russell cemented their handprints, footprints and signatures in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, now the TCL Chinese Theatre, on June 26, 1953, as part of the promotion for “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.”
According to organizers, Monroe often visited the theater as a child and later recalled the significance of leaving her own imprint there. Her handprints and footprints remain among the most visited attractions in the theater’s forecourt.
Born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926, Monroe rose from a troubled childhood to become one of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars through films including “The Seven Year Itch” and “Some Like It Hot.”
She died on Aug. 4, 1962, at age 36 from an apparent overdose at her Brentwood home, but remains one of the most enduring icons of American film and popular culture.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened its own an exhibition examining the life, career and public image of Monroe May 31. The exhibit, which features hundreds of artifacts tied to the Hollywood star through Feb. 28 at the museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd.
The exhibition explores Monroe’s evolution from Norma Jeane Mortenson into one of Hollywood’s most recognizable figures, focusing on how she crafted her image within the classical studio system.
According to the museum, the exhibition includes posters, portraits, photographs, production documents, letters and personal materials, many of which are being displayed publicly for the first time.
Among the featured items are screen-worn costumes spanning Monroe’s film career, including garments from “Love Happy” (1949), “Some Like It Hot” (1959) and her unfinished final film, “Something’s Got to Give” (1962).
Highlights include two costumes designed by Orry-Kelly for “Some Like It Hot” and the pink gown designed by William Travilla for “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (1953).
The exhibition is curated by Associate Curator Sophia Serrano with Curatorial Assistant Simran Bhalla.
Museum admission is available through advance online reservations at academymuseum.org.
