From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Early life of Marilyn Monroe
Early life of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on interview with Lifetime, James Dougherty, Monroe’s first
June 1, 1926, in the charity ward of the Los Angeles Coun- husband, said Norma Jeane believed that Gifford was her
ty Hospital.[1][2] According to biographer Fred Lawrence father. Whoever the father was, he played no further part
Guiles, her grandmother, Della Monroe Grainger, had her in Monroe’s life.
baptised Norma Jeane Baker by Aimee Semple McPher-
son.[1] She obtained an order from the City Court of the
State of New York and legally changed her name to Mar-
Foster parents
ilyn Monroe on February 23, 1956.[3] Unable to persuade her mother Della to take Norma
Jeane, Gladys placed her with foster parents Albert and
Ida Bolender of Hawthorne, California, where she lived
Her mother until she was seven years old. In her autobiography My
Marilyn’s mother, Gladys Pearl Monroe, was born on May Story, Monroe states she thought Albert was a woman.
27, 1902, in Porfirio Diaz, Mexico, now Piedras Negras, to One day, Gladys announced that she had purchased a
Otis Elmer Monroe and Della Mae Hogan.[4] The family house. A few months after they had moved in, Gladys suf-
returned to California where Gladys’ brother Otis was fered a nervous breakdown. In My Story, Monroe recalls
born in 1905. Suffering from syphilis that had invaded his her mother "screaming and laughing" as she was forcibly
brain, Otis Elmer Monroe died on July 22, 1909 in South- removed to the State Hospital in Norwalk. According to
ern California State Hospital in San Bernardino Coun- My Sister Marilyn, Gladys’s brother, Marion, committed
ty.[5] Gladys married Jasper Baker, a native of Kentucky, suicide via hanging upon his release from an asylum, and
in May 1917 and had two children, Robert Kermit Baker Della’s father did the same in a fit of depression.
(born January 24, 1918) and Berniece Baker (Miracle) Norma Jeane was declared a ward of state, and Gladys’
(born July 30, 1919). Both children were born in Los An- best friend, Grace McKee (later Goddard) became her
geles.[6][7] After Gladys and Jasper divorced, Jasper kid- guardian. After McKee married in 1935, Norma Jeane was
napped the children and moved to Kentucky, where he sent to the Los Angeles Orphans Home (later renamed
had been born, according to Miracle’s book My Sister Mar- Hollygrove), and then to a succession of foster homes, as
ilyn. Gladys moved there to be near her children, but her mother could not look after her.
later returned to Los Angeles. Her son died without ever The Goddards were about to move to the east coast
seeing her again; however she managed to reunite with and could not take her. Grace approached the mother of
her daughter many years later. Gladys died on March 11, James Dougherty about the possibility of her son marry-
1984, in Gainsville, Florida, aged 81 years. ing the girl. They married weeks after she turned 16, so
that Norma Jeane would not have to return to an orphan-
Her father age or foster care.
Marilyn’s biological father remains unclear. After Gladys
returned to Los Angeles, she married Martin Edward
Footnotes
Mortensen (1897–1981) on October 11, 1924.[8] They sep- [1] ^ Marilyn Monroe’s Official Web site .::. Biography
arated on May 26, 1925, and they divorced on August 15, [2] "Marilyn Monroe - MSN Encarta". Archived from
1928. Martin’s father, also named Martin Mortensen, was the original on 2009-10-31.
born in Stavanger, Norway on February 8, 1861, and had http://www.webcitation.org/
emigrated to the United States in 1878 where he married query?id=1257013828901049.
Stella Higgins on October 10, 1894 in Vallejo, California. [3] Marilyn Monroe’s Official Web site .::. Fast Facts
Their son was born in Vallejo, California.[9] [4] Social Security Death Index showing "Gladys Eley,
Biographer Donald H. Wolfe in The Last Days of Marilyn last residence Gainesville, Alachua, Florida, Born:
Monroe, writes his belief that Norma Jeane’s biological fa- 27 May 1900, Died: Mar 1984, SSN issued by Oregon
ther was Charles Stanley Gifford, a salesman for RKO Pic- (Before 1951)"
tures where Gladys worked as a film editor. Her birth [5] California Death Index (on microfilm) 1905-1929 on
certificate lists Gladys’s second husband, Martin Edward vitalsearch-ca.com showing "Otis Monroe, age 44,
Mortensen, as the father. Although Mortensen separated died 22 July 1909. San Bernardino County"
from Gladys before her daughter’s birth, some biogra- [6] *California Birth Index showing Berniece and
phers speculate he may have been the father.[10] In an "Hermitt" [as listed].
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Early life of Marilyn Monroe
[7] " 1920 Census Sheet 12A, Dwelling 95, Family 95, Mortensen’s apartment, as well as marriage and
Precinct 5, Venice, Los Angeles Co, California divorce papers for Mortensen and Gladys Baker,
showing "Jasper N Baker, 31 b KY; Gladys 18 b Monroe’s mother. The birth certificate states that
Mexico; Hermit 1 11/12 b CA; Berneice 2/12 b CA; Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortensen
Audry, brother, 18, b KY on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles. Her father is listed
[8] "Birth of Marilyn Monroe Shown to Be Legitimate". as Edward Mortensen, address unknown, age 29.
Associated Press date=February 13, 1981. February Monroe died in Los Angeles on August 5, 1962,
13, 1981. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/ apparently a suicide from an overdose of
fullpage.html?res=9D02E1DC1639F930A25751C0A967948260. barbiturates."
Retrieved 2007-07-21. "Eighteen years after [9] World War I Draft Registration Card showing
Marilyn Monroe’s death, the widely held belief that "Edward M Mortensen, born 26 February 1897, in
the movie star was born illegitimate has been Vallejo, California; Gas Fitter for LA Gas & Electric
disproved. Authorities say they have found copies Corp, father born in Norway, mother Stella;
of her birth certificate at the home of a dead man registered in Los Angeles County, California 5 June
they believe was her father. Martin Edward 1918."
Mortensen, 85 years old, died on Tuesday, [10] Tilden, Imogen (June 1, 2001). "Marilyn Monroe".
apparently of a heart attack, Lisle Ford, a Riverside The Guardian (London).
County coroner’s investigator, said. He said that he http://www.guardian.co.uk/netnotes/article/
had found copies of Monroe’s birth certificate at 0,,500022,00.html. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
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