Facts About Marilyn Monroe's Marriages

                         by Melinda Neal

HOLLYWOOD,CA.:-- Marilyn Monroe, then known as Norma Jean Mortensen, had a total of three marriages. Her first marriage was to James Dougherty at the young age of 16-year-old. It was a proposal of marriage by way of Dougherty's mother, who was friends with Baker's mother. Norma's family was moving to west Virgina, they didn't want her to be placed back in a orphanage. Of course, she wanted to stay in the Los Angeles area and pursue her dreams, so this was her way to do so.

In actuality set it all up for Norma Jean Mortensen to marry James Dougherty, if he wanted to. This relationship and marriage were in the years of 1942-1946. Dougherty joined the Merchant Marines, but fame is what broke them up. photographer David Conover discovered Norma Jean while she was working at the Radioplane Munitions Factory where he discovered Norma Jean. He was looking women to model and took photos of her for Yank magazine in 1945 and as they say the rest is history! 

Norma Jean as she appeared in 1945. Photo:David Conover

Conover gave her the connection for the Blue Book Modeling Agency and this caused quite a stir. Dougherty didn't want her to stay in the movie business and on September 13, 1946 the couple divorced. From here on out Norma Jean could follow her dream.

Norma's meeting with Conover and the modeling agency let to her being signed by 20th Century Fox, In 1948, Monroe's first film "Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay!" was released. By 1952 she was now known as Marilyn Monroe, her first major role would be with the beautiful Jane Russell in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", which became a huge hit! Monroe earned $500 a week, which was big money at the time. Marilyn Monroe was destine to become a major star in her own right.

James Dougherty and Norma Jeane Mortensen on their wedding day in 1942.

On June 19,1942 Norma Jeane Mortensen married James Dougherty. They had only known each other for a few months and it was only 18 days after Norma's 16th birthday. Dougherty took his bride to a lake in Ventura county for their honeymoon, later the newlyweds moved to Sherman Oaks, where they lived in a studio apartment. In 1944, Dougherty joined the Merchant Marines at Catalina Island. During this time, the couple felt as though they were on a forever honeymoon. James Dougherty said he felt like the luckiest man in the world. Norma Jeane still had her eye on stardom and she soon signed with the Blue Book Modeling Agency at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. The couple split in 1946 - a quickie divorce in Las Vegas. Dougherty kept all of Norma Jeane's letters to him, but destroyed them when he remarried. Years later, Dougherty, a former Los Angeles detective later became a technical advisor of the NBC-TV series "Dragnet".

Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio met on a blind date.They divorced after nine months of marriage.

On January 14, 1954, Marilyn Monroe, now a full fledged film star married the New York Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio at San Francisco's City Hall. Their honeymoon took them to Japan. Monroe was asked to perform for the American troops in Korea, she accepted and performed her classic songs and the crowd loved her. Marilyn and Joe's honeymoon was in Paso Robles, California - at the Clifton Motel. They also had lunch at the Motel Inn in San Luis Obispo they following afternoon. The Motel Inn was originally called the Milestone Inn and was built in 1925. After a tumultuous year, their marriage ended on October 31, 1955.

Arthur Miller and Marilyn Monroe on their wedding day in 1956.

Marilyn Monroe married playwright Arthur Miller on June 29, 1956. Their marriage lasted five years, longer than her previous two marriages. Miller took his bride on a special belated honeymoon to a beautiful place called Moon Point, Jamaica. Luxury all the way for his beautiful bride. On January 3, 1957 they flew from Idlewild Airport to their Jamaica destination. Lady Pamela Bird, and English aristocrat had a luxurious villa. It was very rare for Monroe to take trips abroad.

Marilyn enjoying the beauty of the beaches.

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