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Marilyn Monroe was an actress for 16 years. She was born as Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles, California to a mother name Glady and her father name is unknown. Monroe mother was not able to take care of her due to her mental disability so she was sent to a foster home. During her first 7 years of life she lived in a foster care home with Albert and Ida Bolender. After that she went back home to live with her mother and a friend of her mother who helped take care of them. Her mother passed away in 1934 a year later Monroe was sent to a orphanage. Norma Jeane, while working in a factory inspecting parachutes in 1944, was photographed by the Army as a promotion to show women on the assembly line contributing to the war effort. One of the photographers, David Conover, asked to take further pictures of her. By spring of 1945, she was quickly becoming known as a "photographers dream" and had appeared on 33 covers of national magazines. On July 23, 1946 she signed a contract with Twentieth Century-Fox Studios. She selected her mother's family name of Monroe. From this point on she would be known as Marilyn Monroe to all her fans. Her first serious acting job came in 1950 when she had a small but crucial role in "The Asphalt Jungle" and received favorable reviews. "Clash By Night" in 1952 earned her several favorable notices...Alton Cook of the New York World-Telegram and Sun wrote..."a forceful actress, a gifted new star, worthy of all that fantastic press agentry. Her role here is not very big, but she makes it dominant." Monroe's first leading part in a serious feature was to be in "Don't Bother to Knock", also filmed in 1952. Marilyn did work for many different charities. She donated time and/or money to the following:

A 1953 benefit for underpriveleged children at St. Jude's hospital at the Hollywood Bowl. She performed with Jane Russell.

She took time out from her honeymoon to Joe DiMaggio to perform for three days for US service members serving in Korea in 1954

WAIF- an organization that placed abandoned children in homes, in 1955

The Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation in 1955- she rode a pink elephant at a benefit gala for Mike Todd's Celebrity Circus at Madison Square Garden

The Milk Fund For Babies in 1957- Marilyn gave her earnings from the world premiere of The Prince and The Showgirl to this charity

1958 March of Dimes Fashion Parade that aided children with polio

Donated $1000 to a children's welfare organization that gave free breakfasts to underpriveledged children.

Marilyn visited an orphanage in Mexico and wrote a check for $1000 while the press was there- and after they left she tore it up and wrote a new one for $10,000.

SANE- an organization dedicated to eliminating nuclear weapons.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Her last public appearance was at Dodger Stadium for a benefit for muscular dystrophy.