Marilyn Monroe’s 60th anniversary of death: Hollywood icon – and tragic figure

Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe died 60 years ago. Hardly any other woman has had such a lasting impact on pop culture in the 20th century. Monroe’s legacy and the myth surrounding her endure to this day.

At first glance, Marilyn Monroe’s grave is not that easy to find: next to a large parking garage in the shadow of some high-rise buildings in Westwood, a district of Los Angeles, is the small cemetery where Marilyn Monroe was buried 60 years ago.

Fresh red roses lie in front of the tomb, the gray tombstone is covered with traces of lipstick. Giovanna and her newly wed husband Marco from Italy visit the grave during their honeymoon, she is a huge fan and wanted to say “hello”, says the woman.

Sex symbol and tragic figure

Every day visitors come to the grave of Marilyn Monroe, who was born Norman Jean Baker in Los Angeles in 1926 and became one of the biggest film stars of the 20th century.

First a pin-up model, then an actress – Marilyn Monroe, as she then called herself, was always strongly sexualized. The photo of her white dress flying over a subway shaft established her status as a sex symbol.

The erotic image: curse and blessing at the same time. She quarrels with herself, becomes depressed. In 1962 she died of an overdose of sleeping pills in Los Angeles – at the age of only 36.

To this day, people are fascinated – there are always new books and films about her life. For example, in September this year, Netflix will release the film “Blonde”, the main role of the famous blonde will be played by Ana de Armas.

“Happy Birthday Mr President”

Blonde hair, full red lips, thick black eyeliner: Marilyn Monroe’s appearance shapes pop culture like no other. Andy Warhol transforms them into art, stars like Gwen Stefani or Madonna copy their looks, rock star Marilyn Manson even part of their names.

Anyone with the spare change buys Marilyn Monroe’s possessions – her famous glitter dress, in which she sang a birthday song to John F. Kennedy, was auctioned for four million dollars in 2016.

Kim Kardashian ruined her dress

The dress caused another minor scandal 60 years later when reality TV star Kim Kardashian wore it to the Met Gala in New York. With this souvenir of Monroe, however, she took it too far, some experts said – the dress, in which Monroe had to be sewn, was ruined after the performance.

Would Marilyn Monroe roll over in her grave because of this story? Maybe she’s laughing about it with her burial chamber neighbor: none other than Playboy magazine editor Hugh Hefner. His last wish was to be buried next to Marilyn Monroe.