In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, hear Part II of Scott and Elisa's conversation with David Stenn. (In Part I, we covered the true origin of Marilyn Monroe's birth name, Norma Jeane.)
In Part II, we talk about an article David authored for the September/October 1982 issue of Film Comment magazine, in which he detailed the incredible mismanagement of Marilyn Monroe's estate after she died, which lasted for 20 years. Through research that started with his review of Marilyn Monroe's probate file, David uncovered astonishing facts about how poorly her will was administered following her death. The people Marilyn wanted taken care of after her death had to wait years for their inheritance from her. It was all due to the negligence of one man. This all started when David asked himself, "Who is it that's making the money from all of the Marilyn merchandise I see?"
We cover the following topics in our conversation:
Tune in to learn the truth about how Marilyn Monroe's last wishes were not followed until years after she died.
David is an American television writer, producer, biographer, film preservationist and historian David Stenn. His television credits include Untold Hollywood, Boardwalk Empire, Girl 27, the L Word, 21 Jump Street, Hill Street Blues, and Beverly Hills 90210. He's known for his biographies of Hollywood Stars, Clara Bow and Gene Harlow.
Follow David online here:
Instagram: @realdavidstenn
YouTube: @realdavidstenn
See David's article in the September/October 1982 issue of Film Comment magazine here.
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In this episode of the All things Marilyn Podcast, Scott and Elisa interview American television writer, producer, biographer, film preservationist and historian David Stenn. His television credits include Untold Hollywood, Boardwalk Empire, Girl 27, the L Word, 21 Jump Street, Hill Street Blues, and Beverly Hills 90210. He's known for his biographies of Hollywood Stars, Clara Bow and Gene Harlow.
There's a commonly told story that Norma Jeane Baker, a.k.a. Marilyn Monroe, was named after two early film stars: Norma Talmage and Jean Harlow. Is it true? David read one line in the book My Sister Marilyn by Marilyn's half-sister Berniece Miracle, and then he started to do some research. Listen to our interview to find out the truth about the origin of Marilyn Monroe's birth name, Norma Jeane.
This is Part I of a two-part interview with David. Our next topic will be "The Myth and Marketing of Marilyn Monroe."
Follow David online here:
Instagram: @realdavidstenn
YouTube: @realdavidstenn
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Scott @marilynmonroecollection
Elisa @la_woman_tours
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For the premiere of season 3 of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, Scott and Elisa spend time with well-known television personality Holly Madison. Holly is the host of Lethally Blonde on Investigation Discovery, and she’s appeared on countless movies and television shows, and of course she was on the wildly popular series The Girls Next Door with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. Like Marilyn, Holly appeared in Playboy magazine.
She’s an author, a podcaster, a Las Vegas performer and a mom, and Holly is also a lifelong fan of Hollywood’s biggest silver screen star, Marilyn Monroe. In this episode we get to know Holly and learn about her love of Marilyn.
Holly gets very personal and shares her own experiences with body dysmorphia and also her autism diagnosis.
We loved spending time with Holly and talking about her love of Marilyn. We're sure you'll love this intimate and personal chat with her. Don’t miss this episode!
Keep up with Holly online:
Podcast: Girls Next Level
Instagram: @hollymadison
Facebook: @hollymadison
Twitter: @hollymadison
TikTok: @hollyjeanmadison
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In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, Scott and Elisa spend an hour with Mr. Greg Schreiner, Marilyn Monroe historian and collector, and President and founding member of the Marilyn Remembered Fan Club. Marilyn Remembered is the longest running fan club in existence today.
Greg is often considered to be the father of the Marilyn Monroe community. He has arranged the annual memorial service for Marilyn for 42 years. He has been interviewed for countless documentaries and is referenced in countless books on Monroe. Greg also arranged monthly fan club meetings for nearly 20 years.
In his role as Marilyn Remembered President, Greg came to know some of the most important people related to Marilyn. In this podcast, Greg shares club meeting and memorial service memories, and he shares his thoughts on many guest speakers from club events, including:
Greg also talks about his extensive collection of Marilyn Monroe’s film gowns and personal property.
You won't want to miss hearing about Greg's fascinating, decades-long journey with Marilyn.
Learn more about Greg here:
www.themarilynmonroesite.com
www.hollywoodrevisited.com
Learn more about Marilyn Remembered here:
www.marilynrememberedfanclub.com
Follow All Things Marilyn on Instagram: @allthingsmarilynpodcast
And podcast hosts:
Scott @marilynmonroecollection | www.marillynmonroecollection.com
Elisa @la_woman_tours
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We had the pleasure recently of interviewing actor, director, producer, professor, and playwright Luke Yankee, who wrote and directs, Marilyn, Mom, & Me. Luke is the son of Oscar, Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony-award winning actress Eileen Heckart, who co-starred with Marilyn in the film Bus Stop.
In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, you'll hear great stories about Luke's mom and of course Marilyn:
In Marilyn, Mom, & Me, Luke tries to unravel his complex, often volatile relationship with his mother by better understanding her intense friendship with one of the biggest movie stars of all time.
Get more insights into Yankee's play, which is premiering at the International City Theatre in Long Beach, CA on February 16, and much more in this episode of All Things Marilyn.
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In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, Scott and Elisa interview Michael Arnold, grandson of photojournalist Eve Arnold, who photographed Marilyn Monroe several times. Eve was more than just another photographer of Marilyn’s, she was her friend and confidant. With this interview, listeners will hear new stories and discover new insights on Marilyn Monroe:
This interview with Michael aligns with the initial release of three high-quality, professionally printed archival prints of Marilyn shot by Eve Arnold, available for a limited time. The Arnold estate is making these prints available to Marilyn fans at a reduced rate of ÂŁ280.00, worldwide shipping included.
To view and purchase the prints, click here.
Don’t miss this insightful and fascinating interview with Michael Arnold.
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In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, we discuss and share opinions about the recent news that the City of Los Angeles Planning and Development Department approved a requested permit to demolish Marilyn Monroe's home, located in Brentwood, CA. This was the only house she ever owned on her own, and the location where she passed away in 1962. The pending demolition was announced in a New York Post article.
All Things Marilyn co-hosts Scott and Elisa review and discuss this issue with an elite panel of historians and experts, including:
This expert panel has extensive knowledge about and history of Marilyn and her home. We chat about everything from how much Marilyn paid for the house in 1962 to what the motivation might be to have the house torn down, together with how fans have reacted and rallied together to save the house.
Councilwoman Traci Park launched an effort to acquire a stay on any construction and a revocation of the demolition permit, which was unanimously approved by the LA City Council. But, what's next and how can you help?
Don't miss this fascinating and informative episode!
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In this episode of All Things Marilyn we break down the facts and the rumors about President Kennedy's birthday gala at Madison Square Garden in New York on May 19, 1962. What are the facts? What's true and not true? There are so many stories, rumors, legends, and lies about this historic event:
Get all the facts here. And, hear Marilyn's own words as she speaks about the event.
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In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, we interview Christina Rice, author of “Mean…Moody…Magnificent! Jane Russell and the Making of a Hollywood Legend.”
We had a wonderful time chatting with Christina about all things Jane.
Tune in for a fascinating conversation about the life and career of Jane Russell, (AKA "Dorothy Shaw,") Marilyn’s co-star in the ultimate girl buddy film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
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For the Season 2 premiere of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, hosts Scott and Elisa interview Francine Gifford-Deir, biological granddaughter of Charles Stanley Gifford and Marilyn Monroe's niece. Last year, Francine provided a hair sample for a DNA test that proved definitively that Stan Gifford was Marilyn's father.
In this interview, Francine provides intimate details and stories about her family, and describes in detail what Stan Gifford was like as a person.
Learn all the facts about Marilyn's father's family in this revealing, touching, and heartwarming interview.
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For this episode of All Things Marilyn, we interview Emmy award winning journalist Marvin Scott, who at 15 years of age photographed Marilyn Monroe on March 31, 1955. She was making her first public appearance following her divorce from baseball great Joe DiMaggio. The event was a charity opening of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Listen as Mr. Scott tells us how he gained access to the event and what it was like to be there. Also, hear the story of the personal interaction he had with American's reigning sex goddess. Mr. Scott has received countless awards for the nearly 15,000 reports and interviews he's completed throughout his career. This is the very first time he's ever been interviewed about his experience with Marilyn Monroe.
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In this episode, we announce and discuss the discovery of an undated get well greeting card to Marilyn Monroe from her father, Stanley Gifford. For years it was believed that Gifford was her father, and it was proven definitively through DNA testing earlier this year. However, there was never any evidence that father and daughter had any kind of relationship. The discovery of this greeting card rewrites history. There was indeed some kind of personal relationship between them, and this card proves it.
"I discovered the card purely by chance while I was preparing Marilyn's personal archives for auction at Julien's Auctions," said Scott Fortner, Marilyn Monroe historian/collector and co-host of the All Things Marilyn podcast, as quoted in a PEOPLE.com news article. "This is the only known documented evidence of a relationship between Monroe and Gifford, which solves the mystery of whether or not she knew or had contact with her biological father."
In today's discussion, Scott and Elisa cover many topics:
Marilyn Monroe's "Get Well" greeting card will be offered for auction at Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills on December 17-18, 2022.
This episode covers many fascinating and revealing aspects of Marilyn Monroe's life and personal history. Don't miss it!
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It’s been widely reported that Marilyn Monroe catapulted jazz great Ella Fitzgerald’s career by personally calling the owner of the Mocambo Club in Los Angeles to demand that Ella be booked there. Evidently, Fitzgerald couldn’t get her own gig at the club, and Marilyn promised that if she was booked, Marilyn herself would show up every night and sit in the front row, ensuring massive press for the Mocambo. Even Ella herself has told this story. It’s been used as the storyline for what a great civil rights activist Marilyn was.
But did it actually happen? Did Marilyn Monroe really call the owner of the Mocambo Club to get Ella Fitzgerald a job there? Did she promise to show up for Ella’s show every night and sit in the front row? Tune in to find out. Spoiler alert: It couldn’t possibly have happened the way it’s been reported.
On this episode of All Things Marilyn, Scott and Elisa are joined by Hollywood Historian and author April VeVea. April has authored a book on Jayne Mansfield titled Puffblicity: An Appreciation of Jayne Mansfield: The 50s Pictures, and on Monroe, Marilyn Monroe: A Day in The Life. As part of April’s research through the years, she’s discovered some very interesting facts about old Hollywood, including the truth behind the infamous story about Monroe, Fitzgerald and the Mocambo Club.
April’s website is www.classicblondes.com. You can follow her online on Twitter and Instagram.
Twitter: @classicblondess
Instagram: @classichollywoodwomen
Buy April’s books on Amazon.com here.
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On this episode of All Things Marilyn, our very special guest is internationally acclaimed make-up artist Erin Parsons.
Erin is one of the industry’s most sought-after makeup artists, doing makeup for the world’s most famous fashion models, including @gigihadid, @bellahadid, @kendalljenner, @gisele, @adrianalima and @emilydidonato. Erin and her work have been featured in Chaos, Harper’s Bazaar, Purple, and V Magazine, along with the American, British, Italian and Japanese editions of Vogue. Her clients include Schiaparelli, Reebok, Tommy Hilfiger, Ermanno Scervino Zara, and Calvin Klein. Parsons keyed Jean-Paul Gaultier's final runway show in Paris in 2019, and she was also celebrated as a beauty trailblazer with her inclusion on the British Fashion Council’s New Wave: Creatives 2019 list, which acknowledges the most innovative and inspiring young creative talent from around the world.
Of course, we talk all things Marilyn.
Follow Erin Online! @erinparsonsmakeup on IG and TikTok. See her portfolio at www.erinparsons.com.
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Elisa @la_woman_tours
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All Things Marilyn is pleased to present our next episode, which focuses on Marilyn’s final home, located at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, California, an exclusive suburban neighborhood in the Westside region of Los Angeles.
In this podcast, we review the story of Marilyn purchasing what would become the first and only home she’d ever own by herself at the age of 35:
We also dive into some of the persistent rumors that have surfaced over the years following her untimely death in her Brentwood house:
Joining us for this episode is noted author and historian Gary Vitacco-Robles. Gary has written two exceptional books on Marilyn: Cursum Perficio: Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood Hacienda, The Story of Her Final Months, and Icon: The Life, Times, & Films of Marilyn Monroe.
Cursum Perficio is the only book ever published on Marilyn’s Fifth Helena Drive home. Gary conducted extensive research into all aspects of Marilyn’s time there, much of which we touch on in this episode.
This episode of All Things Marilyn is a “must listen,” so don’t miss it.
Pick up your copies of Gary’s books here:
Cursum Perficio: Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood Hacienda, The Story of Her Final Months
Icon: The Life, Times, & Films of Marilyn Monroe Volume I | Volume II
Visit Gary’s website at www.behindtheicon.com and follow him on Facebook here.
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Elisa @la_woman_tours
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We’re going back to Marilyn’s Hollywood roots with our first guest on the All Things Marilyn podcast. We're thrilled to interview Jean Harlow author, historian and collector Darrell Rooney.
Marilyn even collected Jean Harlow memorabilia! As a child, young Norma Jeane gathered cigarette cards with photos of movie stars from the golden age of Hollywood. She saved them in an album issued by John Player & Sons tobacco company. Celebrities included in the album are Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Greta Garbo, Robert Montgomery and many others. Marilyn saved this item from her childhood. Today, the album, which is fully complete with all cards, is a cherished artifact owned by the Marilyn Monroe Collection.
About Darrell Rooney
Darrell Rooney is an award-winning Animation Director, his most notable credit being “Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride." He has worked on everything from “Beauty and the Beast” and “Aladdin” at Disney, to “Family Dog” and “The Brave Little Toaster,” and recently, all of the “Hotel Transylvania” movies at Sony.
His interest in Jean Harlow began in the late 60s - early 70s when there was a big nostalgia boom. John Kobal glamour photography books introduced him to the radiant Jean Harlow. He thought she had a face like sunshine. He started collecting photos and anything he could find on Harlow, never dreaming that someday he would own objects that actually belonged to her. The Ignatieff mural was a 1932 gift to Jean from husband Paul Bern. He is now considered to be the custodian of this important artifact. In 2017, he rescued the long lost 1937 Harlow painting “Farewell to Earth.”
Jean Harlow’s 100th birthday was celebrated with the release of Harlow in Hollywood in 2011, which he co-authored with the talented Mark Alan Vieira. His crowning glory was mounting two popular exhibitions of Jean Harlow memorabilia at the Hollywood Museum in the historic Max Factor Building. Harlow in Hollywood is just about to be re-released in a new updated edition coming out sometime in October, 2022.
Follow Darrell online on Facebook and Instagram!
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Trigger Warning: In this podcast, issues of rape, sexual violence and abuse, abortion and other topics of a sensitive nature are discussed.
All Things Marilyn hosts Scott Fortner and Elisa Jordan share their thoughts and feedback on the new Netflix film Blonde, a fictional story based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name.
What did we like? What did we dislike? What’s true and what’s fiction?
Tune in to find out all the details.
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We’re excited to post our IntroCast! Get to know your hosts for All Things Marilyn, Scott Fortner and Elisa Jordan. How did we meet? When did we first discover Marilyn? Why are we launching a podcast? What are some of the experiences we’ve had through Marilyn? Listen and find out!
Stay tuned for our next episode: Our take on the new Netflix film Blonde.
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Coming Soon! A new podcast about Marilyn Monroe!
Join Marilyn Monroe historian and collector Scott Fortner, together with author, historian and founder of LA Woman Tours, Elisa Jordan, for "All Things Marilyn." Topics discussed will focus on any and all things related to Marilyn, including her life, career, celebrity, and legend. Scott and Elisa will be joined by special guests who also share a passion for Marilyn.
Be sure to follow our channel, and stay tuned for our introductory episode. After that, we'll kick off with our first topic: "Blonde," directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Ana de Armas, currently in theaters and airing on Netflix. You can bet we'll have a lot to say on this film based on the 1999 novel of the same name penned by Joyce Carol Oates.
Follow us on Instagram! @allthingsmarilynpodcast
We hope you'll join us for "All Things Marilyn!"
ATM Podcast: @allthingsmarilynpodcast
Scott @marilynmonroecollection
Elisa @la_woman_tours
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Artwork by @marilynmexico
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"Marilyn, Inc." with David Stenn
38:44
"Naming Norma Jeane" with David Stenn
36:22
Holly Madison on Marilyn Monroe
45:59
Greg Schreiner, Marilyn Monroe Historian, Collector, and Marilyn Remembered Fan Club President
59:33
Luke Yankee, Son of Eileen Heckart and Writer/Director of "Marilyn, Mom, & Me"
35:46
Michael Arnold, Grandson of Photojournalist Eve Arnold
49:11
The Battle to Save Marilyn Monroe's Final Home
1:02:49
President Kennedy's Birthday Gala: Fact vs. Fiction | What's really true and what's folklore?
45:25
Jane Russell Author Christina Rice: It's time to "Tussle with Russell"
48:41
All Things Marilyn Interviews Francine Gifford-Deir, Marilyn Monroe's Niece
49:10
An Elephant, a Boy, and Marilyn Monroe
25:51
Rewriting History: Marilyn Monroe and Stanley Gifford
35:34
The True Story of Marilyn Monroe, Ella Fitzgerald, and the Mocambo Club
36:25
Celebrity Makeup Artist Erin Parsons Discusses All Things Marilyn
50:23
Myths, Mysteries and Facts about 12305 Fifth Helena Drive: Marilyn Monroe’s Final Home
50:52
Marilyn's Childhood Idol Jean Harlow, The Original Platinum Blonde, with Guest Darrell Rooney, Co-Author of "Harlow in Hollywood"
44:08
Blonde: Likes, Dislikes, and Fact vs. Fiction
34:54
All Things Marilyn IntroCast
39:52
Announcing All Things Marilyn
0:45