50 Rare Photos From Marilyn Monroe’s Turbulent Marriages
Revisit the screen icon’s relationships with James Dougherty, Joe DiMaggio, and Arthur Miller.
Throughout her career, Marilyn Monroe was almost as famous for her high-profile relationships as she was for her on-screen roles. But the star, who was celebrated as a larger-than-life sex symbol, sought real love just like anyone else. She married three times during her far-too-short life: first to hometown love James Dougherty, then to baseball star Joe DiMaggio, then to playwright Arthur Miller.
The new film Blonde, directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Ana de Armas as Monroe, explores her life and relationships, albeit through a fictionalized story adapted from Joyce Carol Oates’ novel. It digs into the public’s obsession with Monroe and the battles she endured in private, often as a result of these difficult romances.
Now, six decades since Monroe’s tragic death, and as Blonde hits theaters and Netflix accounts everywhere, we take a look at the icon’s string of marriages in these rare photos.
1942: Marilyn’s First Marriage
Marilyn Monroe wed her high school sweetheart, James Dougherty, in 1942. Monroe, then known as Norma Jean Baker, met Dougherty while living with a family friend in Los Angeles, California. The couple married just after her 16th birthday, after dating for a few months.
1943: Newlywed Bliss
Dougherty, who was 20 years old at the time, initially married Monroe to prevent her from going back into the foster care system as her mother, Gladys, was in and out of psychiatric facilities. After their wedding, the young couple honeymooned on a lake in Ventura County and moved into an apartment in Sherman Oaks.
1944: Moving to Catalina
In 1944, Dougherty, who had joined the Merchant Marines, was assigned to the base on Catalina Island. The newlyweds moved to the island in California where Monroe “was just a housewife,” Dougherty told United Press International. The couple would divorce in 1946, while Dougherty was serving overseas and Monroe began pursuing a career in Hollywood.
1954: Marilyn Marries Again
In 1954, Monroe, now a highly paid actress and certified sex symbol, said “I do” once again—this time at San Francisco’s City Hall to professional baseball player, Joe DiMaggio.
1954: Sealed With a Kiss
Monroe and DiMaggio share a kiss in the judge’s chambers on their wedding day, Jan. 14, 1954.
1954: Newlywed Bliss
According to History, the couple had originally wanted to keep the nuptials low-key. But press and fans crowded San Francisco City Hall after Monroe casually mentioned the wedding to a person at her film studio. Her comments were reportedly leaked.
1954: The Second Time Around
After first meeting on a double date, Monroe and DiMaggio dated for two years before tying the knot. Both of them had been divorced previously—DiMaggio’s first wife, Dorothy Arnold, filed divorce papers in 1943 citing “cruel indifference” for the reason of separation.
1954: Honeymooning in Japan
Monroe and DiMaggio at the airport on their honeymoon. The couple traveled to Japan, which they coordinated with a prearranged work trip for DiMaggio.
1954: Sightseeing
DiMaggio and Monroe are photographed on their honeymoon in Japan, stopping by a fishing village to take in the view.
1954: Rocky Start
Monroe wrote in her biography that she was hesitant to meet DiMaggio, because she thought the retired baseball legend would be too egotistical. But after she did, the two embarked on a tumultuous, yet loving relationship.
1954: A Glamorous Couple
Following their union, both of their careers flourished. Monroe’s film career was taking off, having just starring in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, while DiMaggio was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.
1954: A Bicoastal Marriage
The newly-married couple briefly rented a home in the Hollywood Hills, as Monroe was based there for work. But they also enjoyed as much time as they could in New York City, where DiMaggio was adored. Here the couple is seen enjoying an evening at El Morocco in New York City.
1954: Movie Star Monroe
Monroe’s career became hotter than ever during her marriage with DiMaggio. She starred in her most acclaimed film, The Seven Year Itch, during this time, and it was also during this time period that her iconic subway grate photo was captured.
1954: DiMaggio Visits Monroe on Set
In 1954, DiMaggio visited Monroe on the set of River of No Return in Canada, as seen here.
1954: Night at the Theater
DiMaggio looks on as actor David Wayne applies makeup to Monroe backstage at the Martin Beck Theater. The couple were in the audience to see the actor’s play, The Teahouse of the August Moon.
1954: A Crumbling Marriage
Although the two were very much in love, DiMaggio could be very controlling. He was apparently extremely opinionated about Monroe’s career and did not like the sexy image his wife so often portrayed.
1954: On the Rocks
DiMaggio was said to be I do “disgusted” with Marilyn’s famous dress scene in The Seven Year Itch. The couple fought afterwards and DiMaggio was reportedly physical, which led to Monroe’s decision to file for divorce.
1954: Divorced After Less Than a Year
Only 274 days after their wedding, Monroe announced her divorce from DiMaggio. The starlet cited “mental cruelty” as her reason for filing.
1954: Jealous Joe
After his divorce with Monroe, DiMaggio had a difficult time moving on. In a scandal that has now become known as the “Wrong Door Raid,” DiMaggio faced consequences when he wrongfully kicked in the door to a house that he thought Monroe was inside with another man.
1954: Friendly Exes
Monroe and DiMaggio remained friends; she visited him in Tampa in 1961 while he was coaching the Yankees’ spring training. After Monroe died in 1962, DiMaggio sent flowers to her grave site every week until the day he died in 1999.
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