August 5th marked the 50th anniversary of Marilyn Monroe’s death, and the publishing world has honored her memory with tons of new biographies and even Marilyn novels. Our Marilyn feature spotlights the two best bios, each offering divergent views of America’s bombshell, proving that she continues to be the ultimate mystery girl.
And this week, you could win both!
Marilyn: The Passion and the Paradox by Lois Banner “seeks to quash the notion of Monroe as damaged victim. Marilyn is instead the one on top—a smart cookie, largely in control of her self-created sexy persona and career. . . Banner recounts various Monroe death theories, including those with a conspiratorial edge involving the Kennedys, and wonders if, had she lived, she would have embraced the sisterhood of feminism. ” Read more in the feature.
Marilyn Monroe: The Final Years by Keith Badman “steadfastly refutes an affair with JFK—beyond a one-nighter—and shoots down a rumored RFK romance. Itineraries prove both were logistically impossible, Badman argues. He also claims to have solved the mystery of Monroe’s death, via copious data regarding her lengthy use of prescription meds. Well, maybe. . . .” Read more in the feature.
TO ENTER: Leave a comment about your favorite Hollywood icon.
CONTEST DETAILS: One winner will be chosen by random.org from among entries received by 5 pm CST on Friday, August 17. The winner will receive copies of Marilyn: The Passion and the Paradox and Marilyn Monroe: The Final Years. Prize must be shipped to a North American address, and Rhode Island residents are not eligible. (Full contest rules here.) Good luck!
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ETA: Congratulations to our winner, Eileen! Her favorite Hollywood icon is Elizabeth Taylor, another mystery girl.
Thanks to all who entered. Contest is now closed.
I would have to say Marilyn Monroe is my favorite “icon”…I was a teenager in her hey day, and was always fascinated by her beauty, and her outrageous sexy style (for those days) !
If you visit Vermont, go to the Trapp Lodge in Stowe. You will feel the magic of the movie “The Sound of Music”there (Vermont reminded the Von Trapps of Austria) and you will just have to see the movie again and admire my favorite icon – Julie Andrews.
Elizabeth Taylor.
George Clooney, all the way.
OMG! I’m so excited. Thanks for the chance to win these books. My favorite Hollywood icon is Marilyn!! I recently won a copy of THE EMPTY GLASS by J.I. Baker. I’d love to add these 2 books to my Marilyn book collection!
A wonderful Monday. Hollywood Icons from the past should be revered. Gregory Peck is one.
Mia Farrow
Elizabeth Taylor
Paul Newman set a standard for philanthropy…he’s my favorite hollywood icon.
My Hollywood icon is Gene Kelly. Effortlessly charming and graceful.
Marilyn for her feminine side and Katherine Hepburn for her toughness…two great women….
I loved Marilyn, but one of my favorite Hollywood icons was Susan Hayward. She was such a terrific actress. I still think she would have made a fantastic Scarlet O’Hara had she been given the part instead of Vivian Leigh
Katherine Hepburn, a remarkable woman.
I’ve been a little obsessed with Marilyn’s story ever since I read Blonde by Joyce Carol Oates. What an amazing piece of historical fiction! But my favorite Hollywood icon is Rosalind Russell. She paved the way for so many female comedians, and I don’t think she gets the Hollywood recognition she deserves !
Marilyn Monroe and Elisabeth Taylor there acting and dramatic real lives.
Without a doubt, Grace Kelly.
Barbara Streisand!
Katherine Hepburn, most definitely: so smart, articulate and graceful, without a hint of artifice.
Sorry Doris Day, you were a close second.
Elizabeth Taylor – pure classic Hollywood
I have to say Bridget Bardot is my type of icon. Mysterious. Kitten like but with a worldly outlook on life itself.
Brigitte Bardot- She is a beauty ! We both were born on 9/28!
After seeing the recent movie about Marilyn Monroe, I’ve been looking for the books to read about her. “My Week With Marilyn.” I would love to learn more about her.
I’d have to say Marilyn and Audrey Hepburn are my 2 fave icons– especially in fashion. Both were ahead of their time and inspirational!
My favorite Hollywood icon is Audrey Hepburn. She was truly a “class act” through and through! She was beautiful and gifted and it’s not everyday that someone like her comes along.
Thanks for entering me in this contest. I would love to learn more about Marilyn Monroe!
Sean Connery
I love Audrey Hepburn, her class, style and compassion for others.
Clint Eastwood. He is an amazing actor, and still great eye-candy.
I would have to say Elizabeth Taylor since I always found her fascinating for several reasons. She was not only beautiful but seemed like a very complex and somewhat mysterious lady who led a very interesting life.
I recently watched “Some Like It Hot” again, and thought the “couch scene” with Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe showed her true comedic talent. She was so three-dimensional in that scene, so much more than a pin-up girl. In a male-dominated industry, people chose instead, when the movie came out, to talk about her supposed weight gain. Shame on them.
I met my favorite movie star of all time, Henry Fonda, when I was 12 years old, in an unplanned, spontaneous encounter in the mountains in Colorado. I was with my parents, and they were so starstruck that I carried most of the conversation, unwittingly. He was kind and personable, and genuine. I will never forget his blue eyes, or him saying my name and asking me questions about Colorado; and to this day I still have that autograph. He was a movie star, an icon, and a gentleman.
I met my favorite movie star of all time, Henry Fonda, when I was 12 years old, in an unplanned, spontaneous encounter in the mountains in Colorado. I was with my parents, and they were so starstruck that I carried most of the conversation, unwittingly. He was kind and personable, and genuine. I will never forget his blue eyes, or him saying my name and asking me questions about Colorado; and to this day I still have that autograph. He was a movie star, an icon, and a gentleman.
I’ve always admired Cary Grant. Gentleman one movie, clown the next. He defined “class”.
Lots of great ones but my favorite…Katherine Hepburn
Such wonderful talent already mentioned–but I have to go with Meryl Streep; she is the consumate actress of our time. she can portray any part effortlessly–becoming the character she is playing.
Jimmy Stewart!
Mae West.
Marilyn for her misunderstood life….so interesting and her acting to me
was always straight from the heart. But she was never an icon…I would have to say Katherine Hepburn….
Can’t say I really care too much about any hollywood icons, but guess if I had to pick…Meryl Streep seems like an awesome lady and an actress who relies solely on her talent.
Fred Astaire – pure poetry in motion.
Jimmy Stewart or Clint Eastwood are my favorites!
Vincent Price-Pure magic.
Clark Gable. Who can forget him as Rhett Butler in Gone With The Wind.
Marilyn Monroe – always so fascinating. The most candid photos of her are the most beautiful.
Grace Kelly… she became a princess and had a tragic ending to her life.
Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart both rank high in my opinion.
My favorite Hollywood icon is Audrey Hepburn.
There are so many of my favorites mentioned here, but I’ll have to go with Bette Davis.
James Dean!!!!
My favorite icon has to be Shirley Temple! I grew up watching her with my mother. Plus, after her Hollywood fame she went on to become an U.S. Representative to the United Nations, the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Ghana, the first women to be U.S. Chief of Protocol, during Gerald Ford’s administration, and the U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia!
I know he is not an icon but nobody did it better than Roger Moore and I wonder how he would have “fit” with someone like Marilyn? I guess he could have been her father and she could have been his 007 daughter….
James Dean is one of my favorite icons. He could portray complicated characters with such ethos and honesty. Not many actors can bring me to tears but James Dean made me cry in each of his movies. His life was cut too short and we lost an incredible actor.
I’ll go with Elizabeth Taylor,she survived a long career and many ups&downs in love,she never did anything halfway,and had a big heart,she was a true beauty,with Marilyn my second choice
I’ll have to go with Paul Newman,great looking and actor,and his wife was his only love,I hated to break that up,hahaha,they were both understated.
My favorite of all time is Lauren Bacall.
Vivien Leigh!
Audrey Hepburn embodied the grace, talent and beauty many others tried to emulate but failed.
Any book about Marilyn and her life would be a wonderful read. I loved
her in Diamonds are a Girsls Best Friend and of course Some Like it Hot!
Marilyn was a very sly woman and knew her business very well.