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There are more ways than ever to listen to History Daily ad free. Listen with Wondry plus in the Wondery app as a member of Noiser plus at noiser.com or in Apple Podcasts. Or you can get all of History Daily plus other fantastic history podcasts@intohristory.com It's 1am on September 15, 1954, on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 52nd street in New York City. Joe DiMaggio weaves his way through a crush of excited people standing behind a wooden barrier. At 39 years old, DiMaggio is a Yankees legend and he should be getting swarmed by fans in a crowd like this. But no one is paying him any attention. They're not here for a baseball player. Because beyond the barrier, a movie is being filmed, a new romantic comedy titled the Seven Year Itch, and everyone's waiting to catch a glimpse of the star and Joe's wife, Marilyn Monroe. Jo leans forward on the barrier as the crew hushes a crowd and the cameras start to roll. Director Billy Wilder shouts action. And the 28 year old Marilyn glides into view. Her flowing white dress and platinum blonde curls seem to glow under the lights, but Marilyn's smile shines even brighter as she struts down the sidewalk. The crowd starts spontaneously whooping and cheering. The noise though, ruins the take. But that's not the point of this exercise. This entire setup in New York is simply a publicity stunt for the movie. The rest of the film is being shot in Hollywood, so the cameras keep rolling as Marilyn jumps on a subway grate from just off camera. A wind machine blows directly at Marilyn, sending her white skirt billowing high above her waist. She giggles playfully, trying to push the skirt back down as her long legs are exposed to the crowd. Most of the onlookers go wild, but not Joe DiMaggio. Red in the face, he storms away, pushing past photographers and fans, unable to contain his anger. He can't believe his wife is exhibiting herself like this. He plans to let her know exactly what he thinks of her display later that night. Joe DiMaggio's reaction to the publicity stunt will push Marilyn Monroe to a breaking point. While filming the Seven Year Itch, she will file for divorce, but the image that so enraged her ex husband will long outlive their marriage. For better or worse, Marilyn's white skirt blowing in the air will become one of the most iconic images of the 20th century and will be endlessly reproduced, recreated and parodied for decades after it was created. On September 15, 1954, History Daily is sponsored by a Truby Lately you may have been hearing about a serious but rare heart condition called attr, Cardiac Amyloidosis or attrcm. Because symptoms can be similar to other heart conditions, it may take time to be diagnosed, but learning more about ATTRCM and a treatment called Atrube, also called Acharamidis, could be important for you or a loved one. Atruby is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with ATTRCM to reduce death and hospitalization due to heart issues. In one study, people taking Atruby, an impact on their health related quality of life and 50% fewer hospitalizations due to heart issues than people who didn't take a Truby, giving you more chances to do what you love with who you love. Tell your doctor if you're pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding and about the medications you take. The most common side effects were mild and included diarrhea and abdominal pain. If you have attrcm, talk to your cardiologist about a Truby or visit attruby.com that's attruby.com to learn more.
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From Noiser and Airship, I'm Lindsey Graham and this is History. Daily history is made every day on this podcast. Every day we tell the true stories of the people and events that shaped our world. Today is September 15, 1954 the most iconic Marilyn Monroe photograph It's December 1944 in a munitions factory in California, a decade before Marilyn Monroe shoots the iconic subway grate scene. 25 year old photographer David Conover scans the factory's assembly line. But David doesn't care about the small aircraft parts rumbling down the conveyor belt. He's focused on the women operating the machines. He's been asked to photograph the most attractive women on the home front, and their pictures will appear in military magazines to boost the morale of US soldiers fighting in World War II. So, camera in hand, he moves down the assembly line until he spots a radiant young woman fixing a propeller. David asks if he can take her picture, and with a smile, she agrees. The young woman flips her auburn curls over her shoulder and holds up the propeller, laughing as she turns to the camera, David can tell she's a natural. He asks for her name, and she introduces herself as Norma Jean Doherty. 18 year old Norma Jean has had a tumultuous childhood. She never knew her father and moved between foster homes due to her mother's mental illness. When she turned 16, Norma Jean married her neighbor's son to avoid returning to another temporary home. But domestic life bored her. So in 1944, she signed up to work in a munitions factory, never expecting she'd catch the eye of a photographer there. But over the next few weeks, Norma Jeane poses for David all over the factory, and he urges her to take up modeling. At first, Norma Jean is wary, though she's sure her husband won't approve. But he soon heads off to military service, leaving Norma Jean free to take up her new career. So in the spring of 1945, Norma Jean gives up her factory overalls and becomes a model. Whether she's lounging on the beach, dancing or posing in a studio, she radiates the same glamour and playfulness that caught David's eye on the assembly line. And it's not long before others see Norma Jean's potential as well. As in August 1945, she signed with the Blue Book modeling agency. And by the following spring, Norma Jean has already been on the COVID of more than 30 magazines. But she's almost too successful. Norma Jean appears in so many publications so quickly that industry insiders start to consider her overexposed. And suddenly she finds herself struggling to find more work. To counter the risk of seeming stale, Norma Jean's agents suggest she dye her hair blonde. Perhaps a new color will help refresh Norma Jean's image. Because after all, no one seems to tire of blonde bombshells like the Hollywood stars Betty Grable and Jean Harlow. Nervously, Norma Jean agrees, and she debuts her new look in a shampoo advertisement. Her new blonde hair has the desired effect. But as Norma Jean's modeling career takes off again, her marriage begins to fall apart. Now that the War is over. Her husband has returned home. He never approved of Norma Jean's work, and even though she's successful, he'd much rather she just stayed home. But Norma Jean has no intention of returning to life as a housewife. Instead, in the summer of 1946, she announces her desire to break into the movie business and decides she doesn't need a husband to do it. Her agent tells her she'll do far better in Hollywood as a single woman, too. So, presented with a choice between saving her marriage and furthering her career, Norma Jean chooses her work. In September 1946, she files for divorce. Then Norma Jean promptly moves to Los Angeles and secures a screen test at 20th Century Fox. She arrives on set riddled with nerves. But when the director shouts action. It's like a switch has been thrown. Norma Jean struts toward the camera, looking like the most confident woman in the world. She takes a seat and lights a cigarette, her flirtatious gaze keeping the entire crew mesmerized. And after the screening, 20th Century Fox immediately offers Norma Jean a six month contract. But there's a problem. Executives at 20th Century Fox think that her name, Norma Jean Doherty, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. So Norma Jean says she'd like to use Monroe, her mother's maiden name. But she isn't sure what her first name should be. One of the executives has an idea telling Norma Jean about an actress he was in love with, Mary, many years ago, a woman named Marilyn. Norma Jean isn't so sure, though this name seems strange and artificial to her. But the executives urge her to say it altogether out loud. So Norma Jean Doherty sits up straight, and for the first time, she says the name that will soon be famous all around the world. Marilyn Monroe. History Daily is sponsored by Indeed. Back in 1999, I remember reading Bill Gates book Business at the speed of thought. 25 years later, and well, well, the speed of business has only increased. And that includes hiring. You can't sit around waiting for paper resumes to filter in. You need to find quality candidates right now. Because opportunity waits for no one. Which is why, when it comes to hiring, INDEED is all you need. Their sponsored jobs help you stand out and hire fast. They get your post to jump to the top of the page for your relevant candidates so you can reach the people you want faster. And it makes a huge difference. According to Indeed data, sponsored jobs posted directly on Indeed have 45% more applications than non sponsored jobs. There's no need to wait any longer. Speed up your hiring right now with Indeed. Listeners of this show will get a $75 sponsored job credit. To get your jobs more visibility@indeed.com onthisday just go to indeed.com onthisday right now and support the show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com onthis day terms and conditions apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need Is.
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It's September 1956 at Pinewood Studios in England 10 years after Norma Jean Doherty became Marilyn Monroe, British film icon Sir Laurence Olivier scowls across the set at his latest co star. Sir Lawrence is directing and starring in the romantic comedy the Prince and the Showgirl opposite Hollywood's latest darling, Marilyn Monroe. But Sir Lawrence is frustrated. Marilyn was three hours late for filming this morning, and although she's finally arrived, she's now stuttering and stammering her way through the scene. Exasperated, Sir Laurence calls cut. And marches over to his new star. Marilyn's new acting coach follows, but Sir Lawrence is already fed up with her interference, so so he orders her to stay behind the camera. He's a director, he'll handle this with his actor alone. Seeing Sir Lawrence's frustration, Marilyn explains that she's struggling because she doesn't believe her character's lines. She tries to catch her coach's eyes, seeming to want backup, but Sir Lawrence blocks her view. He suggests that if she's struggling with her character's motivation, she should just focus on what she's good at. Seeming seductive on screen, Marilyn is stunned because despite all her fame and success, she is riddled with self doubt. It's been two years since she filmed the Seven Year Itch, a role that shot her to worldwide fame, but she's worried the iconic subway great scene from that movie has cemented her image as a one dimensional sex symbol. She agreed to make this film with Sir Lawrence because she thought it was an opportunity to act opposite one of the greats and to finally be taken seriously as an actress in her own right. But it's clear that Sir Lawrence has no respect for her. So with tears in her eyes, Marilyn storms off. Set from this point on, the tension between Marilyn and Sir Laurence only grows. She thinks he's patronizing and close minded. He sees her as a spoiled Hollywood pinup, and with all the stress, Marilyn has trouble falling asleep, so she takes strong sleeping pills and mixes vodka with her tea. It doesn't help her performance, so when the shoot is over, both Marilyn and Sir Lawrence are glad they can go their separate ways. But despite her negative experience on the Prince and the Showgirl, Marilyn is still desperate to be taken seriously by audiences and her peers. So when she returns to New York, she starts taking acting lessons. But her mental health soon becomes a concern for those closest to her. By the summer of 1957, Marilyn is married to her third husband, the playwright Arthur Miller, and he's deeply worried. One night, a few weeks after she suffers a miscarriage, Arthur notices Marilyn's breathing becomes labored. Fearing she has taken too many sleeping pills, Arthur calls for paramedics, who come and revive her. But instead of slowing down to recover from her physical and mental setbacks, Marilyn throws herself back into work. She accepts a role and Billy Wilder's new film, Some Like It Hot. She will star as the love interest, Sugar Cane. But almost as soon as she joins the production, Marilyn starts clashing with the director over her character. She wants Sugar to be more complex and three dimensional. But Wilder believes he knows best when it comes to Marilyn's true appeal to audiences, and he starts demanding she complete take after take just to show her who's in charge to cope with the increasingly hostile environment. Environment on set, Marilyn again turns to sleeping pills. She feels tricked, once again cast as a shallow blonde bombshell. And her mental anguish is soon deepened by a third miscarriage in just two years. But despite all the troubles and heartache behind the scenes, in front of the cameras, Marilyn still dazzles. When Some Like It Hot is released in 1959, it's an instant hit, and Marilyn receives a Golden Globe Globe for Best Actress. But even in a moment of triumph, Marilyn fixates on her disappointments. When she doesn't receive an Oscar nomination that year, she starts to believe that the Hollywood establishment is shunning her. And from there, Marilyn will begin to spiral. Her marriage to Arthur Miller will fall apart. Her behavior on set will become the talk of Hollywood. And eventually, when it all becomes too much, tragedy will strike, and the brightest star in Hollywood will fade away.
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Taking on a DIY job around the house is the ultimate summer project. But if your DIY home security system is a beware of dogs sign, when your real pet is Princess the cat, that's safe. Ish. To be actually safe, help protect your home with a DIY system from adt. It's easy to install and gives you virtual assistance from ADT's technical support team. Best of all, you can tell everyone in the neighborhood you set it up yourself. Don't settle for safe ish this summer DIY with ADT. Instead. Visit ADT.com to learn more.
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Hey football fans, Gillette's Best Shave has a new look this season. And it's looking smooth. Almost as smooth as my voice. We're talking about the new collection of Gillette Lab's official NFL Licensed Razors. Featuring the team colors and logos of 12 NFL franchises, these razors are a must have for fans that want to experience the confidence and pride of game day every day. With Gillette's Best Blades and Flex disc technology, gillette Labs lasts 50% longer on average compared to Fusion 5, so get it while you can online or at a retailer near you. Gillette's Best Shave is now the best a fan can get. Gillette Labs also available in heated Gillette is a paid partner of the New Heights Podcast.
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It'S the evening of May 19, 1962, at Madison Square Garden in New York City, two years after Marilyn Monroe won a Golden Globe for her performance in Some Like It Hot. Standing just off stage, Marilyn peers out at the crowd. The arena is packed for a celebration of US President John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday. There have already been performances by jazz singers, violinists and comedians, and now it's Marilyn's turn. When the host introduces her, the crowd erupts in cheers and Marilyn steps forward. Striding across the stage, she throws off her white fur coat, revealing a sheer flesh colored dress covered with glittering rhinestones. The bright lights make the gown seem almost translucent. Reaching the microphone, Marilyn begins to sing a slow, sultry rendition of Happy Birthday. She directs a song squarely toward the presidential table at the front of the arena. It's a deeply intimate gesture for such a public place, and it doesn't take long for the gossip to begin. Since her divorce from her third husband, Arthur Miller, Marilyn has had a series of high profile flings. But the rumors of an affair between Marilyn and the President drive speculation to new heights. It's a stress that Marilyn doesn't need. She suffers frequent bouts of depression and is in and out of the hospital now, utterly dependent on sleeping pills and other drugs. It seems only a matter of time before tragedy strikes, and on August 4, 1962, less than three months after her performance at Madison Square Garden, Marilyn is found dead in her home in Los Angeles. She was only 36 years old. Her death from an overdose of sleeping pills is ruled a probable suicide. Marilyn's early demise robbed Hollywood of one of its brightest stars, but she will remain an icon of American culture. She was always so much more than a thoughtless blonde. But in death, as in life, she will struggle to escape that stereotype. Because of all the memorable images of Marilyn, none will be more famous than the picture of her smiling playfully as her white dress billows up around her, captured on the streets of New York City on September 15, 1954. Next on History Daily September 16, 1620. The Mayflower departs England, carrying 130 passengers and crew, bound for a new life in the new world. From Noiser and Airshift, this is History Daily hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham Audio editing by Mohammed Shazib Sound design by Molly bach Music by Thrum. This episode is written and researched by Angus Gavin McLaren. Edited by Joel Callan Managing producer Emily Burke Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.
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