IAMNOTASTALKER

Marilyn Monroe’s Former Home

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Lindsay

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For some reason lately I have been obsessing on Miss Marilyn Monroe. I never really had any interest in her until recently, had never even seen any of her movies all the way through, and generally never really had an opinion about her one way or another. But that all changed about two weeks ago when my acting teacher recommended that I study some of Marilyn’s films. I rented The Seven Year Itch and ever since have become completely obsessed. I had no idea how absolutely adorable Marilyn was! She completely lit up the screen anytime she was on it. For those of you who have yet to see any of her movies, I highly recommend renting The Seven Year Itch. My favorite scene is when she leans out of her second story window and announces to her neighbor “I just washed my hair!” with the same excitment as if she had just booked a movie role. It’s hilarious! 🙂

So last week, when I found the address of one of Marilyn’s first residences, a small studio apartment, in my fave stalking book, I dragged my boyfriend right out to stalk it. Marilyn lived in the property during the year 1942. At the time, Marilyn, who was then known as Norma Jean Baker, was 16 years old and had just married her first husband Jim Dougherty. Some refer to the studio as her “first honeymoon home”. But when we arrived at the address, we discovered that Marilyn’s former home is no longer there. 🙁

When my boyfriend and I pulled up to the address, we saw a sign announcing an apartment for rent in what I assumed was Marilyn’s former building. In what definitely constitutes a stalker maneuver, we called the phone number and asked for a tour of the available apartment. 🙂 I was hoping the vacant apartment was the one Marilyn had actually lived in back in 1942. But the super nice property manager explained to me that long ago there used to be a single family home and a small studio sized guest house located on the property. The guest house is where Marilyn lived in 1942. Both homes were torn down many years back to make room for the apartment building that is standing there today. Today stalkers can only visit the land where Marilyn’s former home once stood.

Until next time, Happy Stalking! 🙂

Stalk It: The apartment building where Marilyn’s former home used to be located can be found at 4524 Vista Del Monte in Sherman Oaks. The property manager said tourists flock to the building constantly to take pictures. He said he’s even seen news-people holding newscasts in front of the building on occasion. 🙂

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2 responses to “Marilyn Monroe’s Former Home”

  1. Frances G Avatar
    Frances G

    I too am still intreged by Marilyn Monroe I think she was the sexiest women of her time just beautiful all the best are gone now never to be repeated NEVER may her soul rest in peace with all the others

    Reply
  2. Marilyn Monroe’s Childhood Home | IAMNOTASTALKER

    […] When Gladys’ son from her first marriage, Jackie, from whom she was estranged, died at the age of 14 in August 1933, she became compelled to regain custody of Norma Jeane.  She took on a second job and by October 1934, had saved enough money to purchase a six-thousand-dollar house (at 6812 Arbol Drive in Hollywood – sadly, it’s no longer standing).  That same month, eight-year-old Marilyn left the Bolenders and moved in with her mother.  She didn’t stay long, though.  Gladys had a nervous breakdown in late December and was committed to an asylum, at which point Norma Jeane was sent to live with one of her mother’s good friends, Grace McKee.  She didn’t stay there long, though, either.  By 1935, Gladys could no longer afford to care for Marilyn and sent her to the Los Angeles Orphan’s Home (now Hollygrove Home for Children, which I blogged about here).  The girl who would become the world’s most famous blonde spent the remaining years of her childhood being bounced around from foster parents to family members.  Then, at the tender age of 16, she married her first husband, James Dougherty, and moved into a guest house in Sherman Oaks, which also, unfortunately, no longer stands.  You can read my blog post on that location here. […]

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