Marilyn: The Untold Story (TV 1980)

The story of how Norma Jean, once an orphan in Hollywood California, becomes Marilyn Monroe, the movie star and celebrity. The movie begins with Norma Jean as a child and ends with the ... See full summary »

Directors:

Jack Arnold, John Flynn,

Writers:

Norman Mailer (novel), Dalene Young

Stars:

Catherine Hicks, Richard Basehart, Frank Converse

Nominated for 4 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Catherine Hicks	...	Marilyn Monroe
Richard Basehart	...	Johnny Hyde
Frank Converse	...	Joe DiMaggio
John Ireland	...	John Huston
Viveca Lindfors	...	Natasha Lytess
Jason Miller	...	Arthur Miller
Sheree North	...	Gladys Baker
Kevin Geer	...	Jim Dougherty
Tracey Gold	...	Young Norma Jean
Priscilla Morrill	...	Louella Parsons
John Christy Ewing	...	Lawyer
Bill Vint	...	Montgomery Clift
Larry Pennell	...	Clark Gable
Heath Jobes	...	Tom Ewell
Howard Caine	...	Billy Wilder

Storyline

The story of how Norma Jean, once an orphan in Hollywood California, becomes Marilyn Monroe, the movie star and celebrity. The movie begins with Norma Jean as a child and ends with the mysterious way she dies. Throughout the movie, we see the highlights and lowlights of her career, including the parts of her private life not widely known.

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Plot Keywords:

orphan | hollywood | career | self destructiveness | sexuality | 

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Taglines:

Her image was perfection.....her life was a personal hell

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Genres:

Biography | Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 September 1980 (USA)

Also Known As:

Marilyn Monroe - Eine wahre Geschichte

Company Credits

Production Co:

Schiller Productions Inc.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

156 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The huge likeness of Marilyn Monroe that was erected on the building for The Seven Year Itch was the original billboard that was used when the movie came out. The same company and the same crew were hired to rehang it for this movie.

User Reviews

Catherine's Monroe

I believe this is the most accurate portrayal of Marilyn Monroe thus far. I doubt very much that Catherine Hicks ever met MM, and based on what we knew of MM's life back in 1980-81 I feel she did a wonderful job. She brought sensitivity and vulnerability to this troubled woman's character. CH's face doesn't really look like MM, but I felt she was able to capture certain qualities in making her facial features appear like Monroe's, like a quivering lip, lost eyes, sadness in her expression, and a lost childish look. With the help of makeup, hairstyles and those great 50's style outfits, CH became MM. In all her emotions, angry, sad, happy, nervous...CH was amazing! Her body shape most of all looked like MM. There is one scene where she is running on the beach to "Johnny Hyde", and she was running just like MM in "Some Like it Hot". It is obvious CH did her homework, and of all the MM biography type films I have seen, this is THE one. A few more details in the script would have been perfect. I highly recommend it!! The songs they used for back ground music was especially touching in helping bring Catherine Hick's Monroe to life.