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

Great performance by Hicks as the tragic Marilyn

Catherine Hicks was rightfully nominated for an Emmy for this TV biopic. She nails Norma Jean/Marilyn, the little girl who never grew up. It is long (2 and a half hours), and at times tough to take the lonely, depressing state of mind she lived in. The film really did cause me to see the character as Marilyn and forget I was watching CH playing her. Good script and great performances by terrific cast. Overall: way above average for a TV movie of it's kind. 8 out of 10.