Remembering Marilyn Monroe on Her 97th Birth Anniv.

Today, June 1, marks the 97th birth anniversary of legendary Hollywood star Marilyn Monroe. 

She is widely regarded as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the 1950s and ’60s and a symbol of American womanhood. 

Her contribution to American showbiz has been massive and her illustrious career boasted of several major projects.

Apart from her acting prowess, Monroe who was dubbed "The Blonde Bombshell" had also carved a name for herself as one of the most talented female comedians.

The late actress was an American actress, comedian, singer, and model. She became one of the world's most enduring iconic figures and is remembered both for her winsome embodiment of the Hollywood beauty symbol of the 1950s and her tragic personal and professional struggles within the film industry.

The legendary blond actress is well-known for playing comedic "blonde bombshell" characters on screen and became one of the huge icons of pop culture.

Throughout her successful career, she featured in "Bus Stop" (1956) and her first independent production in "The Prince and the Showgirl" (1957). She also received many awards including a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role in "Some Like It Hot" (1959), a critical and commercial success. Her last completed film was the drama "The Misfits" (1961).

Born in Norma Jeane Mortenson at the Los Angeles County Hospital on June 1, 1926, she had carved a name for herself as one of the most talented and acclaimed actresses of her generation.

According to her biography, Monroe's mother Gladys Pearl Baker was a film cutter at Consolidated Film Industries. Marilyn's father's identity was never known. Because Gladys was mentally and financially unable to care for young Marilyn, hence she placed her in the care of a foster family, The Bolender.

Even though the Bolender family wanted to adopt Marilyn, Gladys was eventually able to stabilize her lifestyle and took Marilyn back into her care when Marilyn was 7 years old. However, shortly after regaining custody of Marilyn, Gladys had a complete mental breakdown and was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and was committed to a state mental hospital.

Gladys spent the rest of her life going in and out of hospitals and rarely had contact with young Marilyn. Once Marilyn became an adult and celebrated as a film star, she paid a woman by the name of Inez Melson to look in on the institutionalized Gladys and give detailed reports of her progress. Gladys outlived her daughter, dying in 1984.

The late iconic figure never had any children with any of her three husbands, but did reportedly have three miscarriages.

The American idol died aged just 36, of a barbiturate overdose, late in the evening of Saturday, August 4, 1962.