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Hollywood honours Marilyn Monroe, 100 years after her birth

Published: 01:06 PM,Jun 02,2026 | EDITED : 05:06 PM,Jun 02,2026

Martin Nolan, Julien's Auctions' executive director and co-founder, adjusts a display of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, including a 1950s evening gown, during a preview of Julien's Auctions' "100 Years of Marilyn" at Julien's Studios in Gardena, California, on May 27, 2026, ahead of the June 4 auction marking what would have been the Hollywood icon's 100th birthday. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)
 
Martin Nolan, Julien's Auctions' executive director and co-founder, adjusts a display of Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, including a 1950s evening gown, during a preview of Julien's Auctions' "100 Years of Marilyn" at Julien's Studios in Gardena, California, on May 27, 2026, ahead of the June 4 auction marking what would have been the Hollywood icon's 100th birthday. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP)

Marilyn Monroe's hometown of Hollywood kicks off a series of special events marking the 100th anniversary of the movie icon's birth.
At the historic Chinese Theatre, where Monroe's handprints are immortalised alongside co-star Jane Russell, fans plan to sing 'Happy Birthday'.
One hundred roses and a cake will be placed at the site, a symbol of Hollywood's golden age and a popular tourist hotspot.
Tributes to Tinseltown's legendary daughter began on Sunday, with the Academy Museum opening 'Marilyn Monroe: Hollywood Icon,' an exhibit celebrating her film career and life cut short.
After shooting to superstardom in the 1950s, the actress and model died of an overdose at her Brentwood home in August 1962, aged 36.
The Academy Museum will host special screenings of her prolific filmography throughout the month, including 'The Asphalt Jungle' (1950), 'Niagara' (1953), 'The Seven Year Itch' (1955) and 'The Misfits' (1961).


The exhibit, which runs until February 2027, includes hundreds of original pieces, some rarely on display - such as Monroe's famed pink dress worn during her iconic performance of 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'.
Later in the week, on June 4, Julien's Auctions will put nearly 200 pieces of Monroe memorabilia under the hammer as part of its special '100 Years of Marilyn' sale.
The items include unpublished photographs, a script with notes from her final production, the unfinished short film 'Something's Got to Give,' and personal items such as handwritten recipes and her Elizabeth Arden lipstick.
Image maker
Born in Los Angeles on June 1, 1926, Monroe had an unstable childhood spent between orphanages and foster homes. She married for the first time at age 16.
She had her first brush with show business in 1944, while working in a factory, when a photographer arrived to capture photos of women working on production lines during World War II.
Launching into the world of modelling soon after, she divorced her husband and made a history-defining decision: dyeing her brown hair platinum blonde.
She landed her first contract with Fox, and by the age of 30 had established herself as a global star. - AFP