The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe

& Wright, the law firm that represented Marilyn in the 1950s. He was very helpful to me when I interviewed him on March 2, 2008, and March 20, 2008. I value his friendship as well.

The police officers who cooperated with me in this section of the book asked for anonymity. I appreciate their kindnesses and memories very much.

As a teenager, Marvina Williams worked as an aide at Rock Haven Sanitarium in La Crescenta. She spent many hours with me on December 11, 2007, December 12, 2007, December 20, 2007, and January 12, 2008, reviewing her memories of Gladys Baker’s time at that facility. I thank her for her time and also her many photographs.

Thanks to Stanley Rubin, producer of River of No Return, for his interview, conducted by Cathy Griffin on April 24, 2008, a very rare treat.

Special thanks to the lovely Jane Russell for her interview, conducted by Cathy Griffin on April 20, 2008. We also referred to Ms. Russell’s appearance on The Sally Jessy Raphael Show, April 15, 1992, as well as her memoir, Jane Russell: My Paths and My Detours.

I interviewed the inimitable Joey Bishop on May 5, 1997.

I interviewed Esther Williams on May 16, 1997, a lovely lady.

Stacy Edwards was a close friend of Joe DiMaggio and I don’t think this section of the book could have been written without his cooperation. I thank him very much for the interviews I conducted with him on April 11, 2007, June 1, 2007, July 13, 2007, and March 1, 2008. Regarding DiMaggio, I also referenced Joe & Marilyn by Roger Kahn; Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? by Maury Allen; and Joe & Marilyn: The Ultimate L.A Love Story by Maurice Zolotow.

Sydney Guilaroff’s comments are extracted from Cathy Griffin’s many interviews with him in 1995. I also referred to his autobiography, written with Ms. Griffin, Crowning Glory: Reflections of Hollywood’s Favorite Confidant, published in 1996. Guilaroff’s five decades in the motion picture business and intimate friendships with the biggest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age made his memoirs the most eagerly awaited autobiography of its kind. Cathy first met him in 1993 when she interviewed him for an A&E documentary on Elizabeth Taylor. She allowed me to review copious notes and transcripts from her work with Mr. Guilaroff, which I utilized in this and many other sections of The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe.

Marybeth Cooke worked for Marilyn’s attorney, Jerry Geisler, and was very helpful with all aspects of this book. I thank her for spending so much time with me on November 1, 2007, December 12, 2007, and April 11, 2008.

Research material regarding The Wrong Door Raid—including my interview with Hal Schaeffer (conducted on November 1, 1996)—was conducted for my book Sinatra: A Complete Life, and now also utilized in The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe. My interviews with Frank’s friend Jimmy Whiting were conducted on April 2, 1995, and May 4, 1996. I interviewed Joe Dougherty, who worked for City Detective and Guard Services, on January 11, 2008. I also had access to Cathy Griffin’s taped interviews with the late private investigator Fred Otash for background material regarding The Wrong Door Raid, as well as the Confidential magazine report in February 1957 and many court documents relating to that particular case. I also reviewed notes and other unpublished material from the Los Angeles Examiner’s file on the “raid” and on subsequent hearings about it.

I also referred to “The Strange Case of Marilyn Monroe vs. the U.S. Army,” by Robert C. Jennings, Los Angeles Magazine, August 1966.

Finally, I also referred to many interoffice memos to the staff at Famous Artists Agency, found in the Charles K. Feldman Papers at the American Film Institute in Los Angeles, as well as the rest of Feldman’s papers, including his many appointment books.

PART SIX: VOICES

Importantly, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Arthur Miller in 1987 when he was on his book tour for his memoir, Timebends. I found him maddeningly difficult and not at all open, despite the fact that his book is incredibly candid. I even wondered at the time if he had written his own memoir! Of course, I was sure he had—though one would never know it if judging from his evasive demeanor, especially when it came to discussing his marriage to Miss Monroe. However, I did draw upon that interview for this book. In retrospect, of course, it was an honor to interview such a literary icon.

I also turned to the Arthur Miller Collection at the University of Texas, which I found very enlightening— mostly, though, in regard to his plays, including The Crucible and After the Fall. Also, the Joseph Raugh Collection at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., proved invaluable in confirming certain details about the Monroe-Miller alliance. I also referred to the John Huston Collection at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills.

I also referred to “The Un-American Activities in California—The (California) Senate Fact-Finding Committee on Un-American Activities, Third, Fourth and Fifth Reports” (Sacramento, California, 1947), which is on file at the Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

I reviewed the personal papers and files of columnist Sidney Skolsky and the files of the Production Code Administration, also on file at the Margaret Herrick Library.

Thanks to Mable Whittington, who worked at Parkside House in London, for her memories of Marilyn and Arthur Miller, which she shared with me on March 12, 2008.

I interviewed Susan Strasberg in June 1997. I also referred to her memoirs, Bittersweet and Marilyn and Me: Sisters, Rivals, Friends. What a delightful woman. She is missed by many.

I also referenced Lee Strasberg’s 20th Century-Fox legal files.

Edward Lovitz was a personal friend of Arthur Miller’s who spent many long hours with me discussing Miller’s marriage to Marilyn on September 1, 2007, and September 15, 2007. I so appreciate his assistance.

I interviewed the delightful Mitzi Gaynor in January 1997 for my Sinatra biography. I interviewed Billy Wilder in February 1997 as well, a charming fellow and quite helpful.

Cathy Griffin interviewed Jeanne Martin (Dean’s wife) on October 22, 1998, and then again in 1999 and in 2001, and parts of those interviews were used in this volume.

I interviewed Tony Curtis in January 2000 and appreciated his help very much.

My thanks to Melissa Steinberg for her assistance in this section as well, and for the interview she granted me on May 11, 2007.

I also referred to the 1988 documentary Remembering Marilyn, narrated by Lee Remick and directed by Andrew Solt.

Cathy Griffin interviewed Diahann Carroll on April 21, 2008. A side note: I also interviewed Ms. Carroll on July 24, 1975—one of my first interviews after moving to Los Angeles to become a reporter. I didn’t even have a driver’s license yet—but I did have a tape recorder! I never had the opportunity to thank her for granting a young writer such an important interview, so I’d like to do that right now: Thank you so much, Miss Carroll, for being so kind to me way back when.

PART SEVEN: SLOW DEATH

Regarding Dr. Ralph Greenson, Dr. Milton Wexler, and Dr. Marianne Kris:

Cathy Griffin conducted interviews with Dr. Greenson’s widow, Hildy, on June 4, 1991, and on June 24, 1991. I directly and indirectly utilized both lengthy interviews in The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe.

I also referred to The Technique and Practice of Psychoanalysis by Dr. Ralph Greenson and On Loving, Hating and Living Well: The Public and Psychoanalytic Lectures of Dr. Ralph Greenson by Dr. Ralph Greenson, as well as scores of the doctor’s papers and correspondence, all found in the Greenson Collection at the UCLA library. Among this collection is Greenson’s complete and unpublished memoir, “My Father the Doctor,” which proved absolutely invaluable to my research. I also referred to “Special Problems in Psychotherapy with the Rich and Famous,” dated August 18, 1978, and found in the UCLA Collection.

A number of highly respected California psychiatrists who either once worked with Dr. Greenson or who were