The year was 1993. I was working as a scenic artist at a set (sweat) shop in Glendale. These shops are set up to design and implement facades, props, signs, murals and backdrops to be used in the film industry. They usually smell of sawdust, various paints and solvents and welding smoke. I spent nearly a dozen years working in this creative and humble working environment. The days are generally long and the shops are hidden away from the glamour and prestige of movie studios and production offices.
On this particular spring day I was actually working in the office, xeroxing blueprints and answering the phone because the receptionist had called in sick. I was in a quiet space working alone when I heard a voice, like a whisper in my ear. It said, "Visit Marilyn Monroe's grave today." To say the least, it was a little disturbing and I quickly dismissed it. But then an hour or so later the voice spoke again, this time with a bit more urgency. "Visit Marilyn's grave today." I let out a laugh. No way! I didn't even like her as an actress, nor her dumb blonde persona, so why would I take the time to visit her grave? Once again I ignored the voice and continued working. By the end of the day I clocked out and was driving home. As I was passing by Forest Lawn cemetery, on an impulse I pulled in and drove past the manicured lawn. I asked the guard if Marilyn Monroe was buried there and he told me that she wasn't. He added that she was laid to rest in Westwood.
Feeling a bit foolish, I continued my drive home. I was living in the family house of my friend Jamie (near Dodger Stadium) at the time and he and my other room-mate were out for the night. So I prepared dinner for myself and plopped down on the couch to find something to watch while I ate. Flipping through the channels, I came upon a movie called "The Prince and the Showgirl". Suddenly there was Marilyn on the screen! A chill ran up my spine. I watched the movie until it was over. After the ending credits rolled a host appeared on the screen and explained that another 'Marilyn' movie was about to begin. Why? It was in honor of her BIRTHDAY! More chills ran up my spine. The date was June 1st and for some strange and spooky reason someone, somewhere was urging me to visit her grave site on her birthday!
A few days later I did go to visit her. I took some flowers to the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery and placed them in the vase nearby.
Needless to say I have been a huge fan of hers ever since and I have also delved into the mystery of her death. I even met author/detective Milo Speriglio shortly before he died. He spent tireless years of his life investigating it. I find it interesting that she was going to hold a press conference with journalist Dorothy Kilgallen on the Monday after her death to 'tell all' about her affair with the president. Supposedly she was starting to feel very humiliated by both of the Kennedy brothers and wanted to 'talk'. Dorothy Kilgallen died a mysterious death herself three years later.
I never did figure out who or what that voice whispering in my ear was all about. And, I don't want people to think that I 'hear voices' all the time. It was a mysterious anomaly and a memory that will always haunt me, so I thought I'd share it.
I hope that some day the truth comes out about what really happened to Marilyn. She was a brilliant actress, a beautiful woman and iconic sex symbol. I believe the public deserves to know because after all, that's who she belonged to.
“I knew I belonged to the public and to the world, not because I was talented or even beautiful,
but because I had never belonged to anything or anyone else.”
Marilyn Monroe
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To learn more about the mysterious death of Marilyn Monroe, visit: http://www.marilyndeclassified.com/
To learn more about Dorothy Killgallen, click on:
To learn more about Milo Speriglio click on: http://www.thrillingdetective.com/eyes/speriglio.html
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