The price Marilyn paid to sing “Happy Birthday” to Kennedy
On April 11, 1962, from one of the offices in the west wing of the White House, Kenneth O'Donnell, special assistant to President John F. Kennedy, wrote the following letter on official paper: “Dear Miss Monroe: Many, many Thank you for accepting the invitation to appear at the President's birthday party at Madison Square Garden on May 19. Her appearance will guarantee tremendous success in this matter and a tribute to President Kennedy. With best wishes. Sincerely, Kenneth O'Donnell ”. In this way, one of the most famous birthday parties of all time was launched, which, without knowing it, was the last public act of Marilyn Monroe, the recipient of that letter.
Although JFK had its birthday on May 29, the political agenda prompted the president to advance that celebration in 1962 to May 19. But if things were difficult for the occupant of the White House, they were no less so for the main guest at the event that was to be held at Madison Square Garden in New York and where Maria Callas, Henry Fonda, Ella Fitzgerald were also scheduled to perform. , Bobby Darin, Jimmy Durante, Jack Benny or Peter Lawford. A blockbuster actually intended to raise money for the Democratic Party and which caused Marilyn quite a bit of trouble.
In those days, the actress was trying to rebuild a career and her image. She was alone after a rocky marriage to writer Arthur Miller and wanted to start her own projects, especially a biopic about Jean Harlow, the first platinum blonde on the big screen and with whom she felt deeply identified. But her contract with Fox, the studio she was hired for, still required her to make a movie for them. Among all the projects proposed to her, the chosen one was a silly and low-budget comedy titled “Somenthing’s got to give” where it would be directed by George Cukor and would share the screen with Dean Martin, Cyd Charisse and Wally Cox. For Fox it was easy money at the box office thanks to the appearance of a star who had never been treated with much respect. For Marilyn it was the possibility of definitely fleeing from "that company", as she contemptuously called it. Under their contracts, Cukor and Martin would charge $ 300,000 respectively for their participation. Marilyn only 100,000.
Things were regular: Marilyn continued to have the fear of always being in front of the cameras, but once she got over it there was no one to get over her. However, at the same time, problems began with a script that was poorly written and that knew new variations every week. To this had to be added several health problems on the part of the actress that forced her to suspend her presence on the set on more than one occasion. All of this meant that Cukor had to figure out how to make the most of the time and keep the film's cast busy.
In the midst of that chaos, Marilyn received O'Donnell's letter. As everyone knows, she said yes and went to New York to sing happy birthday to the president of the United States. Yes, there had been something between them. Kennedy was fascinated with her and she was attracted to him, but it did not happen overnight. As the interpreter confessed to her masseur Ralph Roberts, the experience was better to forget. For her part, her friend Susan Strasberg would say that “Marilyn would not have wished for a continued relationship with JFK, even in her worst nightmare. She had been fine with spending a night with a charismatic president and was attracted to the secrecy and excitement that came from it, but he was not the man for her at all, and she made that very clear to all of us. "
Marilyn was accompanied by her ex-father-in-law Isidore Miller and paid the thousand dollars that the entrance cost. Somewhat drunk and with her usual delay, she appeared on stage presented by Peter Lawford. There she sang the "Happy Birthday" mixed with the song "Thanks for the Memory". After everyone's performances, Kennedy addressed the artists and said a few words to each one. She told Marilyn that "after hearing that Happy Birthday sung in such a sweet and pure way, I can retire from politics."
There was a small end of the party outside Madison Square Garden, a reception at Arthur B. Krim's residence that featured a little musical performance. Several photographs of the celebration are preserved in the JFK Library. Marilyn did not separate from her ex-father-in-law and left there with him. For her part, Kennedy and her entourage marched in the direction of Washington. The actress never saw the politician again.
A storm awaited Marilyn in Hollywood. Although he still shot some more scenes, including the famous nude bath in a pool, the absences and problems soon began, the same as those of the first days of filming, although now multiplied. She was fired. Actually, Fox was looking for an excuse to end a movie whose budget had exploded.
The studio was facing ruin as its entire budget was lost at that time with the blockbuster "Cleopatra" starring Elizabeth Taylor. Fox sued Marilyn and wanted to replace her with Lee Remick, but Dean Martin refused to continue on "Something's Got to Give" if his friend did not return. So they also sued Dean Martin.
Filming was canceled. A few weeks later they tried to save the movie. On August 1, Marilyn was rehired, who would now earn $ 250,000. But they were late: four days later she was found dead at home.
