Original Photograph Of Marilyn Monroe With Milton Greene And Edward R. Murrow, April 1955

A Historic Moment Connecting Monroe, Her Closest Collaborator, And America’s Most Trusted Journalist

Marilyn-Monroe-Milton-Green-Edward-Murrow

This original photographic print captures Marilyn Monroe alongside her business partner and photographer Milton Greene and legendary broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow in April 1955. The photograph was likely taken by Hal Berg, Greene’s assistant at the time, and was later donated to The Marilyn Monroe Collection by the Milton Greene Archives.

The image documents Monroe at a pivotal moment, shortly before her historic appearance on Murrow’s television program Person To Person. Standing at the center of the photograph, Monroe is flanked by two men who played significant roles in shaping both her public image and her professional independence. To her right stands Greene, whose creative and business partnership with Monroe helped establish Marilyn Monroe Productions. To her left stands Murrow, one of the most respected figures in American journalism, whose program brought viewers into the private lives of prominent public figures.

Notably, Monroe is wearing her black wool suit, an important artifact preserved separately within The Marilyn Monroe Collection. Its presence in this photograph provides a rare opportunity to connect a documented personal possession directly to a specific historical moment in her life.

This photograph captures Monroe during a year of profound transformation. In 1955, she had relocated to New York, established her own production company, and begun redefining her career on her own terms. Images such as this reflect her emergence not only as a film star, but as an independent creative force and cultural figure of international importance.

Marilyn Monroe And Her Appearance On Person To Person

Person To Person was one of the most influential television programs of its era, airing live from 1953 to 1961 and hosted by Edward R. Murrow. The program offered viewers unprecedented access to public figures, presenting them in their own environments rather than through studio constructed interviews.

Murrow introduced each broadcast with the now famous words, “Good evening, I’m Ed Murrow. And the name of the program is Person To Person. It’s all live. There’s no film.”

Monroe’s appearance on the program marked an important moment in her effort to reshape public perception. Rather than presenting a carefully controlled studio persona, the broadcast allowed audiences to see Monroe as she wished to be seen: articulate, thoughtful, and self aware.

Her collaboration with Milton Greene during this period proved equally significant. Together, they formed Marilyn Monroe Productions in 1955, allowing Monroe to exercise unprecedented control over her career and artistic direction.

Related Collection Artifact

Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Wool Suit

Category:

Marilyn Photographs

Item:

Rare Print Taken by Hal Berg Documenting Monroe Before Her Appearance on Person To Person

Archival History:

Donated to The Marilyn Monroe Collection by the Estate of Milton Greene

Collector’s Note

This photograph represents a rare convergence of three influential figures whose work shaped American culture in the mid twentieth century. Captured at the precise moment Monroe was redefining her career, it documents her partnership with Milton Greene and her engagement with Edward R. Murrow, whose program introduced her to audiences in a profoundly different way. The presence of Monroe’s personal black wool suit, preserved separately within the collection, further strengthens the photograph’s importance as a documented moment in her life.