Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Invitation to Join the Hollywood Motion Picture & Television Museum

A personal invitation to join the founding members of the exclusive Hollywood Museum Associates Board of Directors.

“The Hollywood Museum Associates Board of Directors extends to Marilyn Monroe the honor to become one of the founder members, and to enjoy the full privileges of its association with the County of Los Angeles Hollywood Motion Picture and Television Museum.”

Also present are two typed related notes with handwritten notations, one being in Marilyn’s own hand. The first handwritten note on an insert with the invitation reads, “Dear Marilyn, Do so hope you will join this exciting project- Fondly, Sybil-” Sybil being Sybil Brand, wife of Harry Brand, longtime head of publicity for 20th Century Fox.

The second note is a message from Cherie Redmond, Marilyn’s last secretary from January, 1962 until her death. This note to Marilyn reads, “Miss Monroe, I may be wrong – but I have a sort of feeling not everyone is asked to become a founder member…..the list is not long, although it is impressive. The life membership fee is $1,000 – it is tax deductible though – Would you like me to discuss it with Mr. Rudin? cherie” Mr. Rudin being Marilyn’s attorney. To which Marilyn responds in her own hand, “Yes I’ll do it – Make out check please”

Also included with the invitation to Marilyn was an architectural rendered image of the museum.

Cherie Redmond

From the book “Marilyn: The Last Months” by Eunice Murray: While she was in Mexico City buying paintings for her home, Marilyn had a difficult time choosing between two similar oils of an adobe house at twilight. One had a light in the window; the other did not. It seemed strange that she hesitated so long before deciding on the painting with the light. “This one looks lived in,” she said at last. “It has so much more warmth.” If this symbolized a hesitancy to dare to dream of a warm home life of her own, by spring and summer of 1962, the decision was made, Marilyn allowed herself a light in the window. But only for her friends. The new sanctuary must not be violated by people she felt out of harmony with. This fact became very clear to Eunice when she heard about the new business secretary Marilyn’s attorney had hired.

“She must never be allowed in my home,” Marilyn told Eunice in Mexico City. Marilyn and her secretary had traveled to New York together the week before the Mexican trip to arrange for business files to be sent to Twentieth Century-Fox. They had stayed together in Marilyn’s New York apartment, and then the clash in personalities had arisen. “Mr. Rudin says she’s a good secretary, and I guess she is,” Marilyn said. “But she can’t be one of my close friends.”

Marilyn’s reaction had been adverse from the moment she heard her name from the attorney. “Cherie?” Marilyn had said on the phone. “Oh, no, not another Cherie!” That had been Marilyn’s name in the movie, Bus Stop.” “Couldn’t she have another name?” Marilyn asked unreasonably, as if that name belonged once and for all to the naive dance-hall girl in Bus Stop. Cherie was an excellent secretary, capable enough to be earning $250 per week to handle Marilyn’s business affairs. But Marilyn insisted, “She is not one of the people who will be invited to my home.” Later, when Cherie needed to have Marilyn sign checks, Marilyn arranged to have her give any papers or checks to Eunice at the gate of her home. Any information for Marilyn had to be in writing. Marilyn had a week in New York to observe her, and had formed a sudden judgment. “I don’t want her advice about anything but business matters,” she said. “Besides,” Marilyn added with a whimsical glint in her eye, “She drank up the last of my Dom Perignon.”

The note from Cherie to Monroe is date stamped April 9, 1962, just four short months before Marilyn’s death.

Important activities in Marilyn’s life around this time include:
-Initial filming of Something’s Got To Give – April 21, 1962
-JFK’s birthday celebration at Madison Square Garden – May 19, 1962

Provenance:

Julien’s Auctions: Property from the Estate of Marilyn Monroe, June 4, 2005