Marilyn Monroe’s Personal Miss America Pageant Photograph
A vintage 8″x11″ photograph from the personal collection of Marilyn Monroe.
On September 2, 1952, Marilyn took part in her one and only Miss America beauty pageant, as “Grand Marshal,” the first woman to fulfill this honorary role. The event was held at the Atlantic City Convention Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Marilyn’s presence was arranged as part of the Twentieth Century-Fox publicity drive for the launch of her latest film “Monkey Business.” During the festivities, she was asked to pose with several women from the armed services.
In this photo, Marilyn poses with four representatives of the women’s armed services taking part in the week-long pageant. From left: WAC Sgt. Yvonne Pitt of Thorpe, Wisconsin; WAVE Frances McDonald of Longmont, Colorado; Marine Sgt. Mary M. Jamison of Miami, Florida; and WAF Sgt. Carol A. James of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Film and Entertainment Auction
June 22, 2006
Collector’s Note
What I find most interesting about this photograph is what Monroe chose to keep. Fox arranged her appearance at the 1952 Miss America Pageant as a publicity exercise for Monkey Business. It was a studio assignment, not a personal milestone. And yet she held onto this photograph, not a glamour shot from the event, but a posed group photo with four servicewomen. That she preserved it at all says something about how she regarded the moment. It was not a photograph of Marilyn Monroe the star. It was a photograph of five women at a public event.
Scott Fortner
Marilyn Monroe Collection
Founder & Owner
@mariylnmonroecollection 
TheMarilynMonroeCollection