Marilyn Monroe Handwritten Note on Lee Strasberg Memo Paper
From the Personal Files of Marilyn Monroe: This brief handwritten note in graphite was written on memo paper bearing the printed name of acting teacher Lee Strasberg. The document dates broadly from the late 1950s into the early 1960s, when Monroe was actively studying Method acting at the Actors Studio.
The text reflects Monroe’s engagement with core principles of her training, including openness to emotional experience and the importance of genuine reaction in performance. Informal in format and execution, the note appears to capture a moment of personal reflection rather than formal class documentation.
Written in Monroe’s hand, the note reads:
“The human Being is built for things to happen to him. Don’t criticize how much of the object you are getting.”
Preserved among her personal papers, it provides direct evidence of Monroe’s intellectual and practical investment in developing her craft during a formative period of her artistic life.
Below: Monroe and Strasberg
Collector’s Note
As a collector, I find handwritten notes like this especially useful because they show Marilyn Monroe thinking about acting in her own words.
This small sheet of memo paper connects her directly to Lee Strasberg and to the environment of the Actors Studio, where she was working to deepen her technique and redefine how she approached performance.
What stands out is the immediacy. The note is not polished or explanatory. It appears to record a passing idea or internal reminder. For that reason, it offers a clearer sense of process than more formal documents.
Items like this help shift the focus from the roles Marilyn played to the effort she invested in becoming a more serious actor. They document not publicity or myth, but intention and study.
Scott Fortner
Marilyn Monroe Collection
Founder & Owner
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