Anna Strasberg: April 16, 1939 – January 6, 2024
With a very heavy heart, I write to share that my friend Anna Strasberg, third wife of Marilyn’s acting coach and mentor Lee Strasberg, passed away on January 6, 2024. In my work with Julien’s Auctions, I came to know Anna very well. I know that many Marilyn Monroe fans have very strong feelings about the Strasbergs. I can personally say, however, that she was very misunderstood. Intensely private, she rarely let Marilyn fans in. In fact, I may be the only one. At first, out of respect, I called her “Mrs. Strasberg.” During one of my many visits to her home in New York, she finally said, “Scott, call me Anna. My friends call me Anna.” In our many talks she would tell me, “I can’t talk about Marilyn to anyone else. You’re the only one who gets it.”
I can say unequivocally that Anna was a Marilyn Monroe fan. She did her best to promote and protect Marilyn. With that said, it wasn’t a position she relished or asked for. Lee didn’t even know he was in Marilyn’s will until after she died. In knowing Anna, I came to understand that in some ways, inheriting Marilyn’s estate was both a blessing and a burden.
In the photo below, Anna and I are sitting at her dining room table, in the same apartment in which Lee and Paul lived with Susan and John. She very much loved animals. Here, she’s petting my dog Milo.
I’ve written twice about Anna Strasberg, once in 2016, and again in 2019. If you’d like to learn more about the REAL person who has been such a mystery in the Marilyn community for decades, click the links below.
The Marilyn Monroe Collection Exclusive Interview with Anna Strasberg
Finding Marilyn Monroe with Anna Strasberg
Rest in peace, Anna. It was my honor to know you and call you friend.
