Marilyn: The Untold Story

Marilyn: The Untold Story
Genre Biography
Drama
Written by Norman Mailer (novel)
Dalene Young
Directed by Jack Arnold
John Flynn
Lawrence Schiller
Starring Catherine Hicks
Richard Basehart
Frank Converse
Jason Miller
Music by William Goldstein
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
Production
Producer(s) Lawrence Schiller
Cinematography Terry K. Meade
Editor(s) Jack Gleason
Patrick Roark
Running time 156 minutes
Production company(s) Schiller Productions Inc.
Distributor ABC
Release
Original network ABC
Original release September 28, 1980

Marilyn: The Untold Story is a 1980 television film, about the life of the 1950s sex symbol-movie star, Marilyn Monroe. The feature stars Catherine Hicks as Monroe; Richard Basehart as her early-career agent Johnny Hyde; Frank Converse as her second husband Joe DiMaggio; Jason Miller as her third husband Arthur Miller; Kevin Geer as her first husband James Dougherty; Viveca Lindfors as her acting coach Natasha Lytess; and Sheree North as her mother Gladys Baker.

The movie premiered in late-1980, and was greeted with positive reviews.[1] Catherine Hicks was praised by the critics for her portrayal of Monroe, as were others including Richard Basehart, Frank Converse, Sheree North and Jason Miller, playing fellow playwright Arthur Miller.

Summary

The movie begins with a young Marilyn (then Norma Jeane), as an orphan in California. The feature progresses with the young girl growing up and superstar dreams fill her head, and she eventually marries, starts modelling, divorces, signs a contract with 20th Century Fox, and changes her moniker to Marilyn Monroe. The movie also takes a view of her personal life; with her husbands, baseball-star Joe DiMaggio, and with playwright Arthur Miller. As with her personal life, the movie shows a great deal of Monroe's life in the public eye, showing her rise to stardom, her career peak, and her tragic final years. The film ends with the mysterious death of the star.

Cast

Award Nominations

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special- 1981 Emmy nomination

Outstanding Achievement in Makeup - 1981 Emmy nomination

Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special -1981 Emmy nomination

Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special - 1981 Emmy nomination

Production

John Flynn later recalled:

I quit about two-thirds of the way through, because [producer] Schiller kept interfering with the production, changing my camera set-ups, changing the wardrobe. Schiller is a very bright guy, but he drove me up the wall with his constant meddling, to the point where I literally had my hands around his neck one day. So I left and Schiller brought in Jack Arnold to finish the picture. I shot all the footage with Richard Basehart, Catherine Hicks and John Ireland, who was terrific as director John Huston. I cast this picture very carefully. Sheree North was outstanding as Marilyn’s crazy mother. Jocelyn Brando (Marlon’s sister) had a small part as Marilyn’s grandmother, and she made the most of it. Catherine Hicks was good, but she was kind of an imitation of Marilyn Monroe. I begged Bonnie Bedelia to take the part of Marilyn, but she turned it down. She was a great actress and an absolute knockout back then. I thought Bonnie would have been brilliant as Marilyn. Even Schiller agreed to cast her, but Bonnie wouldn’t do it.[3]


Hicks auditioned three times for the role of Marilyn before given the role.[4] In an April 2015 radio interview, she said ABC wanted Ann Jillian for the part, but Larry Schiller fought for her. [5]

Sheree North, who portrayed Marilyn mother Gladys in the movie, was under contact to 20th Century-Fox at the same time as Marilyn Monroe, and said she coached Catherine Hicks on playing Marilyn.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Hal Erickson, Rovi. "Marilyn: The Untold Story (1980)". New York Times: Movies. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  2. ↑ http://www.emmys.com/shows/marilyn-untold-story
  3. ↑ Harvey Chartand, "Interview with John Flynn", Shock Cinema 2005 accessed 16 February 2015
  4. ↑ http://blog.tvstoreonline.com/2014/03/catherine-hicks-looks-back-at-her-emmy.html
  5. ↑ http://coopertalk.net/
  6. ↑ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1755&dat=19800821&id=xJwcAAAAIBAJ&sjid=22cEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6688,2726384&hl=en
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