This Iconic Marilyn Monroe Scene Might've Led To Her Divorce
On January 14, 1954, one of the most unusual pairings in recent history made it official. In San Francisco's City Hall, Marilyn Monroe married retired New York Yankee outfielder, Joe DiMaggio (via Museum of the City of San Francisco). Twelve years her senior and the second marriage for both American icons, the press (and the world) instantly fell in love with the pair (via History).
In 1952, the recently retired DiMaggio had a date arranged with Monroe through a mutual acquaintance (Via Biography) after seeing the rising star's photo in the paper. The meeting between the pair went better than expected with Monroe herself detailing the experience in the book "Marilyn Monroe: The Biography" by Donald Spoto (via Google Books): "I expected a flashy New York sports type and instead I met this reserved guy who didn't make a pass at me right away." In fact, it went so well that Marilyn went on to say that she and Joe had dinner "almost every night for two weeks," after their first date.
Jealousy smoldering
Their romance flared so hot that by mid-January '54, the pair were wed. Joe described their relationship in an interview: "When we got together in the bedroom, it was like the gods were fighting. There were thunderclouds and lightning above us." (via New Y Post) That passion, however, bled outside the bedroom, creating a tumultuous union. Jealousy reared its ugly face almost immediately. DiMaggio was taken aback by the level of Monroe's growing fame. While honeymooning in Japan (via History) the actress was asked to perform for the troops in nearby Korea. Monroe agreed, leaving her bridegroom unhappy and alone.
The press, normally DiMaggio's allies, began ribbing him about the blonde bombshell. According to the book "Joe and Marilyn: Legends in Love" by C. David Heymann the press took to referring to Joltin' Joe as "Mr. Marilyn Monroe (via Google Books)," which only further angered the former Yankee slugger further.
The Seven Year Itch
Many believe, though, that it was the filming of "The Seven Year Itch," that was the breaking point for DiMaggio. In the latter half of 1954, Monroe began filming the movie, for 20th Century Fox. DiMaggio made the crucial error of sneaking onto the set during the filming. According to The Life and Times of Hollywood, DiMaggio watched in horror as Marilyn, wearing a short white dress, stepped onto a subway grate causing her skirt to fly up. While the crew cheered at the flash of the bombshell's legs, DiMaggio was reportedly horrified. Leaving in a fit of rage, DiMaggio allegedly beat the movie star later in her hotel room (via The Life and Times of Hollywood).
And while there is no viable proof that the subway scene was the straw that broke DiMaggio's camel's back, many believe this to be the case. However, DiMaggio vehemently denied that claim, stating the real reason for their breakup was over kids. Monroe, who suffered from endometriosis, was unable to have children, which in the end, was the reason DiMaggio gave for ending their marriage (via New York Post) after only 9 months together.