Saturday, August 10, 2024

Fini

Monroe's death didn't slow Strasberg's use of her name and memory to make money.

On March 23, 1963, Strasberg told reporters about the Marilyn Monroe Fund, which he hoped to raise the $250,000 Marilyn's donation would've given to the Studio. He expected 100 founders would donate at least $2500 to bankroll the idea. It would fund the construction of additional rehearsal space, the expansion of studio activities, and the provision of financial assistance to newcomers. Lee said, "She was vitally interested in getting young people started." And that actress's friends wanted to create a permanent memorial to her. "The feeling grew that something in connection with the studio would be most appropriate. Unrealized.

Shelia Graham reported on June 23 that Strasberg would direct Rain, with Shirley Knight playing Sadie and Pat Hingle playing Davidson.


Paula Strasberg died from cancer in 1966. Lee remarried within a year to a woman who never met or knew Marilyn, yet controlled her possessions and likeness for decades. While she donated Monroe's items to various fundraisers, she needed to ensure the security of MM's possessions. In 1993, items were stolen from a 14' by 16' wire-enclosed storage unit at the Chelsea Mini Storage, including the dress worn when Monroe serenaded Happy Birthday to President Kennedy and the white Seven Year Itch costume. Everything but the white dress was recovered, except for the white dress.


The first auction of Marilyn's personal effects, held in 1999 by Christie's, brought in an astonishing $13 million. Others followed in 2007 and finally in 2016.


After Lee died in 1982, Anna licensed Marilyn's image through CMG Worldwide, which generated tens of millions of dollars in royalties for her. When that deal expired in 2010, she sold MM's image to Authentic Brands Group in 2011 for $20 million. After living a luxurious life on the work of others for decades, she died in January 2024.


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Maugham's Sadie Thompson lives on in other performances since 1961, including......


Having played the role on a tour, Edie Adams discussed the possibility of reviving Serling's script in 1963 and 1966. (Oddly, no copies of any versions of Serling's scripts can be located in the repositories of his works. Though each has an extensive collection of papers, scripts, audio tapes, and more, anything connected to this project seems to have disappeared.)


A version was finally filmed in London with Carol Baker, a Monroe contemporary from the Actors' Studio, taking on the role.

Madeline Leroux starred in an off-Broadway revival that closed in three weeks, but it featured a young John Travolta in its cast.


Roz Kelly (Happy Days' Pinky Tuscadero) starred as Sadie in Ron Link's off-Broadway musical version of Rain in 1970.


Cher as Sadie Thompson on the Sonny and Cher Show, February 1973 episode.


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