Part Two

Unknown to the executive, Marlowe had already considered Monroe for Sadie Thompson. "It was obvious that Marilyn Monroe was the actress to do it for television in the Sixties." She met Monroe at a party where the subject was briefly discussed and then received an invitation to tea by the actress. Marlowe remembered, "It was all very pleasant, but very brief, for the time was the defeating element. Miss Monroe had too many picture commitments." She told the New York Times, "I started to work on the idea of Rain and Marilyn Monroe a year ago. Although her agents had never been able to get her to do television, I talked to her about it, and she said she was interested but would have to wait until she finished a picture and returned to New York. When she returned from the coast, we started working on it, and now the lawyers are drawing up contracts."

Marilyn's name to play Sadie had been mentioned as early as February 4, 1956, in a syndicated column, "Marilyn Monroe can do all the T.V. her blonde heart desires, watch for her to play Sadie Thompson in Somerset Maugham's television version of Rain – in the spring, tra la... Linda Darnell hoped to play Sadie, but with Marilyn there first, she'll probably settle for Liliom on Producer's Showcase. And again on February 24, columnist Tom O'Malley informed his readers, "Marilyn Monroe has practically consented to portray that classic fictional doxy, Miss Sadie Thompson, to Gregory Peck's Rev. Davidson as an N.B.C. spectacular. The National Broadcasting Company was hurting in the ratings and was also looking to sign Gary Cooper to star in Dodsworth and Ingrid Bergman in an unnamed future production."

The blurbs appeared just as Marilyn was preparing to film Bus Stop, the first of four films for the studio under her new contract and the first in conjunction with Marilyn Monroe Productions, the company she formed with photographer and business partner Milton Greene to produce projects she felt stretched her as a dramatic actress. Marilyn first met Greene in late 1953, and within a year, the pair planned and executed her January 1955 escape from Twentieth Century Fox studios and Hollywood to New York City. Set to begin production in early March and finish in June, Perhaps Monroe and Greene hoped to finalize and film Rain before the actress left for England to begin The Prince and the Showgirl, co-starring and directed by Lawrence Olivier. It's interesting to note that this time, photographs were taken on Fox's back lot by Milton of Monroe, dressed in one of her costumes as "Cherie"― tight black skirt, green patterned half-blouse, mended fish-net hose, and black pumps with a chain strap purse ― instead of a chanteuse she plays in the film, one can undoubtedly picture a lady-of-the-evening. The series of prints offered by the Greene Archives of this shoot is called the "Hooker Series." Was Marlowe holding the exclusive rights to Maugham's television works, and were behind-the-scenes negotiations occurring with MMP? Were these photos taken to show a possible sponsor?

Marilyn's name didn't appear connected to Sadie's again until November 15, 1957, in Hal Eaton's Speaking of Television column: "Master-minds of one of America's largest corporations are knocking their brains out to readjust or increase the company's 58'-'59 advertising budget. They need $6 million for five one-hour spectaculars submitted exclusively to them within the last ten days. Live specials will star Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier." The corporation was N.B.C., and the spectaculars were Maugham-based, submitted by Marlowe. The Peacock Network was willing to spend $1.2 million to ensure its rise in the ratings against C.B.S. and A.B.C.

Marilyn was one of the few faces proven to draw audiences from their living rooms into the theaters, so it made sense that face could keep millions in their rooms. Until now, Monroe's only appearances had been a 1951 Royal Triton Oil commercial, a skit on the Jack Benny Show in 1953, and an interview with Green and his wife Amy on Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person in 1955. (Comedian Jackie Gleason jokingly offered the actress $15,000 to appear on his show,"$14,000 to inhale and $1,000 to exhale.")