She was born illegitimate on June 1, 1926, in the charity ward at Los Angeles General Hospital. Her mother, Gladys Baker
(nee Monroe) would call her Norma Jeane Mortenson but she would later use the name Baker too. The identity of her
father was uncertain. Gladys entered on Norma Jeane's birth certificate that the father was Edward Mortenson, a variation
on her ex husband Edward Mortensen's name, spelled with an 'e'. As time went on it is thought to have been a man who
worked with Gladys named Charles Stanley Gifford. Both men were long gone before Norma Jeane put in an appearance.
She was a beautiful infant, but unlike most children, she was placed into foster care when she was thirteen days old. She had
a very tough childhood, had little connection with her mother until a few years later when Gladys had saved up enough
money to mortgage a small house for them both to live. This would not last as Gladys could not cope with her mounting
debts, and her frail state of mind got her certified paranoid schizophrenic and she ended up institutionalized. Once again
Norma Jeane, by this time a very pretty child, ended up in various foster homes. Among the many things she would be
faced with would be sexual abuse and exploitation by the people who were supposedly looking after her. At 9 she was
placed in the Los Angeles Orphans Home by her guardian Grace Mckee, who had recently married "Doc" Goddard. Norma
Jeane had a strong spirit and made the most of what she had. One of the other kids remembered her as being a very
generous person who would never say no to you if you asked her for something. She lost herself in movies and would watch
films with Jean Harlow, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford and her favourite, Clark Gable. Outside her window she could see
RKO Studios and would cry as she knew her mother had worked there. She would also lose herself in daydreams of what it
must be like to work there & having people know you and love you. In 1937 Norma Jeane was rescued by Gladys' best
friend Grace McKee Goddard when she took Norma Jeane out of the orphanage to live with her and Doc Goddard.
She grew into a popular teenager, the boys gave her the attention she had craved all her life. And the girls took note too.
She excelled at English and did well at sports. For the next 5 years Norma Jeane would have the security that had eluded
her until this time. She also lived with and bonded deeply with Grace's Aunt Ana Lower. Marilyn would later refer to Aunt
Ana as the first person she truly loved. By Christmas 1941 Grace and Doc Goddard decided to move to West Virginia the
following year without her. It was a difficult time as without Grace, Norma Jeane would have to move back to the
orphanage. However, Grace came up with the idea of Norma Jeane marrying the handsome boy next door, James
Dougherty. In December 1941, Grace asked Jim to escort Norma Jeane to a company Christmas dance. By March 1942
they were going steady and by May they were engaged. In June, Norma Jeane Baker became Mrs James Dougherty, less
than three weeks after she turned 16. As Jim went overseas for the war effort, Norma Jeane did her bit by working in a
plane parts factory spraying fuselages. It was there that an US Army photographer named David Conover, taking photos of
the working women back home for the Army, discovered Norma Jeane. These would be the first professional photos ever
taken of Norma Jeane, which almost immediately led to her being signed to The Blue Book Model Agency. With a new
career and a husband overseas, Norma Jeane grew restless and requested a divorce from Dougherty with dreams of
stardom in her head. By 1946, Norma Jeane had made the cover of several national & international magazines and was one
of the most popular models. By now she had desires to act. She caught the attention of 20th Century Fox head of talent,
Ben Lyon and signed a 6 month contract. He changed her name to Marilyn after actress Marilyn Miller and she choose
Monroe, her mother's maiden name.
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