More than 50 years after her tragic early death, Marilyn Monroe remains one of Hollywood's biggest stars. Fans still obsess over her movie roles in classics like Some Like It Hot, and any piece of her memorabilia instantly becomes a part of Hollywood history.
But behind the glamour, Monroe's life was anything but perfect. Her struggles with 3 marriages, drug addiction and infidelity make her seem much more human than any other Hollywood star.
One of the most revealing looks into her short life comes from the love letters in her "lost archives," a collection of never-before-seen letters and mementos she left to her acting coach Lee Strasberg after her death.
Among the many stars who sent letters to Monroe - including Cary Grant, Jane Russell and Marlon Brando - was her second husband, New York Yankees player Joe DiMaggio.
Just days after Monroe tearfully announced she was breaking up with DiMaggio, he wrote a letter begging her to come back home.
"My heart split even wider seeing you cry in front of all these people and looking as though you were ready to collapse at any second," DiMaggio wrote.
"I can tell you, I love you, sincerely "“ way deep in my heart, irregardless of anything. Will you call me tonight if you should receive this letter by then? It will be happily received."
The letter sold for over $70,000 at auction - which may seem like a lot for one letter, but everything related to Marilyn Monroe sells for record-breaking prices. A much juicier letter from the star's third husband was also up for auction.
Click the next page to read about the affairs that tore her marriage apart!
After splitting with DiMaggio, Monroe married Arthur Miller, the award-winning playwright who wrote Death of a Salesman. The writer was madly in love with the star, and it shows in a racy letter he sent her during the first year of their marriage.
Miller gets very adult, describing his X-rated feelings towards the movie star, but also shares a heartfelt confession about their relationship.
It seems that Miller and Monroe were both seeing other people, and the playwright wanted to clear the air.
"I have sinned, Marilyn," he wrote, "I am no better than you in any way. I can hate every man you were ever with but I can't hate you."
Sadly, it seems like the relationship never recovered from the strain of the affairs. Miller and Monroe divorced in 1961, just a year before her early death.
Miller's letter to Monroe sold for over $40,000, along with dozens of other mementos, and some clothing including her iconic black velvet dress.
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