When you think of Marilyn Monroe, you think of a glamorous Hollywood icon. Probably standing over a grate while her skirt blows up or schmoozing Frank Sinatra. But even Marilyn had to start somewhere.
We cannot confirm or deny if she was eating cold beans out of a can in a crappy studio flat back in the early days, but we can confirm that she decided to pose naked to make some extra cash.
The pictures were taken by photographer Tom Kelley in 1949 at his studio in Hollywood, and 22-year-old Marilyn signed the releases Mona Monroe; she didn't want anyone to know the pictures were of her because "nice girls did not pose in the nude."
In Marilyn: Her Life in Her Own Words, she explained that she posed out of pure"desperation" and earned just $50.
Originally, 20th Century Fox decided to deny the pictures and warned Marilyn it could ruin her career, but Marilyn released an interview admitting that it was her and explaining how difficult her life was at the time.
The pictures were part of an exhibition organized by vintage poster and art storeLimited Runs and prints of the photos are still available through LimitedRuns.com. The 21 original color separations are believed to be worth millions.
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