A couple of weeks ago I saw a documentary about Marilyn Monroe and her life: "American Masters" Marilyn Monroe: Still Life. In the documentary the story is connected through the photos taken of her by her friend photographer Milton H. Greene.
One of the things I found out was that Marilyn Monroe had a big part in helping Ella Fitzgerald launch a career as a mainstream singer. Marilyn found out that Mocambo, a popular jet set night club in Hollywood, would not book Ella Fitzgerald as a performer because of segregation.
Marilyn phoned the manager and told him that she would book a front row table every night Ella performed there, knowing that her presence would get a lot of reporters there and a lot of publicity for the club.
Ella Fitzgerald was booked and Marilyn Monroe kept her promise.
Have you seen the documentary? What do you think? Tell me.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Marilyn Monroe & Ella Fitzgerald
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1 comment:
I see noone respond to your post. And it's a big error. I am a Marilyn Monroe, and very like jazz music too. So, I can speack about this subject that I know very well. The too women seen herselfs too times. November 1954 when Marilyn helpeld Ella for the Mocambo and 1961 at the Crescendo Club of Los Angeles. The complicity that linked the women was very visible on the photos that was published of them together. They have sing 5 songs in commun : haet wave, my heart belongs to daddy, thanks for the memory, that old black magic and a fine romance. Off course the voice and interpretation of Fitzgerald was better. But people must to know that the gest of Monroe rests in the memory of Ella. It was a great and big gest for song. Today it seems natural, but at this time in United States it was very different.
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