The Marilyn Monroe Century: From Norma Jeane to Icon—A Story in Photographs [9781419789359]

Overview

Unseen photographs and private diary entries from Marilyn Monroe’s closest photographer reveal the woman behind the icon.

A lavishly produced tribute, this gift-ready visual biography features a lenticular cover that brings an iconic moment to life. 

Published to commemorate what would have been Monroe’s 100th birthday, The Marilyn Monroe Century features rare photographs by Bruno Bernard, also known as Bernard of Hollywood, that have never been publicly released. It traces the emotional and artistic evolution of Norma Jeane Mortenson into Marilyn Monroe. 

More than a collection of photographs, The Marilyn Monroe Century unfolds as a cinematic narrative. Bernard was the only photographer who witnessed and helped shape the full arc of Norma Jeane’s metamorphosis into Marilyn Monroe.

Personal writings from Bernard, commentary from contemporary Hollywood voices, including Academy Award–winning director Sean Baker, and a foreword by actress, activist, and filmmaker Rose McGowan bring new emotional depth to Monroe’s life and legacy.

Authors Joshua John Miller, Bernard’s grandson, and Mark A. Fortin open Bernard’s archive for the first time to reveal the story of a lost friendship, of the appeal of fame and the drive to create the everlasting image of this American Dream. 

In 1999, The Museum of Modern Art declared Bernard's legendary photograph Marilyn in White―capturing Monroe on the Twentieth Century Fox backlot as her white dress billowed above a subway grate―the symbol of the century. This single image defined 1950s Hollywood glamour and continues to echo across pop culture in songs, films, artwork, and more today.

Appearing inset on this book's beautiful clothbound cover, a lenticular print re-creates this famous moment―the sudden lift of Monroe's skirt, which shifts as the book is tilted up and down.

Bernard was not simply the creator of this iconic image; his role in Marilyn’s life was far more profound. A bond forged early in her career sparked an intimate dialogue between a young woman discovering herself and the photographer who recognized her potential long before the world did. His photographs and diary entries reveal a Marilyn rarely seen: playful, thoughtful, ambitious, and fully aware of the persona she was creating for herself.

Joshua John Miller and Mark A. Fortin tell the family story behind the myth of Marilyn, through Bernard’s personal diaries and previously unpublished correspondence, as well as memories and personal perspectives. They chronicle the complex friendship between two outsiders who found solace in one another.