Rare Facts You Never Knew About Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe was one of the most famous sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, and she's still one of the most recognizable icons of American culture. However, behind the scenes, things weren't quite so easy for the starlet.

How much do you really know about the beautiful bombshell?

Norma Jean

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean, a name she held until she became famous. Her mother was named Gladys Pearl Baker, who had escaped a nine-year-long abusive marriage with a man named John Newton Baker. Baker took their two children to Kentucky, leaving Gladys totally alone. To combat this, Gladys remarried a man named Martin Edward Mortensen.