The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe
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Narrated by:
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Robert Petkoff
About this listen
When Marilyn Monroe became famous in the 1950s, the world was told that her mother was either dead or simply not a part of her life. However, that was not true. In fact, her mentally ill mother was very much present in Marilyn's world, and the complex family dynamic that unfolded behind the scenes is a story that has never before been told...until now.
In this groundbreaking book, Taraborrelli draws complex and sympathetic portraits of the women so influential in the actress' life, including her mother, her foster mother, and her legal guardian. He also reveals, for the first time, the shocking scope of Marilyn's own mental illness, the identity of Marilyn's father and the half-brother she never knew, and new information about her relationship with the Kennedy's - Bobby, Jack, and Pat Kennedy Lawford.
Explosive, revelatory, and surprisingly moving, this is the final word on the life of one of the most fascinating and elusive icons of the 20th century.
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A lively and colorful biography of Hollywood's first superagent - one of the most outrageous showbiz characters of the 1960s and 1970s, whose clients included Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neal, Faye Dunaway, Michael Caine, and Candice Bergen. Before Sue Mengers hit the scene in the mid-1960s, talent agents remained quietly in the background. But staying in the background was not possible for Mengers.
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A little long.
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She Made Me Laugh
- My Friend Nora Ephron
- By: Richard Cohen
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 10 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Award-winning journalist Richard Cohen, wrote this about his "third-person memoir": "I call this book a third-person memoir. It is about my closest friend, Nora Ephron, and the lives we lived together and how her life got to be bigger until, finally, she wrote her last work, the play, Lucky Guy, about a newspaper columnist dying of cancer while she herself was dying of cancer. I have interviewed many of her other friends - Mike Nichols, Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Arianna Huffington.
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Loved it!
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By: Richard Cohen
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Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted
- And All the Brilliant Minds Who Made the Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic
- By: Jennifer Armstrong
- Narrated by: Amy Landon
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Mary Tyler Moore made her name as Dick Van Dyke's wife on the eponymous show; she was a cute, unassuming housewife that audiences loved. But when screenwriters James Brooks and Allan Burnes dreamed up an edgy show about a divorced woman with a career, network executives replied: "Americans won't watch television about New York City, divorcées, men with mustaches, or Jews." But Moore and her team were committed, and when the show finally aired, in spite of tepid reviews, fans loved it.
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An Interesting Story That Never Quite Gets Told
- By S. Blythe on 07-26-13
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You Might Remember Me
- The Life and Times of Phil Hartman
- By: Mike Thomas
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Both joyous tribute and serious biography, Mike Thomas' You Might Remember Me is a celebration of Phil Hartman's multi-faceted career and an exhaustively reported, warts-and-all examination of his often intriguing and sometimes complicated life - a powerful, humor-filled and disquieting portrait of a man who was loved by many, admired by millions and taken from them far too early.
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I Will Remember You Phil Hartman
- By Roxanna on 12-19-14
By: Mike Thomas
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Without Lying Down
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Cari Beauchamp masterfully combines biography with social and cultural history to examine the lives of Frances Marion and her many female colleagues who shaped filmmaking from the early teens through the 1940s. Frances Marion was Hollywood's highest paid screenwriter - male or female - for almost three decades, wrote almost 200 produced films and remains the only woman to win two Academy Awards for original screenwriting (The Big House and The Champ).
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A Must Read
- By Robert Wallace on 03-19-19
By: Cari Beauchamp
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Crossing Over
- By: John Edward
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- Length: 4 hrs and 45 mins
- Abridged
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In Crossing Over, John brings his listeners with him on the extraordinary journey that has been his life since his New York Times best seller One Last Time was published in 1998. In the style of his TV show and personal appearances (poignant, funny, and remarkably candid) John deals head-on with the controversial issues he has confronted on his voyage as a psychic medium. Listeners might be surprised to learn that it hasn't always been smooth sailing.
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Intriguing and entertaining
- By Betty on 05-10-09
By: John Edward
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Nevertheless
- A Memoir
- By: Alec Baldwin
- Narrated by: Alec Baldwin
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One of the most accomplished and outspoken actors today chronicles the highs and lows of his life in this beautifully written, candid memoir.
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Embarrassingly petty
- By Stacey Robinson on 09-20-18
By: Alec Baldwin
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High Society
- The Life of Grace Kelly
- By: Donald Spoto
- Narrated by: George K Wilson
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In just seven years---from 1950 through 1956---Grace Kelly embarked on a whirlwind career that included roles in 11 movies. From the principled Amy Fowler Kane in High Noon to the thrill-seeking Frances Stevens of To Catch a Thief, Grace established herself as one of Hollywood's most talented actresses and iconic beauties.
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Find a better Grace Kelly biography, I'd skip this
- By Daniel on 08-20-12
By: Donald Spoto
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Ladies Who Punch
- The Explosive Inside Story of "The View"
- By: Ramin Setoodeh
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When Barbara Walters launched The View, network executives told her that hosting it would tarnish her reputation. Instead, within 10 years, she’d revolutionized morning TV and made household names of her cohosts: Joy Behar, Star Jones, Meredith Vieira, and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. But the daily chat fest didn’t just comment on the news. It became the news. And the headlines barely scratched the surface. Based on unprecedented access, award-winning journalist Ramin Setoodeh takes you backstage where the stars really spoke their minds.
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Please never let this author narrate again! Ever!
- By Sean McCormack on 04-05-19
By: Ramin Setoodeh
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Furious Love
- Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century
- By: Sam Kashner, Nancy Schoenberger
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He was a tough-guy Welshman softened by the affections of a breathtakingly beautiful woman; she was a modern-day Cleopatra madly in love with her own Mark Antony. For nearly a quarter of a century, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton were Hollywood royalty, and their fiery romance - often called "the marriage of the century" - was the most notorious, publicized, and celebrated love affair of its day.
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Paul Boehmer needs more practice
- By Brenda Miller on 06-16-10
By: Sam Kashner, and others
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Marilyn Monroe had the most famous face of the 20th century. A legendary actress, comedienne, and sex symbol, she has been one of Hollywood’s most talked-about performers ever since she first crossed the silver screen. Her fame persisted long after her tragic death—but as time has gone by, it has become almost impossible to separate the legend of the woman born as Norma Jeane from the truth. Now, at last, Marilyn’s real story can be told.
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Drawing on secret police files, Marilyn Monroe's private diary, and never before published first-hand testimony, this book proves that Robert Kennedy was directly responsible for her death. It details the legendary star's tumultuous personal involvement with him and his brother, President John Kennedy, and how they sought to silence her. The new evidence and testimony is provided by Mike Rothmiller who, as a detective of the Organized Crime Intelligence Division of the LAPD, had direct access to hundreds of secret files on exactly what happened at Monroe's home on August 5, 1962.
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Barbara Leaming's Marilyn Monroe is a complex, sympathetic portrait that will totally change the way we view the most enduring icon of American sexuality. To those who think they have heard all there is to hear about Marilyn Monroe, think again. Leaming's book tells a brand-new tale of sexual, psychological, and political intrigue of the highest order.
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Moving and intelligent
- By NYCLady on 05-05-24
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After Camelot
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A Fantastic Listen!!! Highly Recommend!
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Marilyn Monroe, born to deprivation and a series of foster homes, became an acting legend of the 20th century. She married famous men, Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, and her many lovers included President John F. Kennedy. Her death, at 36, is a mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Anthony Summers interviewed 600 people for this book, which reveals unknown truths, some funny, some very sad, about this brilliant but troubled woman. First to gain access to the files of Monroe's last psychiatrist, he throws light on Monroe's troubled psyche.
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Fascinating and very plausible
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Charles Casillo studies Monroe’s life through the context of her times - in the days before feminism. Before there was adequate treatment for bipolar disorder. Starting with her abusive childhood, this biography exposes how - in spite of her fractured psyche - Marilyn managed to transform each celebrated love affair and each tragedy into another step in her journey towards immortality. Casillo fully explores the last two years of her life, including her involvement with both John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert, and the mystery of her last day.
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What listeners say about The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
- bluemoon
- 04-02-15
Finally!!
In depth account of the legend Monroe void of the ever murder theory . Gave a good insight into her childhood without the usual so call molestation and abuse so many historians have embellished to the point of religion.. Good and clear account . Unfortunately the murder conspiracies will always overshadow the obvious.
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- Mason W.
- 02-22-17
A good Marilyn tale
This is a good capture of Marilyn's life that leaves you thinking about many of her options and society at the time.
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- JayefromJersey
- 08-01-14
Truly was a secret
Would you listen to The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe again? Why?
No , once was enough
What was one of the most memorable moments of The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe?
How she lived with her husbands, she truly was abused.
What does Robert Petkoff bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
He did a good job with his narration, but I think it would have been better if it was a female narrator.
If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Marilyn, she really was not a dumb blonde
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5 people found this helpful
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- Joan
- 04-18-12
Great!
I never knew how interesting biographies could be. This is a fascinating book about a fascinating woman. A great listen!
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5 people found this helpful
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- Private
- 12-01-11
Excellent story as well as narration!
This was a very fascinating story and the narrator did a great job in expressing emotions behind the words.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Jazzy
- 11-02-16
Great listening
Excellent book, a lot I did know about MM. very informative. You'll enjoy it. Thanks
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- Linda
- 05-21-12
Interesting but not earthshaking.
A well-performed, well-written biography of an icon. There is nothing startling in the book but it is a good all round account of the life of a Hollywood personality. Marilyn Monroe appears to be yet another personality used and abused by the system prevalent in Hollywood.
I cannot recall having heard the word "however" used more frequently by a writer. It became something of a distraction.
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6 people found this helpful
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- Tess64
- 04-23-12
I was somewhat dissapointed with the story.
Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?
I would not recommend this to a friend. My first biography on Marilyn and I was disappointed. The book jumped around so much it was hard to follow. The narator was the only bright spot.
Which character – as performed by Robert Petkoff – was your favorite?
Marilyn of course.
Could you see The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?
No
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3 people found this helpful
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- Deb
- 05-06-12
The ring of truth....
What about Robert Petkoff’s performance did you like?
I thoroughly enjoyed Mr Petkoff's performance, not many men would be able to give voice to Marilyn Monroe, but he certainly does. I will look for other titles which he narrates.
Any additional comments?
The life of Marilyn Monroe is surely one of the most popular biographies of modern times. Most, however, have the feeling of sensationalism. This book feels more realistic and down to earth. I feel like I have heard the 'real' story of the her life.
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4 people found this helpful
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- Vanessa Laloggia
- 04-11-19
Author Poor
The author could not use the word “moreover” more 🙄 throughout the entire book. Poorly written
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2 people found this helpful