Beschreibung:

COLLECTION OF CONTRACTS COVERING MONROE’S EARLY CAREER AT FOX. The following documents are housed together in brown wraps, printed on cover “Agreement between Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation and Marilyn Monroe / Dated April 11, 1951.” Covering the years 1951 to 1955, they provide an overview of Monroe’s meteoric career and subsequent estranged relationship with the studio. Present are the following: 1. Typed Carbon Signed (“Marilyn Monroe”), 16 pp, 4to, Los Angeles, April 11, 1951, being a copy of Monroe’s renegotiated contract with the studio, also signed by F.L. Webster as Studio Treasurer, some creasing and thumbing to leaves, final page notarized. After eye-catching roles in All About Eve, The Asphalt Jungle, and Love Nest, Monroe was suddenly a much more bankable actress—and as a result, was able to renegotiate her contract with Fox, raising her salary to $500 a week the first year, and increasing exponentially after that. 2. Typed Carbon Signed ("Marilyn Monroe"), 1 p, 4to, Beverly Hills, April 18, 1952, on Twentieth Century-Fox letterhead, exercising the studio’s option to pick up her contract for another year, also signed by Lew Schenck, page lightly toned. 3. Typed Carbon Signed (“Marilyn Monroe”), 2 pp, 4to, Beverly Hills, October 13, 1952, on Twentieth Century Fox letterhead, giving Monroe permission to appear on two episodes of the Edgar Bergen Radio Program for the purpose of promoting Monkey Business, also signed by Lew Schenck, pages lightly toned. This document confirms that Monroe may keep the honorarium she receives from the Bergen program. 4. Typed Carbon Signed (“Marilyn Monroe”), 2 pp, 4to, Beverly Hills, February 13, 1953, on Twentieth Century Fox letterhead, granting Monroe permission to appear on the Martin & Lewis radio program to promote Niagara, also signed by Lew Schenck, pages lightly creased and toned. 5. Typed Carbon Signed (“Marilyn Monroe”), 1 p, 4to, Beverly Hills, April 3, 1953, on Twentieth Century letterhead, exercising the studio’s option to pick up her contract for another year, also signed by Lew Schenck, light toning. 6. Typed Carbon Signed (“Marilyn Monroe”), 1 p, 4to, Beverly Hills, April 8, 1953, on Twentieth Century-Fox letterhead, confirming a revision of Monroe’s 1951 contract stating that all communications from the studio must be delivered in writing to her agent, also signed by Lew Schenck, light toning. Bound in with the Monroe documents are 9 other letters, most unsigned or signed secretarially, of Frank Ferguson, 9 pp, 4to, Beverly Hills, January 4, 1954 to January 20, 1955, all to Marilyn Monroe documenting her deteriorating relationship with the studio. The first letter places Monroe on suspension for failing to report for Pink Tights, the next two implore her to show up for a meeting with the producer of the film Sol Siegel, and the fourth suspends her until the termination of her contract. The remaining letters, beginning in January of 1955, invite her to a wardrobe consultation with Charles LeMaire for the film, How to Be Very, Very Popular (one delivered to her personally on the set of The Seven Year Itch), then follow a familiar pattern of rescheduling her appointments before suspending and then terminating her. See illustration.