Marilyn Monroe

1926–1962

10 genuine quotes, each found in the text, and 7 wrongly credited to Monroe.

American film actress, born Norma Jeane Mortenson in Los Angeles, one of the most popular film stars of the 1950s, in comedies such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot; she died at 36. Her own words survive in interviews, an as-told-to memoir and private notes published long after her death, and many lines spoken in her films are a character’s. The internet credits her with a great many sayings she is not known to have said.

Check a Monroe quote

EndpaperAn AI‑generated pattern made for this page, in the manner of Saul and Elaine Bass’s conceptual film graphics (1954–1995).

Genuine Monroe quotes

  1. But when you’re famous you kind of run into human nature in a raw kind of way.

    Marilyn Monroe interviewed by Richard Meryman, LIFE (1962), authorized edited reprint in The Guardian, Great interviews of the 20th century (September 2007), Richard Meryman interview for LIFE (1962), as reprinted in September 2007.

  2. That’s the trouble, a sex symbol becomes a thing. I just hate to be a thing.

    Marilyn Monroe, interview with Richard Meryman, “Marilyn Monroe lets her hair down about being famous: ‘Fame will go by and—so long, I’ve had you’,” LIFE 53, no. 5, 3 August 1962, beginning p. 31; full interview reprinted with Meryman’s letter by The Marilyn Monroe Collection, Richard Meryman interview, LIFE, 3 August 1962, p. 36, column 3.

  3. It’s nice to be included in people’s fantasies but you also like to be accepted for your own sake.

    Marilyn Monroe interviewed by Richard Meryman, LIFE (1962), authorized edited reprint in The Guardian, Great interviews of the 20th century (September 2007), Richard Meryman interview for LIFE (1962), as reprinted in September 2007.

  4. An actor is not a machine.

    Marilyn Monroe, interview with Richard Meryman, Marilyn Lets Her Hair Down About Being Famous, LIFE, 3 August 1962; full interview transcription published by The Marilyn Monroe Collection, Richard Meryman interview, LIFE, 3 August 1962; opening clause of the paragraph about creativity and an actor’s humanity.

  5. But fame is not really for a daily diet, that’s not what fulfills you. It warms you a bit but the warming is temporary. It’s like caviar, you know, it’s good to have caviar but not when you have it every meal every day.

    Marilyn Monroe interviewed by Richard Meryman, LIFE (1962), full-interview transcription published by The Marilyn Monroe Collection, Richard Meryman interview for LIFE (1962), paragraph on fame as a temporary happiness.

  6. Fame will go by and, so long, I’ve had you fame.

    Marilyn Monroe, interview with Richard Meryman, Marilyn Lets Her Hair Down About Being Famous, LIFE, 3 August 1962; full interview transcription published by The Marilyn Monroe Collection, Richard Meryman interview, LIFE, 3 August 1962; final paragraph of the published interview.

  7. I had the radio on.

    TIME, “Cinema: Something for the Boys,” 11 August 1952, publisher’s online archive, TIME, “Cinema: Something for the Boys,” 11 August 1952, paragraph about the 1949 calendar photograph.

  8. I’m not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.

    Pete Martin, The New Marilyn Monroe, part one, The Saturday Evening Post, 5 May 1956; republished by the magazine in April 2016, Pete Martin, The New Marilyn Monroe, part one, 5 May 1956; anecdote from a member of the Fox legal staff.

  9. I sleep in Chanel Number Five.

    Pete Martin, The New Marilyn Monroe, part two: Here She Talks About Herself, The Saturday Evening Post, 12 May 1956; republished by the magazine in April 2016, Pete Martin, The New Marilyn Monroe, part two, 12 May 1956; Monroe’s explanation of her bedtime remark.

  10. I don’t understand why people aren’t a little more generous with each other.

    Marilyn Monroe interviewed by Richard Meryman, LIFE (1962), authorized edited reprint in The Guardian, Great interviews of the 20th century (September 2007), Richard Meryman interview for LIFE (1962), as reprinted in September 2007.

Quotes wrongly credited to Monroe

  1. I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.

    Not found. It is not in Monroe’s works, and who first wrote it is not known.

  2. A sex symbol is a heavy load to carry when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.

    Misattributed. The sources checked credit this remark to Clara Bow, speaking about Marilyn Monroe, not to Monroe herself. The original Bow document has not been inspected here.

  3. If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.

    Not found. It is not in Monroe’s works, and who first wrote it is not known.

  4. Well-behaved women rarely make history.

    Misattributed. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich wrote it, not Monroe.

  5. I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.

    Not found. It is not in Monroe’s works, and who first wrote it is not known.

  6. Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.

    Misattributed. Bette Midler wrote it, not Monroe.

  7. Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.

    Not found. No authenticated Marilyn Monroe source was located. A 2006 newspaper already credits the maxim to her, but its authorship and first attribution remain unresolved.

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