How old would Marilyn Monroe be today and how old was she when she died? (2024)

Marilyn Monroe achieved much and resonated with many during her tragically short life.

She's one of the most famous women in history, who's tale continues to be told to this day. At present, audiences are learning new details of Marilyn Monroe's world in the Netflix film Blonde - which sees The Gray Man and No Time to Die actress Ana de Armas stepping into the iconic blonde beauty's shoes.

Unsurprisingly, many want to know how true the movie Blonde is - including details of her death and what happened in the aftermath to her estate, to how old Marilyn Monroe would be today if she were still alive. We answer many of your questions here.

How old would Marilyn Monroe be today?

Marilyn Monroe would be 96-years-old if she were alive today. The American actress - real name Norma Jeane Mortenson - was born on June 1, 1926 at the Los Angeles County Hospital in California.

According to The Estate of Marilyn Monroe the star was known to the public as Norma Jeane from 1946 until 1956, when she changed her name to Marilyn Monroe. Fans to this day still like to mark Marilyn's birthday on social media, often sharing some of her best quotes or their favourite photos of her alongside their tribute.

How old was Marilyn Monroe when she died?

Marilyn Monroe was 36-years-old when she died at her home in Brentwood, Los Angeles on August 4, 1962. The official coroners report ruled her cause of death as acute barbiturate poisoning (overdosing on sedative and sleep-inducing drugs).

Deputy coroner Thomas Noguchi further classified Marilyn's death as a probable suicide, due to the dosage of the drugs in her body being several times over the legal limit. Several empty pill bottles were found next to Marilyn's bed.

It was her housekepper Eunice Murray who raised the alarm over Marilyn. During the early hours of the morning on August 4, she saw a light on in Marilyn's bedroom but was unable to get a response. She got in touch with the star's psychiatrist, Ralph Greenson who then broke into the bedroom via the window - to find Monroe dead on her bed. The official death pronunciation came at 3:50am by Marilyn's physician Hyman Engelberg.

August 4, 2022 officially marked 60 years since Marilyn's passing.

Where is Marilyn Monroe's grave?

Marilyn Monroe's grave is in an above-ground tomb at the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California. She is Crypt number 24 at the cemetery's Corridor of Memories. Other celebrities buried at the site include Dean Martin, Gene Kelly, Farrah Fawcett and Natalie Wood.

Fans are able to visit her resting place in person. Scott Shetler of Quirky Travel Guy shared his experience of visiting the cemetery and learnt niche details about the crypt. "Here’s a fascinating fact: The name plate on the grave has to be replaced periodically, because the lipstick kiss marks that fans leave on it cause oxidation and wear over time," he wrote.

Marilyn's funeral was also held at the cemetery - 4 days after her death on August 8, 1962. It was arranged by her second husband and baseball star Joe DiMaggio, alongside her half-sister Berniece Baker Miracle and business manager Inez Melson.

Being such a beloved star, the funeral drew crowds of hundreds, who gathered on the streets surrounding the cemetery to pay their respects.

Who inherited Marilyn Monroe's money?

It was Marilyn Monroe's acting coach Lee Strasberg who acquried 75% of the late actress's intellectual property and estate. According to publication NPR, Lee and his first wife Paula "were like surrogate parents to Monroe".

The further 25% was given to New York psychiatrist Dr. Marianne Kris, who the star felt was instrumental in helping her to understand her personal issues.

In a 2012 interview with NPR, Sarah Churchwell, author of The Many Lives of Marilyn Monroe explained: "She felt that [Kris] was very helpful and sympathetic. She found that [Kris] was starting to help her understand what it was that she was going through.”

Following Lee Strasberg's death, his second wife Anna put many of Marilyn's most famous possessions up for auction with Christie's. The iconic crystal embellished gown Marilyn wore to wish President John F. Kennedy's "happy birthday" in sold for over $1 million in 1999. Popstar Mariah Carey also purchased Marilyn's baby grand piano (that originally belonged to her mother) for more than $600,000.

Marilyn Monroe: Net Worth

Celebrity Net Worth predicts that Marilyn Monroe’s net worth was around $800,000 upon her death - this equates to around $7.8 million in 2022.

Joyce Carol Oates, who wrote the book Blonde (which the Netflix film is based on) explains why Marilyn's fortune might not be as much as you were expecting. "She gained a fame in the world, but that’s not an identity you can live with. It is one that made a lot of money for a lot of men, but not much for herself," she told Variety. "When she died, at 36, she didn’t own enough money for a proper funeral."

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