How Many Times Was Marilyn Monroe Married?

Marilyn Monroe’s First Marriage: Details and Duration

Marilyn Monroe was married a total of three times during her life. Her first marriage was to James Dougherty, whom she married on June 19, 1942, at the age of 16. At the time, Dougherty was 21 years old and working as a merchant marine. The two had met while Monroe was still in high school and had begun dating shortly thereafter.

The marriage was not a happy one, however. Monroe had married Dougherty largely to avoid being sent to an orphanage after her mother was institutionalized, and she quickly realized that she was not in love with him. The couple separated in 1944, and their divorce was finalized the following year.

Despite the unhappy nature of their marriage, Monroe remained on good terms with Dougherty throughout her life. In fact, he was one of the few people who continued to call her by her birth name, Norma Jean. After her death, Dougherty would speak publicly about their relationship and even wrote a book about his experiences with her called “To Norma Jeane With Love, Jimmie”.

The Story Behind Marilyn Monroe’s Second Marriage

Marilyn Monroe’s second marriage was to baseball legend Joe DiMaggio. The couple met in 1952, and after a brief courtship, they were married on January 14, 1954, at San Francisco City Hall. The wedding was a media frenzy, with reporters and fans clamoring for a glimpse of the famous couple.

Despite the initial excitement, however, Monroe and DiMaggio’s marriage was troubled from the start. DiMaggio was known to be jealous and possessive, and he resented the attention that Monroe received from her fans and the media. Monroe, in turn, found DiMaggio to be controlling and demanding.

The couple separated just nine months after their wedding, and their divorce was finalized in October of that year. Despite the short duration of their marriage, however, Monroe and DiMaggio remained close friends for the rest of her life. In fact, it was DiMaggio who arranged for Monroe’s funeral after her death in 1962.

Marilyn Monroe’s Third Marriage and Its Impact on Her Career

Marilyn Monroe’s third marriage was to playwright Arthur Miller. The two met in 1951, and after a tumultuous courtship, they were married on June 29, 1956, at a civil ceremony in White Plains, New York.

Miller was seen as a serious and intellectual figure, and his marriage to Monroe was viewed by many as a surprising and unconventional pairing. Despite this, the couple seemed to be happy together, and Monroe even converted to Judaism in order to marry Miller.

However, their marriage was not without its challenges. Monroe’s struggles with addiction and mental health issues became increasingly apparent, and she often clashed with Miller over his work and his expectations for their relationship. The strain of their marriage took a toll on Monroe’s career as well, as she struggled to balance her personal and professional lives.

Monroe and Miller separated in 1961, and their divorce was finalized the following year. Despite the challenges they faced, however, Miller remained a supporter of Monroe’s throughout her life, and he was among those who spoke at her funeral in 1962.

The Short-lived Marriage of Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller

Marilyn Monroe’s marriage to playwright Arthur Miller was her shortest and most tumultuous. The two met in 1951, while Monroe was still married to her second husband, Joe DiMaggio. They began a relationship after Monroe divorced DiMaggio, and they were married on June 29, 1956.

The marriage was troubled from the start. Monroe struggled with addiction and mental health issues, and Miller was often away working on his plays. The couple also clashed over their differing expectations for their relationship, with Miller wanting a more traditional and domestic life and Monroe wanting to focus on her career.

Their difficulties came to a head during the filming of “The Misfits,” a movie written by Miller specifically for Monroe. The production was plagued with problems, and both Monroe and Miller were struggling with personal issues at the time. The strain of the film and their marriage took a toll on both of them, and they separated shortly after filming ended.

Their divorce was finalized in January of 1961, just five years after they were married. Despite the challenges they faced, however, Miller remained a supporter of Monroe’s throughout her life, and he was among those who spoke at her funeral in 1962.

Marilyn Monroe’s Final Days and Marriage to Joe DiMaggio

In the final years of her life, Marilyn Monroe struggled with addiction, mental health issues, and the pressures of fame. Despite these challenges, however, she maintained a close relationship with her second husband, baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

After their divorce in 1954, DiMaggio and Monroe remained in touch, and they even briefly rekindled their relationship in 1957. In the years that followed, DiMaggio continued to be a source of support and comfort for Monroe, and he remained a constant presence in her life.

In 1961, as Monroe’s mental health was deteriorating, she checked herself into a psychiatric hospital. It was during this time that DiMaggio re-entered her life, and the two began discussing the possibility of getting remarried. They were married in a private ceremony on August 8, 1962, but the marriage was short-lived.

Just a few weeks later, Monroe was found dead in her home. Her death was ruled a probable suicide, and it sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and the world at large. In the years that followed, DiMaggio remained fiercely protective of Monroe’s memory, and he continued to visit her grave regularly until his own death in 1999.