The Kentucky Explorer -- November 2013 -- Page 51 594, adjacent to the crypt of her sister, Mrs. Mabel Rondeau. In 1933, Joseph Schenck was the first president of United Artists when he partnered with Darryl F. Zanuck creating 20th Century Pictures before they merged with Fox Film Corporation in 1935, creating 20th Century Fox. As president, Schenck became one of the most influential people in the film industry. Anita Loos’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes: Diary of a Professional Lady was originally published in 1925 as a magazine series prior to the book’s first edition becoming a runaway best seller earning the praise of “The great American novel of 1927.” The following year the book won additional merit after being adapted for a stage audience; the greatest praise of all would follow after Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was released in 1928 as a silent movie. (No copies are known to exist.) Schenck had always envisioned Mary Nolan playing Lorelei Lee, but his friend, author Anita Loos, was leery of such an idea with the outcome of the role going to lovely natural blond actress, Ruth Taylor (Taylor died in Palm Springs in 1984, aged 79. She was the mother of actor and writer Buck Henry). Disappointed by such turn of events, Schenck, nonetheless, retained his fixation on the Lorelei Lee character, hoping one day he would find that special actress who would bring Lorelei to life in sound. In 1946 that day occurred when Joseph Schenck noticed Marilyn Monroe walking down a sidewalk of 20th Century Fox. Telling his chauffeur to pull over, he waited until Marilyn was passing alongside his vehicle. He smiled, then she smiled before a conversation ensued. Schenck was 68-years-old when he took an immediate liking to Marilyn. As an unknown actress, and sort of recognizing Schenck as a prominent Hollywood figure she had seen around, she accepted an invitation to a dinner party at his home the following week. As time passed, Marilyn became a regular at Schenck’s small intimate dinner parties, and a friendship grew. Schenck remained Monroe’s friend, mentor and promoter until his death in 1961, a year prior to Marilyn
dying from acute barbiturate poisoning on August 5, 1962, at age 36. Ironically, Mary Nolan died in 1946 two years prior to the meeting of Schenck and Monroe, so whether Nolan and Monroe’s paths ever crossed is very questionable. Marilyn Monroe surely filled the shoes of Lorelei Lee and Schenck realized this shortly after Monroe became a regular at Schenck's cozy dinner parties. He chose Monroe’s birthday party at his home June 1, 1952, to inform her that she had won hands-down the role of Lorelei Lee, making both of their dreams a reality. Marilyn and Mary shared many passages in life and death: Both were orphaned at a young age, had mental problems, had psychiatric counseling, were difficult to work with, became international stars, died at home in their beds, were single at that time, appeared on covers of motion picture magazines, and both supposedly committed suicide from barbiturate poisoning. Mary was born in Kentucky, whereas Monroe’s mother married a Kentuck-
ian and lived in Louisville a brief spell. Contrary to what’s been published, Marilyn was named for Norma Jeane Cohen, a Louisville child; not Norma Shearer and Jean Harlow. Reference: My Sister Marilyn by Berniece Baker Miracle, 1994. Robert and Berniece Baker, halfsiblings of Marilyn Monroe, lived at Pineville, Bell County, Kentucky. Eighteen German silent films credited Mary as Imogene Robertson. Seventeen American films billed Mary Robertson as Mary Nolan. Marilyn Monroe appeared in 28 films, her first being Dangerous Years, filmed in 1948. Monroe played bitparts in her first 14 films, when in 1952 she received top billing in the film Niagra with Joseph Cotton, launching her career as a serious actress. Her final film, in 1961, was The Misfits with Clark Gable; which also served as Gable’s final film.
Ward Harrison, 1800 Dutch Lane, Lot 21, Jeffersonville, IN 47130, shares this article with our readers.
Nickell Family, Menifee County, Ky.
Linda Nickells Hollon, 500 Santa Barbara Drive, Middletown, OH 45042, shares these photos. In the left photo is Ruth Lawson Nickell holding her daughter, Linda Nickell Hollon, ca. 1948. In the right photo, Ruth is holding her daughter Phyllis Nickell Hurt, ca. 1957. These photos were taken at Wellington, Menifee County, Kentucky.
The oldest bank in Kentucky is the Bank of Maysville which opened for business in 1835..