Marilyn Monroe’s Famous Lovers: John F. Kennedy, Marlon Brando, and More

…Were you a fan of Marilyn Monroe?

Marilyn Monroe is one of the most popular women in the world, even 60 years after she’s gone. Originally named Norma Jeane Mortenson, and shortly after called Norma Jeane Baker, she was a beautiful American actress and singer.

Her beauty, voice, curves and fashionable sense of style transformed her into a Hollywood icon, and people everywhere were obsessed with watching her in movies or seeing her walk on the red carpet.

But besides all those artistic and glamorous movies she starred in, people were very curious to know more about her love life. Who were the men who managed to win the heart of the most desired woman in the world?

While we’re on the subject, it’s worth saying that one of her close friends, photographer Sam Shaw, who himself was thought to be her boyfriend, once claimed that if Marilyn was involved with every man who says he was with her, she would’ve never had time to make those incredible films.

If you’re curious to know who used to own the heart of the most attractive blonde on the planet, read along with us to find out! Hint: some people say that John F. Kennedy and Marlon Brando were 2 of her lovers. Is that true? Let’s find out!

1. Jim Dougherty

Long before she became the icon Marilyn Monroe and when she was only a teenager, 16-year-old Norma Jean married Jim Dougherty, who was her colleague at Van Nuys High School.

It seems like their relationship used to be happy, but they grew apart after a few years of marriage when her husband joined the Merchant Marines and Norma Jean began a career in modeling. The divorce paper was signed in 1946.

During an interview she gave for a magazine in 1976, he said that if he wouldn’t join the Merchant Marines during World War II, Norma Jean would still be his wife.

…We have no idea if she would’ve been happy in a marriage with Mr. Dougherty, but we can only imagine!

2. Charlie Chaplin Jr.

There are some people who say that one of the most famous lovers of Marilyn Monroe was Charlie Chaplin Jr., the son of the beloved comedian and actor Charlie Chaplin.

It’s believed that they were in a relationship in 1947, but the whole thing ended when the boyfriend caught her in his brother’s bed. Charlie Chaplin Jr. shared more details about their connection and their affairs in his autobiography and not many sources say a lot about them.

Even author Anthony Summers says a few things about this particular relationship in a book called “Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe”, but we have no idea what is true and what is simply a rumor.

…Have you ever heard about this book?

3. Natasha Lytess

This might come as something new for many people, but there are some rumors saying that Marilyn Monroe wasn’t only attracted to men; she had feelings for women as well.

The whole thing started in 1948 when the blonde superstar was introduced to Natasha Lytess, her future-adored acting instructor. Over the course of the following 8 years, the pair would become almost inseparable on and off set, which made a lot of people think that there was an actual romantic connection between them.

As their bond became stronger and stronger, the actress started refusing to record scenes unless her tutor was there. Sources say that Marilyn wanted to take a step further in her career, and she even moved to Lytess’ house to practice for her part in the 1952 film “Don’t Bother to Knock.” As you can imagine, rumors persisted that she was hiding something.

Whether they had a relationship or not, Lytess was well-known for her partnership with Columbia Pictures and, of course, the blonde icon, and she even convinced the staff to hire the actress for a 6-month period.

Marilyn had an interview with people from a magazine and told them that, although Natasha Lytess was an excellent educator, she became quite envious of the male attention she received. She said that her teacher believed that she was her partner, so she was a bit possessive at times. However, in 1956, the 2 women reached an agreement to go their own ways.

…But this wasn’t the only rumor regarding her relationships with women! 

There was also some gossip that she was involved with Marlene Dietrich and Barbara Stanwyck, but she put those “accusations” to rest in her 1954 autobiography.

She said that there was a man who once kissed her and told her that there was a possibility that she might’ve been attracted to women because she had no response to men, especially to him.

She added that she didn’t say anything to him because she had no idea what she was. But now that she had fallen in love with a man and knew what a good relationship should be, she was sure that she was interested in men.

4. The Kennedy brothers

The most notorious of Marilyn Monroe’s supposed relationships are the ones that involved John F. Kennedy and his younger brother, Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy.

Some people even said that Jackie Kennedy actually knew that her husband was involved in different affairs, but she didn’t care that much, as long as those flings didn’t affect her or her family.

But when it came to Marilyn Monroe, things were completely different. Rumors say that the Hollywood star called Jackie one time and told her that the President promised her that he’d end his marriage and take her as his wife instead.

You would expect the first lady to have a bad reaction and say mean words to her husband’s mistress, a woman who told her that she was going to break her family. However, Jackie felt that the actress was only a simple woman who was deeply in love and believed the man who lied to her.

Mrs. Kennedy remained calm and told Marylin that it was perfectly fine if she wanted to marry the President. She’ll move in at the White House, then she’ll take on all the responsibilities of being the wife of the head of state, which means that she’ll have to handle all the problems.

After the conversation she had with the Hollywood star, she went to her husband and told him that she would like him to leave Marilyn Monroe alone.

Some claim that there were whispers of an affair between them after her seductive rendition of “Happy Birthday” at the president’s 45th birthday party at Madison Square Garden on May 19th, 1962.

Others say that after the President didn’t want to be with Marilyn Monroe anymore, she suggested that it might be better if she were with his brother. Moreover, some rumors even suggest that the star was killed by the politicians in order to keep the affairs a secret, but there aren’t any clear sources to confirm it.

Speaking of sources, we have no idea if it’s true that the blonde icon was romantically involved with the Kennedys or if she ever spoke to Jackie, but we know for sure that her life and her death are still mysteries.

5. Joe DiMaggio

In 1952, after Joe DiMaggio went on a blind date with Marilyn Monroe, he told a friend that she was like a great double-play combination.

The star was surprised by the renowned baseball player since she too desired a family and a stable home life. Instead of a flamboyant New York sports type, she thought she had met a reserved man who didn’t make an immediate move on her. She continued by saying that he made her feel like a treasure.

They tied the knot in a low-key ceremony at San Francisco City Hall on January 14th, 1954, the place where he grew up. However, their marriage wasn’t exactly the happiest. Sources say that it was because DiMaggio was used to being the center of attention, so his wife’s meteoric rise to stardom first disturbed him.

However, only 9 months after their wedding, in October, the couple filed for divorce. The thing that annoyed DiMaggio the most was the famous white dress subway scene in “The Seven-Year Itch,” which her partner found completely awful.

Her spouse wanted Marilyn to refuse to star in movies where she needed to reveal her body and when he noticed that she exposed her legs and thighs and made so much fun of herself, he got mad and was even violent.

Despite this, they remained close friends, and DiMaggio continued to send flowers to Marilyn Monroe’s grave 3 times a week for 20 years after she had passed away.

6. Marlon Brando

Marlon Brando was a very popular actor, especially for giving life to the character Stanley Kowalski in “A Streetcar Named Desire.” He was an actor with a lot of talent, so when he played Terry Malloy in “On the Waterfront,” he won an Academy Award.

After Marilyn Monroe’s divorce from Joe DiMaggio and before she began dating Arthur Miller in 1955, rumors began to circulate that the 2 famous actors were having an affair.

We have no idea whether that’s true or not, but there are quite a few pictures where they’re spotted together, and we can say that they would’ve made such a good couple.

Marilyn Monroe was accompanied by Brando to the premiere of “The Rose Tattoo,”  and the 2 stayed friends until Monroe’s death in 1962.

… Did you know that Marlon Brando received an Academy Award for his role as “Don Vito Corleone” in the movie “The Godfather”? Have you ever watched it?

7. Arthur Miller

This is the last husband the beautiful blonde had. When Marilyn Monroe 1st met the writer and playwright in 1950 on the set of “As Young As You Feel,”  she said it was love at 1st sight. But they had a few problems before they could be happy together.

After she and DiMaggio’s marriage ended and she relocated from Hollywood to New York City in 1955, they reconnected. It seemed that love brought them back to one another. They started dating in secret and eventually tied the knot in 1956. Things were good for a while, but nothing is forever, right?

During the interview, Marilyn said that Arthur was the first man she truly loved, and they were very compatible. The blonde and talented girl was actually happy for a while. She added that even though he seemed very serious at 1st, he actually had a fantastic sense of humor. There was a lot of joking and laughter among them, but it wasn’t meant to last.

Before she became famous, Marilyn Monroe thrived in a more low-key environment. There were many moments in her life when she wished she wasn’t famous. Some people say that she only wanted a family, but she never had children.

After she got married, Miller’s kids quickly became attached to her and started to rely on her for all of their caretaking needs. Their relationship started to fall apart when the actress returned to Miller’s “The Misfits.”

According to sources, the fact that she began using drugs caused the most problems between them, and they no longer got along. In 1961, shortly before the movie’s premiere, she and Miller filed for divorce after 5 years of marriage.

Even sadder is that Marilyn Monroe died of an overdose in 1962, only 19 months after they broke up, and her death is still a mystery.

…If you want to know more about the famous people of our history, we recommend checking out this article: 9 Famous Personalities and the Stories Behind Their Nicknames!