Sumith Prasad
Netflix’s biographical film ‘Blonde’ revolves around the personal and professional lives of the remarkable Marilyn Monroe. The fictionalized film offers a gateway to some of the most secretive phases of the actress’ life, which were hidden by the spotlight of being a Hollywood icon in real life. The film also explores her relationship with her second and third husbands, the legendary baseball player Joe DiMaggio and the renowned playwright Arthur Miller. She uses the word “daddy” to call both of them. Since Andrew Dominik’s creation is part fiction and part true story, the viewers must be eager to know whether Monroe really called her husbands “daddy” in real life. Let us share the answer!
DiMaggio and the Echoes of Daddy
Marilyn Monroe’s first marriage was to James Dougherty, a police officer who worked in the LAPD, at the age of 16. Monroe grew up without the presence of a father, and her mother, Gladys Pearl Baker, suffered from mental illness. When she got admitted to a mental hospital, the then-16-year-old married Dougherty reportedly to avoid returning to an orphanage. As per sources, Monroe did call Dougherty “daddy” and reportedly saw him as a father figure rather than a husband. Their marriage came to an end in 1946.
In 1954, Monroe married Joe DiMaggio. According to reports, Monroe also called DiMaggio “daddy.” As per Richard Ben Cramer’s ‘Joe DiMaggio: The Hero’s Life,’ Joe even signed his letters to the actress, “Pa.” There aren’t any reports that suggest Monroe called her third husband Arthur Miller the same but it is possible that she did, especially considering how she saw her first two husbands. According to Charles Casillo’s ‘Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon,’ Monroe did see Miller as her father figure. “Miller was her [Monroe’s] current father figure, savior, and lover, and she clung to that, throwing all her emotional resources into it to make it legitimate,” Casillo wrote in the book.
Monroe had tried her best to find her father, who reportedly abandoned her mother when she got pregnant with the former. Over the years, Monroe’s biographers have expressed how she had tried to fill the void of her father with men who were romantically involved with her. According to Monroe’s acting coach Natasha Lytess, the actress seemingly was even aware of her “father issues.” According to J. Randy Taraborrelli’s ‘The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe,’ Natasha wrote about discussing Monroe’s “father issues” with the actress during a long trip.
Author Charles Casillo believes that Monroe did try to find her father in the men she shared her life with. “She [Monroe] put all her hopes in the men she was with. It’s what she was always looking for — this is my father, this is my savior. She was a lady born into turmoil, and she spent the rest of her life looking to be saved,” Casillo said about the same, as per New York Post.
Read More: Did Marilyn Monroe Have an Affair with Charlie Chaplin Jr. and Edward G. Robinson Jr.?
