C20th Marilyn Monroe

The golden age of Marilyn Monroe magazine covers ! Marilyn was a popular choice as cover girl on not only fanzines but general-interest titles too, with each new movie release prompting a rash of Marilyn covers. European magazines of this period are very different in character to American titles, and often use hand coloured images.

REGAL: 1st May 1953

Marilyn is uncredited on the cover of this pocket sized French magazine. The content consists of cheesy photographs of nude girls - not including Monroe !

PICTUREGOER: May 9th 1953

Stunning, dark portrait of Monroe. One page feature inside, with a further image. SOLD

PHOTOPLAY: August 1953

Not to be confused with the American magazine of the same name, this issue has a publicity shot for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes on the cover. SOLD

PICTURE POST: 15th August 1953

Cover has Marilyn with Jane Russell in a posed publicity shot for "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes". Inside: seven photos of Monroe, mostly relaxing at home, in a rather bizarre three page feature describing her as "Eve of 1953".

SIGHT & SOUND: January 1954

Betty Grable and Lauren Bacall join their How To Marry A Millionaire co-star on the cover of this British title.

PICTUREGOER: January 16th 1954

Great cover, and interesting article inside about the new look being given to their star by Fox. Four small pictures, and an interesting early discussion of Marilyn's acting talent.

PICTURE SHOW: September 25th 1954

Marilyn shares the cover with Robert Mitchum, in a publicity shot for "River of No Return". Ten images from the film accompany a feature inside.

PICTUREGOER: October 23rd 1954

The classic image from "The Seven Year Itch". Inside, a further six stills from the sequence. SOLD

PICTURE SHOW: September 10th 1955

Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell in a publixity shot for "The Seven Year Itch", plus small inset of Monroe wearing a pair of earrings which are offered as a prize. As well as the competition, there is also a 12-photo feature on the movie inside.

THE SHOWGIRL: issue 21, c.1956

Great hand-coloured portrait of Marilyn on this undated British pocket-sized magazine, full of gossip and pics of female movie stars. Includes information about 1956 film releases.

PICTURE POST: July 14th 1956

Stunning full colour photo of Marilyn Monroe - rather different from her first Picture Post covers ! The centre spread has three further Milton Greene photos in colour, one full-page, and a short piece about her imminent arrival in the UK to shoot "The Prince and the Showgirl". SOLD

PICTURE SHOW: October 13th 1956

Marilyn Monroe and Don Murray in a scene from "Bus Stop".

PICTURE POST: October 22nd 1956

Another colour photo of Marilyn Monroe on Picture Post. Inside are two pics from "Bus Stop" and a short piece contrasting Monroe's performance with those in Arthur Miller's "A View From A Bridge", just produced in London.

PICTUREGOER: November 17th 1956

Fabulous full colour portrait of Marilyn.

FILMS & FILMING: July 1957

Marilyn with Laurence Olivier. A "serious" film magazine; this issue of Films and Filming includes a review of The Prince and the Showgirl, with one further still from the movie.

PICTURE SHOW: July 5th 1957

"Larry" again shares the cover with Monroe, in a scene from The Prince and the Showgirl. Inside, a further pic from the movie, with a report of the London premiere.

SIGHT & SOUND: Summer 1957

A great still from The Prince and the Showgirl on the cover. Inside, a serious review of the movie, which is described as "lemonade in a champage bottle".

ABC FILM REVIEW: October 1957

Marilyn in a publicity shot for The Prince and the Showgirl, the subject of a three-page, nine-photo review inside.

PARIS MATCH: 28th February 1959

Great soft-focus portrait, with small inset of Monroe with Arthur Miller on the cover of this classic French magazine. Inside: First, a large picture of the two together, to accompany a long piece written by her playwright husband. This is followed by ten pages of the famous Richard Avedon photos of Marilyn as Lillian Russell, Theda Bara, Clara Bow, Marlene Dietrich and Jean Harlow.

FILMS & FILMING: June 1959

Marilyn Monroe as Sugar in the Some Like It Hot band, with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag. The movie is reviewed inside.

PICTURE SHOW: December 26th 1959

Great shot for the Xmas issue, complete with baubles !