Fragments: Poems, Intimate Notes, Letters (14 page)

12:00 Ceil Chapman—

530 7th ave—

4th floor tel # LA–4–5800

Saturday Morning 12:00

Sunday Night—Actors Benefit

dinner for them somewhere? At least ask

speak to Paula—about scenes for me in the future

Monday Night

Hair—instead of tues. have done

on Mon. morning—also ask about

comb out for Mon. night.

Dress—

Saturday afternoon 2:30

Lee Strasberg matinee

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Sat Morn—Profile time call about then

C. Chapman

Fri Night

John Moore fitting

Fri Morning

8:30—Francis [illegible] Hair

11:00 Actors Studio

Call Milton about—

1—6 days a week with Hohenberg—Saturdays—because learning and need it and she willing

2—about paying Hohenbergs—Bill—which didn’t give him yet—(can we pay it on Mon?)

3—about white shoes because probably wear white dress (what about wrap?)

Call Lois Weber or A. Jacobs about all yesterday’s papers mainly Herald Trib and Times

Notes:

This note was probably written in December 1955, as the Actors Studio benefit party was held in New York on December 12, to which, however,
Marilyn wore a black dress
.

Paula Strasberg, Lee Strasberg’s wife, was also a very close friend and became Marilyn’s coach during film shoots.

Ceil Chapman has often been said to have been Marilyn’s favorite fashion designer.

John Moore, couturier and interior designer, decorated, did up the Millers’ apartment at 444 East 57th Street in 1955. He created several dresses for Marilyn, including the wedding dress she wore when she married Arthur Miller.

Arthur Jacobs, who was head of his own company, took care of public relations for Marilyn from 1955 until her death.

Lois Weber, who worked for the Arthur P. Jacobs Company, was Marilyn’s press agent in New York.

For Kris
Sept. 9

Jane
’
s 1
2
th birthday on 7th
same year

—Remember, somehow, how—

Mother always tried to

get me to “go out” as

though she felt I

were too unadventurous.

She wanted me even

to show a cruelty

toward woman. This

in my teens. In return,

I showed her that I

was faithful to her.

Notes:

Kris was undoubtedly Dr. Marianne Kris, Marilyn’s New York analyst from 1956 to February 1961.

Jane Miller, Arthur’s elder daughter, was born on September 7, 1944; therefore, this note must have been written in 1956.

for life

It is rather a determination not to be overwhelmed.

for
work

The truth can only be recalled, never invented

Note: This short prose piece and the variation on it on the following page were very likely written on the occasion of Norman Rosten’s birthday. “She gave herself pretty names. One day, she signed a note with Noodle, Sam, Max, Clump, Sugar Finny, Pussy, and so on. An identity name, the little funny imp. It was a very attractive aspect of her personality: she had a great sense of humor” (Norman Rosten,
Marilyn Among Friends
).

It’s time for

sentiment

I know how sentimental we feel

instrumental

sentimental

merely incidental

coincidental

Not a tear you’ll see

Forgive me if I’m

influence by tender feelings

affecting the emotions

meaning—sentimental is a influenced for

tender

feelings

ourselves or myself

sense

sensible—sensitive

Happy birthday and love (we all love you)

Noodle

Sam

Max

Clump

Sugar Finny

Pussy

and all the rest of us—

Starts dream—

262

263

Feb 28

Dec 11

See in older journal—

always admired men who had many women.

It must be that to a child of a dissatisfied woman

the idea of monogamy is hollow

Note: The numbers 262 and 263 probably refer to the same collection of song standards as those shown
here
(the Waldorf-Astoria series). The titles these correspond to are “While We’re Young” (262) and “Wonderful Guy” (263).

Pardon me—I’m sorry to wake you

But I wonder if you could help

me

I’m being abducted

you know—kidnapped—by
him

I thought maybe as soon as

we
got
some place I’d ask the

driver to stop and let me off

But we been driving for hours

and we still don’t seem to be

nowhere at all—not only that

but I’m freezing to death—I

ain’t got much on under

my coat

Sleeping prince—for Paula

don’t stop myself

Name tasks—1 - 2 - 3 - 4 etc.

T—weariness

write out part—copying it

work on exercises

1—cold

learn—lines
logically

—I can’t do more than

one thing at a time