The Secret Letters of Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy (20 page)

M
ARILYN
M
ONROE

882 North Doheny Drive

Beverly Hills, California

President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy

The White House

December 2, 1961

Dear Jackie and Jack,

This teddy bear is
a Christmas present for Caroline. I think he looks like Gramble Bear, don’t you? Happy Christmas, Caroline. And happy Caroline’s Christmas to John and both of you, too.

Love,

Marilyn

J
ACQUELINE
K
ENNEDY

THE WHITE HOUSE

Marilyn Monroe

882 North Doheny Drive

Beverly Hills, California

December 8, 1961

Dear Marilyn,

This is not an official answer to your last letter nor a formal thank-you for your Christmas: gift to Caroline. That will be dispatched at a later date. It is just that I am intensely curious regarding exactly how and where you learned of “Gramble Bear.”

He is a character whom Jack invented specifically for Caroline. He tells her Gramble Bear bedtime stories most every night. However, as both of us care so deeply about preserving the privacy of our children, we have not relayed that fact to the press or to anyone else, for that matter.

All in all, I cannot imagine how you learned of Gramble and should be grateful if you would assuage my curiosity.

Regards,

Jackie
*

__________________________

*
Jackie has jettisoned her alias here and that of Marilyn, as Marilyn’s gift and letter to Jackie (and Jack) were sent to her in her official capacity as First Lady.

WESTERN UNION TELEGRAM

M
ARILYN
M
ONROE

882 North Doheny Drive

Beverly Hills, California

Jacqueline Kennedy

The White House

December 15, 1961

Dear Jackie,

I’m devastated that I upset you. I wouldn’t have dreamed of doing that for all the world. I guess I should have explained that when I met Jack at the fund-raising dinner
—
somehow
—
and I can’t remember how
—
we started talking about Caroline and him being a father. Anyway, I asked Jack
—
and I don’t know why
—
what Caroline’s favorite bedtime story was. So
,
of course, he told me about Gramble Bear. I hope that answers your question and that you aren’t mad at me anymore.

Please write or cable and tell me that we are still friends and that you still care about me. Please don’t give up on me. I need your letters and your friendship desperately.

Love,

Marilyn

J
ACQUELINE
K
ENNEDY

THE WHITE HOUSE

Marilyn Monroe

882 North Doheny Drive

Beverly Hills, California

December 16, 1961

Dearest Marilyn,

Please forgive me for my rudeness. I don’t know what I was thinking when I last wrote to you. Perhaps it is the pressure of life in the White House and the continuing specter of JC that gave rise to my sudden flash of paranoia.

Of course I understand, and it is quite understandable that you, and only you, would have such a cute and personal conversation with Jack at the fund-raiser. After all, you have known each other for so many years, if only mostly by proxy via me, and it is only natural that you would express a motherly interest in Caroline. Thank you for doing so, for lightening; Jack’s burden, if only momentarily, and for being such a good and true friend.

I hope that you will have an extremely happy festive season and a wonderful 1962.

Warmly,

Jackie

__________________________

After writing this letter, Jackie wrote in her diary, “It still seems too intimate, too unlike Jack, too like pillow talk—the kind of kitsch in which MM would most likely indulge were she having a
dalliance with him. Dalliance? The wrong word, perhaps. It must be something more. They do, after all, possess a similarity in that they are both charismatic, kaleidoscopic, deeply self-absorbed, radiate sex, are disarming, ruthless, and, as Mr. G (or was it Jack?) once said, would get the last piece of bread in the concentration camp. If I am right—and Jack is Mr. G—because, rereading my last sentence, I guess that deep down I have always intuited that he might be—then I must be Mrs. G, and Marilyn, my Judas. Maybe yes. Maybe no. If no, I am a fool to think it. If yes—I must, at all costs, retain my sangfroid and bide my time.”

J
ACQUELINE
K
ENNEDY

THE WHITE HOUSE

Marilyn Monroe

882 North Doheny Drive

Beverly Hills, California

December 22, 1961

Dear Marilyn,

Jack and I were touched to receive your kind and concerned letter regarding the stroke which his father, Joe Kennedy, recently suffered. Your sympathy is most welcome and we are grateful.

With warm regards,

Jack and Jackie

M
ARILYN
M
ONROE

12305 Fifth Helena Drive

Brentwood, California

Jackie Kennedy

The White House

May
5,
1962

Dear Jackie,

Although I haven’t heard from you for the longest time, I am writing to you now because your letters mean so much to me and you are still my closest friend in the world. After the misunderstanding over Gramble Bear, I want to do the right thing and not have anything like that ever come between us again.

Peter has asked me to sing a song to the President at his birthday party on May 19 and I am not sure what to sing, what to wear, or about anything. I am very aware of the honor I shall be getting
—
singing to the President
—
and I want to be wonderful, to please Jack and, of course, you.

I so much want to sing a serious song, but I am not an opera singer. Peter says I should sing “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, Baby,” but I think that is
disrespektful [
sic
], both to the President and to you. Also, the whole world will be watching me, as the party will be televised, and I want to do the right thing.

My first idea was to rewrite the words of Judy Garland’s song “Dear Mr. Gable” and change them to “Dear Mr. President.” I got as far as “Dear Mr. President, I am writing this to you, and I hope that you will
read it so you’ll know. My heart beats like a hammer and I stutter and I stammer every time I see you on the picture show”
—
but I couldn’t find the right words to replace “picture show,” so I stopped.

My next idea was to sing “Mr. Wonderful,” but then I thought it sounded personal, which, of course, my song is not
—
and I don’t want anyone else to think it is either, especially you.

I feel privileged that I, a poor orphan, an ex-factory worker with a crazy mother, will be up there singing to
the President of the United States in front of the entire world. Every girl in the universe will be wishing that she was me, and I want to do her, and Jack, and you
,
justice. I shall be singing to the President on behalf of the people and, if it’s the last thing I ever do in my life, I want to do it right.

Please write back as soon as you have a moment, as I really don’t know how to handle anything.

Love,

M

P.S. I don’t even know what to wear.

J
ACQUELINE
K
ENNEDY

THE WHITE HOUSE

Marilyn Monroe

12305 Fifth Helena Drive

Brentwood, California

May 12, 1962

Dear M,

Thank you for your letter regarding your participation in Jack’s official birthday celebrations. Before I respond to your flattering request for advice, I wanted to tell you (for you have probably read about it in the newspaper) that Arthur was one of our guests at the dinner we held last night in honor of André Malraux. I was extremely impressed by Arthur, he is everything you said he was when you first wrote to me—an erudite, charming man. He was particularly attentive to me, and I found our exchange hugely stimulating.

I have given your concerns regarding Jack’s birthday celebrations a great deal of thought and feel most strongly that they are absolutely unfounded. America loves Marilyn Monroe, and Marilyn Monroe is who you must be. At the risk of alienating you (I hope momentarily), I shall quote Olivier: “Act sexy, Marilyn, act sexy.” Your public will expect it of you, and Jack will, no doubt, find it eminently endearing.

So my advice, in essence, is to throw your inhibitions to the wind, enjoy yourself, and BE yourself. Have you thought of contacting Marlene Dietrich’s designer, Jean-Louis, to create a gown for you? Jack always says that her dresses give the impression she is wearing little else than flesh plus diamonds, and (remembering “Diamonds Are a Girl’s
Best Friend” and “Falling in Love Again,” the song played by the music box you sent Jack and me as a wedding present) I think that kind of gown would be most appropriate for you.

As for the song, I think you should consider singing “Happy Birthday,” but making the song entirely your own—through your inimical delivery. Taking a leaf from your “Dear Mr. Gable,” idea, you could address the song to “Dear Mr. President.” I think Jack would like that.

I can’t wait for May 19 to see the effect your performance will have on him. Not to mention Miss Judy Campbell, who (as you so rightly observed) will probably be “pea green with envy.” Which reminds me, do you think Mr. G will resent your serenading Jack so publicly? I suspect not, as I am sure you have told him that your friendship with Jack is above reproach, and how close you and I are, as well. That way, I am sure he will understand that you would never betray our friendship.

Please know, Marilyn, that I shall be applauding more loudly than anyone, and can’t wait to witness your show-stopping performance.

Love,

J

__________________________

Jackie wrote in the Purple Diary, “I can no longer hide from the truth. And while I still care about her, there is no choice. I shall do what has to be done. Will I ever forgive her? Probably not. Although, in the end, it is probably just a case of the scorpion and the frog, as in the Aesop fable. It’s just her nature. Just as it is his. Of course, I forgive him less. After all, he owes me. Not that he will ever admit it. Or act accordingly. Sometimes, at times like this in. particular, I don’t know how to go on or how to bear it anymore.”