In 1958, rooms at the Hotel del Coronado cost roughly $20 to $50 a night. That same year, the hotel set aside more than 100 rooms for the cast and crew of “Some Like It Hot,” the iconic Hollywood film starring Marilyn Monroe, during its on-location filming.
Now, for what would have been the 100th birthday of America’s sweetheart, the hotel is hosting an exhibition celebrating some of Monroe’s most defining roles as an actress.
The exhibition, according to heritage manager Gina Petrone, is a collaboration between the Hotel Del and Lawrence Schiller, the American photojournalist who captured Monroe in glamorous and intimate behind-the-scenes photographs during the last years of her life.
The exhibition gives little attention to her earlier years and instead focuses on the latter part of her life. Schiller’s photographs date to 1960, when Monroe was married to playwright Arthur Miller and around that time renegotiated her contract with 20th Century Fox to give herself more say in the roles she would undertake, according to Petrone.
During this era, Monroe spent two years at The Actors Studio perfecting her craft. She thereafter was asked by renowned director Billy Wilder to be in “Some Like it Hot,” one of her most successful films. The exhibit concentrates on this turning point. The Del and Schiller worked with Artefact Designs to curate an intimate layout where guests can be up close and personal with the images.
“Unfortunately, her life was cut short, but to me, those final years demonstrate her optimism and courage to take greater control of her career and define herself on her own terms,” Petrone said.
Along with archival photos from films such as “Some Like It Hot,” “Let’s Make Love,” “The Misfits” and “Something’s Got to Give,” the exhibition features various artifacts such as: the keys to the film crew’s Beach Cottages, a receipt showing Marilyn Monroe’s name and room reservation; and a Monroe-autographed picture for a Coronado resident, Sandra Barkhurst, then an 11-year-old girl watching the filmmaking from the sidelines.
According to a statement in the exhibition from Schiller:
“Marilyn was a photographer’s dream. While naturally insecure and shy, when the cameras rolled, she came alive. There was no hint of the woman who had been in trouble for most of her life. Her wet skin glistened. Her smile was provocative.”
Monroe, best known as a pop culture sex symbol and actress, had a turbulent childhood. Her mother, Gladys Baker, struggled with mental health issues and was institutionalized, leaving Monroe to spend much of her childhood in foster homes and with relatives.
As a young adult, Monroe was discovered by a photographer while working at a munitions factory in California, launching her modeling career and eventually leading her to sign with 20th Century Fox in 1946. Her role in “Some Like It Hot” became one of her most successful, earning her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy in 1960. Her life was cut short in 1962 at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates.
In the audio-visual tour at The Del, visitors can go see the filming locations for themselves with anecdotes and trivia regarding “Some Like It Hot.”
One stop takes visitors to the beach in front of the Del where, according to the tour, bystanders gathered to catch a glimpse of the filming but did not always stay quiet — until Monroe told them to. “Marilyn was rumored to be hard to work with,” says a narrator in the tour audio.“In one scene, she had a single line: ‘Where’s the bourbon?’ She couldn’t do it. After 37 takes, they called off shooting for the day.”
Petrone said it’s been especially rewarding seeing younger visitors excited to learn more about Monroe, sometimes encountering her work for the first time. “More than 60 years after her death, she still has an extraordinary ability to connect with new generations,” she added.
The exhibit opened May 30 in the Hotel Del’s Ice Museum and will continue through Aug. 30. Tickets are $12. The artifacts will return to the Del’s archives, while Schiller’s photographs will return to him. For more details, visit hoteldel.com/experience/marilyn-exhibit.
