Before Marilyn: The Blue Book Modelling Years Hardcover – July 1, 2015 by Booby Brown (Author), The History Pres Ltd

GIRL NEXT DOOR
Before She Was Marilyn: Rare Photos of Norma Jeane
WILLIAM BOOT11.07.15


Before she was a bombshell, Norma Jeane Mortenson was a sometime model. See the rare collection of her pre-fame photos in the new book Before Marilyn: The Blue Book Modelling Years.





FROM THE COLLECTION OF KIM GOODWIN. PERMISSION GRANTED BY DAVID CONOVER JNR



Only a few years before before Marilyn Monroe was the platinum-haired actress and sex symbol of the ’50s, she was Norma Jeane Mortenson. Her girl-next-door image is captured in her early work with the Blue Book Modelling Agency in Hollywood. Blue Book was a big launching point in Marilyn's career, despite the head of the agency initially dismissing her hair as “pretty unmanageable” and her face “too round.”



A collection of more than 200 archived photos from that era is now available in a new book, Before Marilyn: The Blue Book Modelling Years.



Here, Norma Jeane poses outside the factory she worked at before her modeling days.



POTTER HUETH / FROM THE COLLECTION OF DIONNE ABRAHAM



Norma Jean with a Great Dane.



FROM THE ARCHIVE OF BEN AND ASTRID FRANSE, REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM MARGARET MILLER



Miss Snively kept the negative for this Richard C. Miller photo in her archive for the rest of her life.



RICHARD C. MILLER. REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION OF MARGARET MILLER



Norma Jeane with yellow skirt.



DAVID CONOVER / FROM THE COLLECTION OF KIM GOODWIN



Norma Jeane becomes a “sweater girl.”



LARRY KRONQUIST/FROM THE ARCHIVE OF BEN AND ASTRID FRANSE



Douglas Airview magazine employed models to advertise its American Airlines flights. Here, Norma Jeane shows great interest in the stewardess handing milk to a young mother.



DAVID CONOVER/FROM THE COLLECTION OF KIM GOODWIN



Norma Jeane at the factory.



H MAIER STUDIO/FROM THE COLLECTION OF KIM GOODWIN








RICHARD C. MILLER



Norma Jeane at the pool.



FROM THE COLLECTION OF KIM GOODWIN








JOSEPH JASGU/FROM THE ARCHIVE OF BEN AND ASTRID FRANSE



Norma Jeane posing in the gardens of the Ambassador Hotel holding the Blue Book Models life ring.