On January 5, Joan Copeland, aged 99, passed away peacefully in her home.
She enjoyed a long and successful Broadway career, but she was also known for her connection to her sister-in-law, the legendary Hollywood diva, Marilyn Monroe. Their relationship, marked by passion and turmoil, was a subject of fascination for many.
Arthur Miller, a renowned playwright, once wrote, "Marilyn was proof that seriousness could not coexist in a person." He made this remark after his tumultuous marriage to Marilyn Monroe had ended.
However, years prior, Arthur Miller had been captivated by her authenticity, freedom, and beauty. The couple's story began at a Hollywood party thrown for a movie premiere. Elia Kazan, a friend of Miller's, asked him to look after "his girl," Marilyn, with whom he was openly entangled in a carefree love affair at the time.
During the party, Arthur and Marilyn connected, leading to an affair that lasted in secret for the next five years. Arthur was married to Mary Slattery during this time, a relationship that began in their teenage years and resulted in several children. However, his infatuation with Marilyn could not be denied.
Ultimately, Arthur divorced Mary and chose to be with Marilyn, a decision that raised many eyebrows in the cultural world, as their profiles and backgrounds were vastly different.
She was a Hollywood star emerging from a tumultuous relationship with Joe DiMaggio, while he was a serious writer, at times considered a communist, whose viewpoints often challenged the very essence of what Marilyn represented publicly.
Nevertheless, their love prevailed, leading to their engagement and subsequent marriage on June 29, 1956.
This day, intended to be one of the happiest of Marilyn's life, was marked by a tragic event that would haunt her forever, instilling an overwhelming sense of guilt.
The tragic incident involved the death of young journalist Mara Scherbatoff, who was covering the wedding as a paparazzi. Aware of their fame, Miller and Monroe had scheduled a press conference at their home in Connecticut. However, before the civil ceremony, they planned to visit Miller's cousin's home privately.
Scherbatoff had done her research and found that Miller's cousin lived nearby. Determined to locate the couple, she set off in the car, while her partner was setting up photographic equipment for the press conference. Unfortunately, she spotted the couple in the green car of Arthur's cousin and began pursuing them. To evade her relentless pursuit, Arthur's cousin accelerated, but a sharp curve proved fatal, causing Scherbatoff to lose control and crash into a tree. The impact sent her flying through the windshield, resulting in severe injuries that proved fatal.
As Marilyn and Arthur appeared before the press, Marilyn was in shock, and a tremendous feeling of guilt consumed her. She stated that if it weren't for them, Mara would still be alive. Arthur, in contrast, was more composed, blaming the press for their relentless pursuit and aggressive tactics, a sentiment not without reason.
Despite the tragedy, Arthur persuaded Marilyn not to let it ruin their day. They proceeded with the marriage in the evening, but without any guests present. Their official celebration and the traditional Jewish ceremony took place on July 1 in New York, attended by only 30 guests.
Marilyn made earnest efforts to integrate into Arthur's family and embrace the role of a devoted housewife, but her troubles and her relationship with Miller began to erode. The fairy tale romance was not destined to last, and the couple separated after just four years of marriage, with an official divorce in 1961.
By this point, Marilyn was battling drug and alcohol abuse, and rumors of infidelity swirled around both parties. While filming their last movie together, "The Misfits," Marilyn exhibited signs of deteriorating mental health, and Miller found himself smitten with another woman, the photographer Inge Morath.
Miller married Morath in February 1962. Tragically, just six months later, Marilyn succumbed to an overdose of sleeping pills. In his autobiography, Arthur Miller disclosed that he was in the Nevada desert when he received the news of Monroe's impending death. He fainted right there, unable to cope with the catastrophe that ultimately claimed one of the great loves of his life.
