A Tale of Twisted Love: The Untold Story of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
In 1954, shortly after Marilyn Monroe filed for divorce, Joe DiMaggio turned to Frank Sinatra for support.
Both men were American icons, of Italian descent, and had experienced public heartbreak from their glamorous wives.
Sinatra, who was obsessed with his soon-to-be ex-wife Ava Gardner, offered to help DiMaggio by hiring a private investigator to keep tabs on Monroe.
DiMaggio, desperate to catch Monroe in the act of infidelity, joined Sinatra and a group of henchmen on a mission to confront her voice coach, Hal Schaefer.
The situation escalated quickly, and they even broke down the wrong door in their pursuit of justice.
Though the incident was scandalous, DiMaggio denied any involvement for the rest of his life.
Their love story began in 1952, when DiMaggio, a retired New York Yankee player, met the young and rising star Marilyn Monroe in Los Angeles.
Despite their age difference – Monroe was 25 and DiMaggio was 37 – they were inseparable from that moment on.
The book “Joe and Marilyn: Legends in Love” delves into the intricate and complicated bond between these troubled superstars.
Monroe's early life was marred by instability and abuse.
She grew up without a father and was raised by a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia.
DiMaggio, on the other hand, came from a large Italian immigrant family and had a disastrous first marriage to actress Dorothy Arnold.
He was distant and neglectful towards their son, Joe Jr. Their divorce was fueled by Arnold's claim of “cruel indifference.”
When Monroe first encountered DiMaggio, she expected him to be egotistical and self-centered due to his fame.
However, she discovered that he was reserved and fascinated by her.
DiMaggio's desire to marry Monroe was evident from the beginning.
He saw her as a young, beautiful woman on the cusp of becoming a successful actress, but he also wanted her to give up her career for a more traditional domestic life.
Their marriage came with strict rules.
DiMaggio had control over Monroe's film choices, and she was not allowed to dress provocatively.
If she outshone him in any way, he would sleep in a separate bedroom and ignore her for days.
These power struggles began during their honeymoon and quickly escalated to physical abuse.
Monroe endured beatings from DiMaggio, who struggled with his possessiveness and insecurity.
Monroe, always striving for self-improvement, sought therapy and engaged in intellectual pursuits.
DiMaggio, however, preferred a sedentary lifestyle filled with drinking and smoking.
His jealousy intensified as Monroe's fame grew, leading to more violent outbursts.
He tore an earring from her ear and scratched her face during one altercation.
Feeling suffocated, Monroe turned to alcohol and sedatives to cope.
She started an affair with her voice coach, Hal Schaefer, which further fueled DiMaggio's anger.
When he discovered the affair, he threatened Schaefer's life.
Despite their tumultuous relationship, Monroe still relied on DiMaggio emotionally.
When she was hospitalized for gynecological surgery, he stood by her side throughout her recovery.
Their physical relationship continued, but Monroe moved on emotionally, engaging in affairs with Marlon Brando and married playwright Arthur Miller.
DiMaggio never gave up hope of rekindling their romance.
He attended therapy sessions for anger management and provided financial support to Monroe.
When she was involuntarily institutionalized in 1961, DiMaggio was the only one who answered her call for help.
He threatened the hospital staff until they released her into his care.
Despite their ongoing connection, Monroe's mental health deteriorated, and she became entangled with the Kennedy brothers.
DiMaggio believed her death in 1962 was a suicide.
DiMaggio, devastated by Monroe's passing, took on the responsibility of arranging her funeral and designing her headstone.
He never remarried and made sure fresh roses were delivered to her crypt twice a week until his own death in 1999.
On his deathbed, he expressed his longing to be reunited with Monroe.
Their love story was one of complexity and tragedy, filled with passion and violence.
DiMaggio and Monroe's relationship continues to captivate audiences, forever immortalizing them as icons of romance and fame.
