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Marilyn Monroe Sings "Happy Birthday Mr. President" Handbill
Presented is 1962 handbill to a May 19th event at New York City's Madison Square Garden promoted on the handbill as the "Most Exciting Program Ever Staged." Perhaps the foregoing puffery contained a bit of exaggeration, but as events turned out, not by much. Titled as "New York's Birthday Salute to President Kennedy," the promotion was also touted on the handbill with "Come See and Hear President Kennedy and This Spectacular Array of the World's Best Talent." This talent included, to name some: Jack Benny, Maria Callas, Bobby Darin, Jimmy Durante, Henry Fonda, Danny Kaye, Nichols and May, Peggy Lee, and - yes - Marilyn Monroe. John F. Kennedy's actual birthday was ten days later, but this birthday bash was a huge Democratic fundraiser. Actor Peter Lawford, who had married into the Kennedy family, was the master of ceremonies, and he used Monroe's well-known reputation for being late as an ongoing gag, introducing Monroe, over-and-over, as the next act, only to then explain that she would be there soon. When Lawford finally introduced Monroe yet again, late in the program, he eerily - given future events - introduced her as "The late Marilyn Monroe." This time the introduction was for real, and Monroe entered into the spotlight. She was dressed in, actually she was sewn into, a tightly fitting, immaculately tailored Jean-Louis gown that was flesh colored, giving the initial appearance that she was not clothed at all. The gown seemed to shimmer, as it had over 2,500 rhinestones. And then Marilyn sang her "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" song to the president. JFK and Monroe were rumored to have had a very personal relationship, and Monroe sang the song is a breathy, sultry, intimate way. The crowd roared. After the performance, when Kennedy thanked the performance, he joked that he could now retire after hearing his Happy Birthday song in "such a sweet, wholesome way." Privately, the Kennedy contingent was embarrassed by the implied intimacy of the rendition, and the Kennedy insiders made sure to keep Kennedy and Monroe separated in the future. But despite the outward gaiety of the Madison Square Garden moment, the performance was soon to be followed by tragic events. Less than three months later, Marilyn Monroe died at her Brentwood, California home from a drug overdose, and fifteen months after that, President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. The handbill measures approx. 6x9", and it offered seats to the Birthday Salute at $100, $25, and $10. The handbill shows some fading and darkening from the passage of time, but overall, it is in excellent condition. The handbill promotes remembrance of an historically significant event.
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