The Untold Story of Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe
Let me tell you a story about a man who wouldn’t back down, even when the odds were stacked against him. That man is none other than the legendary baseball player, Joe DiMaggio. Known as “Joltin’ Joe,” he wasn’t someone you crossed lightly, especially when his ex-wife, the iconic Marilyn Monroe, was involved. Six years after their split, Marilyn found herself emotionally shattered and at her wit’s end. Biographer Charles Casillo, speaking to Closer, reveals how Marilyn’s psychiatrist urged her to seek refuge at the Payne Whitney Psychiatric Clinic in New York.
But here's the kicker—Marilyn Monroe wasn’t just any patient. Even locked away in a ward meant for the severely disturbed, she managed to reach out to Joe. And let me tell you, Joe didn’t mess around. He stormed into the hospital demanding his wife. “I want my wife. And if I don’t get her, I’m going to take this hospital down brick by brick,” were his exact words, according to Casillo. And guess what? Marilyn was out the very next day. That’s the kind of loyalty and love Joe had for Marilyn.
Marilyn Monroe: A Fragile Star Who Inspired Unwavering Devotion
Marilyn Monroe wasn’t just a Hollywood icon; she was a complex woman who struggled deeply with addiction. She fell deeply in love with Joe, Arthur Miller, and Frank Sinatra, all of whom tried their best to save her from the chaos that seemed to follow her. “She brought out the protective nature in the men she became involved with,” explains Casillo, the author of Marilyn Monroe: The Private Life of a Public Icon. But despite their efforts, it was never quite enough. “Maybe I’m too demanding,” Marilyn once said. “Maybe there’s no man who could put up with all of me.” It’s heartbreaking to think that even with all the love and attention she received, she still felt misunderstood.
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So, what was Marilyn searching for? According to Casillo, “She was always trying to be looked at for more than her body.” And she thought she found that in the 36-year-old retired Yankee baseball hero she met in 1952. “I expected a flashy New York sports type, and instead I met this reserved guy who didn’t make a pass at me right away,” she said. “He treated me like something special.” That’s the kind of man Joe DiMaggio was—a gentleman in a world that didn’t always appreciate them.
The Turbulent Marriage That Wasn’t Meant to Last
But once they tied the knot, Joe’s passion morphed into jealousy. Witnessing Marilyn filming the famous flying dress scene in The Seven Year Itch was the final straw. “That was the last straw,” Marilyn later said. Their marriage, which was supposed to be a fairy tale, lasted just nine months. Talk about a whirlwind romance gone wrong.
Her next union, with playwright Arthur Miller, started off with promise. At first, Marilyn likened Arthur to “a cool drink when you’ve had a fever.” But after nearly five years, their marriage ended in tears. Miscarriages and Arthur’s declining desire for her took their toll. Casillo reveals that Arthur wrote in his diary how Marilyn was “what a disappointment she was.” When Marilyn saw that entry, she was devastated. This heartbreak played a significant role in her eventual descent into the psych ward.
The Final Chapter: Frank Sinatra’s Attempt to Save Marilyn
Marilyn recovered and began dating Frank Sinatra in 1962. Sinatra, according to Casillo, “really, really loved her.” When Marilyn’s troubles began affecting her career, Frank announced they would make two movies together. But his lawyer warned him, “Don’t marry her. She’s gonna kill herself.” The lawyer added, “If she’s married to you, you will go down in history as the person who killed Marilyn Monroe.” Tragically, those words proved to be prophetic.
On Aug. 4, 1962, Marilyn tragically died of an overdose of barbiturates at the young age of 36. The men who loved her were left haunted by the woman they couldn’t save. As Casillo recounts, years after Marilyn’s death, Sammy Davis Jr. said, “Marilyn still hangs like a bat in the heads of the men who met her, and none of us will ever forget her.”
