My journey ends here...
GREENE Milton
Milton Hawthorne GREENGOLD
Date of birth : March 14, 1922, Brooklyn, New York City.
Date of death : August 8, 1985, Los Angeles.
Addresses
Pied-a-terre in Sutton Place, New York City.
Main home in Fanton Hill, Weston, Connecticut.
His photo studio 480 Lexington Avenue, New York City 
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the Greene family
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Profession photographer.
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His parents were Samuel Greengold (July 10, 1889, Minsk-September 23, 1951, New York) and Celia Rubin
(born in 1891, Russia-April 17, 1959, New York)(
). They married on April 10, 1910 in New York.
They had 5 children :
* Henrietta (June 17, 1911, New York-June 1st, 2003, Florida)(
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* Dr Lee Barton (September 9, 1913, New York-May 19, 1968, Los Angeles)(
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* Emanuel (born in 1915, New York)
* Harold (January 6, 1919, New York-July 31, 1963, New York)
* Milton.
He began to take pictures at the age of 14.
While he attended
the High School in Brooklyn (New York City), he became the assistant of
photographers Eliot Elisofon, Louise Dahl-Wolfe and Martin Bauman,
in Manhattan.
Bauman was very interested in the energy and the "instinctive eye" of Milton, a precious talent for a photographer. Bauman offered him a partnership.
From the age of 19, he had his own studio where, as a free-lancer, he made portraits of stars such as
Judy Garland (
), Cary Grant (
), Grace Kelly (
),
Elizabeth Taylor
(
), Sammy Davis Jr (
) and Marlene Dietrich (
); also Catherine Deneuve, Ali Mc Graw and Romy Schneider.
He quickly joined the photographers group selected to work in big magazines as Life, Look, Colliers, Vogue,
Harper’s Bazaar (
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(
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(Later she would marry and divorce Richard Avedon, another photographer).
Milton was a shy person, with a nature inclined to depression, introverted and with a sullen mood.
It was this evening that Marilyn met Milton Greene, aged 27, who worked for Life magazine.
He impressed
Marilyn; despite his shyness, his enthousiasm, the passion he used to
talk about his job, his original ideas captivated Marilyn. He compared
photography with a "camera painting", a celebration of the feminine
beauty. At that time, he lived at the Château Marmont Hotel, on Sunset Boulevard.
Greene would fly to New York City on September 14, whitout any pictures of Marilyn.
But at this meeting, Milton was late and Amy went back whitout having seen him. Few months later, her agency gave her another appointment with Milton.
They met before Milton flew to Paris where he covered the couture collections for Life magazine : with David Haft (Amy dated him sometimes), Milton organized a party at his studio. After the missed appointment, Amy said "Good evening, Milton Greene, good bye Milton Greene".Summer 1952 : Milton was in Paris. At that time he dated a model, Nelly Nyad (
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Fall 1952 : during another date with David Haft, Amy went at David's home. He announced her that he had invited Milton Greene for the evening, this one being just separated from Nelly Nyad, his former companion.
Milton arrived and while David was getting ready, he talked with Amy. This is the moment where they fell in love.
He took her to Connecticut where he had a house; she remained there.
While Amy organized their wedding for September 1953, Milton went to Hollywood for a contract with Look magazine.Milton had left Life magazine to go working for Look, because he adored its co-founders, Mike and Fleur Cowles
(
), who happened to be his neighbours in Connecticut. Among others, he had to take pictures of Marilyn,Between 1953 and 1957, he gave Marilyn the courage to leave the all-powerful studios to stand on her own twe feet.
He had built a strong and quick reputation of fashion photographer who knew how to deal with the stars
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In September
1953, he met Marilyn at the Fox studio.
Pictures Los Angeles
Balalaïka 
(more pics here).
(more pics here).Laurel Canyon
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(more pics here).With the editors of Look magazine in their Los Angeles office
When Milton sent her the snapshots, Marilyn, much satisfied with the result, sent him a bunch of dozen of roses. She thought they were the most beautiful pictures she had ever seen.
After their wedding, the newly weds went in honeymoon, travelling to New Orleans where director Joshua Logandirected Charles Boyer and Mary Martin in "Kind Sir".
For this occasion, Milton received the keys of the city to thank him for his publicity.
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Milton wanted to meet Joe Schenck ; Marilyn introduced them to each other and Milton took pictures of Marilyn, at Schencks
With the Pekinese dogs of Sidney Guilaroff 
(more pics here).
Terrace 
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Salon 
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(more pics here).
At her Doheny Drive home
(more pics here).At her Doheny Drive home
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(more pics here).Négligé
(more pics here).Black dress
(more pics here).
End of 1953 when he came back from Los Angeles with his wife Amy, Milton encouraged Marilyn to protest against the poor salary assured by her contract and againts the parts she thought degraded her. Marilyn delighted to follow him, wasn't disconcerted by Milton's lack of experience. It needed a year to clear things up, while Marilyn married and divorced DiMaggio.
Peasant 
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(more pics here).
Make-up
New York, Fall 1954
Picture sessions in New York, at Milton's studio, on Lexington AvenueDaisy
(more pics here). Gold dress 
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(more pics here).Ballerina, October 6, 1954 
(more pics here).
Marilyn wears a dress, too small for her, of Anna Klein, designer and Amy Greene's friend.
St Regis Hotel 
(more pics here).
At "La petite cuvée" restaurant 
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At Billy Reed's "Little Club" 
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At Sardi's restaurant 
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10 days after the huge reception at Romanoff which consecrated Marilyn as a big Hollywood star (November 6, 1954), Greene organized her departure to New York.
December 2, 1954, they attended a party given at Jess Rand's home (Sammy Davis Jr's publicist)
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On December 4, 1954, at the Palm Springs Racquet Club's Bamboo Room 
On December 8, 1954, birthday party at Sammy Davis Jr's home 
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In December 1954 she took refuge in a hotel in New York City, then at the Greenes, in their house in
Connecticut 
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The press rushed at the idea that the star was over, but Marilyn and Milton held a press conference on January 7, 1955 to announce the setting up of the Marilyn Monroe Productions
press conference
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with Marlene Dietrich
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They were both the owners of the company with 51% for her as president and 49% for him as vice president. But the Fox frowned upon and didn't want to give up Marilyn's contract without fighting.
The young production company had to fight to keep Marilyn star status, whitout having the benefit of none income and on the only basis of their plans. Greene hypothecated his last coin to make her keeping her star lifestyle.
100$ a week for her mother's care
125$ a week for her analyst and the renewal of her wardrobe (she had arrived in New York with very few clothes).
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February 28, 1955 driving in Central Park 
Pictures New
York 1955
Milton's Studio, January 28, 1955
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(more pics here).Strapped dress/mirror Milton's studio, January 28, 1955 
(more pics here).
White fur photo session, March 8, 1955
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(more pics here).
(more pics here).Red sweater
(more pics here).With Maurice Chevalier
(more pics here).Walkway New York
Other sessions
Fur and red background
(more pics here).Striped black and white top
(more pics here).Strapped dress/black cape
(more pics here).Coat
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White sweater
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March 1955, at Brooks, for the preparation of the ceremony at the Madison Square Garden
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March 1955 : she began to take drugs (barbiturates) with Milton's help, whose brother, Lee B.Greene (born in 1910) was a doctor, attached to the Bellevue Hospital, New York.
Preparation for the program "Person to Person" with Edward Murrow at the New York Ambassador Hotel
March 9, 1955, premiere of "East of Eden" at the Astor Theatre
March 17, 1955, at the Friars Club
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March 22, 1955, pre-performance for arthritis victim with Milton Berle
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March 24, 1955 premiere of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" at the Morosco Theatre
March 30, 1955, at the Madison Square Garden
April 8, 1955, Marilyn is the guest of the program of Edward R.Murrow, "Person to Person", directed in Weston,
June 1955, Weston, Connecticut
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(more pics here).
On December 12, 1955, Marilyn attended the premiere of "The Rose Tattoo" in aid for the Actors Studio, a party was given at the Astor Hotel, New York.
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(more pics here).
At the theater 
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When it was obvious
that Greene wouldn't found any rich sponsor to fund the Marilyn
Monroe Productions, his lawyers team got the green light to renegociate
a new contract with the Fox.
On December 31, 1955 : the Fox agreed the terms established by Marilyn and Milton; she spent the New Year's Eve at Greenes house.
Productions, at the Terrace Room of the New York Plaza Hotel 
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February 14, 1956, Black Series 
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(more pics here).
On February 25, 1956, leaving New York to Los Angeles for her come back in Hollywood for the production of
"Bus Stop" 
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(more pics here).
Press conference at the Los Angeles airport
It was a moment af great proud for Marilyn, who, thanks to Milton, won kind of a perfect command of her career. Greene searched contracts, negociated in Marilyn's name, eliminated the difficulties and played the go-between, among Marilyn and the rest of the world.
He attended the dancing rehearsals for "Old Black Magic" Marilyn played in
Marilyn with Gwen Vernon, Jack Cole's assistant
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Greene's creative contribution to Marilyn's career appeared also in the fact that he took pictures of her. He invented the atmosphere of "Bus Stop", supervised the lighting and imagined the incredible pale make-up of Cherie. Milton's ideas (mostly the make-up) aroused kind of anxiety at the Fox's direction; Buddy Adler, producer of the movie, talked to him about it but after having seen the rushes, he was very impressed by Greene's work and even offered him a production work in Los Angeles.
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March 1956 : Milton negociated with Lee Strasberg, because Paula Strasberg's presence wasn't appreciated by Joshua Logan on the set of "Bus Stop"; he obtained that Paula stayed in Marilyn's dressing-room but not on the set.
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) before renting, with the Greenes, a house located 595 North
Beverly Glen Boulevard, West Los Angeles, during the shooting of "Bus Stop".
Pictures
Bus Stop
With Amy Greene and Paula Strasberg 
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Arizona
With Milton
Greene
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Rodeo scene
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(more pics here).
Idaho
Other
alone 
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with Don Murray 
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with Milton Greene
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April 15, 1956, session at Fox lot
Grey fur
(more pics here).Hat and white fur
(more pics here).Gypsy
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(more pics here)"Bus Stop" costume
(more pics here).
With her Cadillac 
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In her dressing-room 
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June 1st, 1956, party at the Los Angeles Beverly Hills Hotel, for Indonesian President Soekarno's honor
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June 2, 1956, back to New York City 
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The people who came in Marilyn's circle in 1955 and 1956, precipitated Milton's fall. Lee Strasberg adviosed Marilyn to see a psychoanalyst; Milton advised her Margaret
Hohenberg who had been his own analyst.
Marilyn also spent a lot of time with Arthur Miller who didn't trust Milton.
1956, with Arthur Miller
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The Marilyn Monroe Productions used « Bus Stop » great success to produce their only movie "The Prince and The Showgirl" (1957), shot in England.
Production in London
Alone 
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With Laurence Olivier
Hairdressing and costume tests
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(more pics here).
Other 
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January 1957, Red dress session 
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(more pics here).
April 1957 : Marilyn broke up with Milton and initiated a procedure to force him to resign. They would never meet again.
On April 16, 1957, a new board of directors for Marilyn Monroe Productions Inc. was elected, and Milton
left the company
.In July 1962, he called Marilyn and they talked together for an hour and a half. They suggested to see each other in August, after Milton's return, because he had to go to Paris to cover the haute couture collection.
On August 4, 1962, Milton and Amy had dinner in Paris with Marlene Dietrich and Alicia
Corning Clark.
On Sunday August 5,
they had a picnic in Fontainebleau and learned Marilyn's death. First,
Milton believed of Marilyn's accidental suicide, then, years later,
with the appearance of new elements, he would'nt believe to the
accident anymore.
The lawyers would fight during a year until she would buy back Milton's parts for 100 000$ (his earnings of more than 2 years of work) and he would give up his career as producer. He would work back as photographer but would began to feel rancor and soon would give in to drugs and alcohol. However, he would always remain courteous towards Marilyn.
On the international level, he worked for publicity agencies and magazines as
He linked up with Joe Eula and founded the Greene-Eula Corporation. Milton bought a small building on East 55ème
Street, which would become their business center.
Despite his success in "Bus Stop" and "The Prince and The Showgirl", Milton became persona non grata in the movie circle.
Bibliography
"Milton's
Marilyn", Milton M. Greene, James Kotsilibas-Davis, Joshua Greene,
Munich, Schirmer/mosel Verlag Gmbh, 1995
"Of Women and Their Elegancee, text of Norman Mailer and picturs of Milton Greene, New York, Simon & Schuster, 1980
"My Story", Marilyn Monroe, New York, Stein and Day, 1974.
Modern Art Pierre Alivon
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