While the legend of Marilyn Monroe always will be closely associated with the life - your first session of cover of the magazine, in April 1952, made by the great Philippe Halsman, remains one of the most famous and collectible covers in the history of the magazine - it may surprise some people to learn how rarely actually she appeared in the magazine itself.
There is no doubt that life had recognized unique and deep appeal of Marilyn from early in his career, but she only graceful cover of living six times while he was alive. (It appeared in several covers more after his death in August 1962, including subsequent editions then ceased publishing magazine as a weekly). Six times - which is less than Dwight Eisenhower, for example, while Liz Taylor holds the record with 14 appearances on the cover of the magazine photo premier of the time.
[Buy the book of life, remembering Marilyn].
And yet... when one considers that it runs six covers Marilyn occurred during a period of just 10 years, and that she had lived could well have challenged the supremacy of Taylor, their close connection with the magazine - and, by extension, its centrality to the American conversation about fame, celebrity, sex and media in the 20th century - is cast in a much clearer, brightest light.
On top of all that, when one recalls that several of their covers are considered classics - his debut and a subsequent Halsman, since 1959, his back jumps, looking over the shoulder; the Ed Clark fired since 1953 with Marilyn and Jane Russell in tight red sequined dresses; a shot of a smiling Marilyn Lawrence Schiller in a swimming pool in June 1962, just two months before his death — the idea of Marilyn helped define what life looked and felt like in the 1950's it takes more strength.
(Speaking of the 1950s, note what might be the most incongruous clash of Word and image that appears on the cover of life - or on the cover of the magazine, for that matter. On the first slide of the Gallery, and overlook easily by anyone whose eyes are, understandably, made exclusively for the out looking a woman beautiful from the April 17, 1952, theme of life, one can read these something dramatic, if head-scratching, words: there is a case for interplanetary saucers.
In fact? Is there really a case for flying saucers? Good, good. Fascinating. Now, if only we can return to this rising young actress named Marilyn Monroe...)
Ultimately, covers the life that appeared Marilyn - we are presenting seven here in this gallery, so as it extends from the articles that accompanied them - are only reminders of what appeared to be a real movie star six long decades ago. Seen today, more than 50 years after his death at the age of 36, do these photos of Marilyn takes another deep resonance that might have had for, say, a Subscriber living in Minneapolis or Omaha or a small town in North Carolina meeting them for the first time?
Probably, Yes. But if we can, even for a little while, watch these life cover of Marilyn with fresh eyes, keeping the knowledge of what ultimately, is in store for young still, concerned, enigmatic superstar, there is a chance that, too, we can see them again, as if for the first time.
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