Posts Tagged with Joe DiMaggio

THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH PREMIERE.. 65 YEARS ON!
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THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH PREMIERE.. 65 YEARS ON!

Happy 65th birthday to “The Seven Year Itch” !!

June 1st 2020 marks an incredible 65 years since the premiere of “The Seven Year Itch” the classic comedy starring Marilyn Monroe and Tom Ewell.

The premiere of “The Seven Year Itch” on June 1st 1955 was a star-studded gala. To mark the event, the Lowe’s State Theatre in Times Square recieved a 52 foot high poster of Marilyn in billowing skirts, at a cost of around $1,500. The original had to be replaced with a less revealing image after complaints were reported. Marilyn was escorted by DiMaggio (she told reporters “We’re just good friends” but than didn’t stop a frenzy of press speculation that a reconcilliation was taking place) into the theatre, where the screening was attended, by among others, Grace Kelly, Henry Fonda, Margaret Truman, Eddie Fisher, Judy Holliday and Richard Rodgers.

The movie was the biggest hit of the summer, grossing almost $5million, and going on to top anywhere between $6 and $15 million by the end of its initial run, depending on who is providing the figures.

Source: The Marilyn Monroe Encyclopedia by Adam Victor

MONROE AND DIMAGGIO WED 66 YEARS AGO
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MONROE AND DIMAGGIO WED 66 YEARS AGO

January 14th 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio wed at San Francisco City Hall, today marks 65 years since those nuptials took place.

On January 14th 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were married in the chambers of Judge Charles S. Peery, in a simple, small civil ceremony which lasted merely 3 mins, commencing at 1.48pm.

Hundreds of photographers lined the streets outside the building to catch a glimpse of the newley married couple. Marilyn wore a very modest chocolate brown suit with a high ermine collar and DiMaggio donned a navy blue suit and polka dot tie, seemingly the same one he wore the evening of the couples first date. (Read more about that night here: https://www.marilynrememberedfanclub.com/the-villa-nova/ )

Practically all the people at the wedding were from Joe’s side: best man Reno Barsocchini, Lefty and Jean O’Doul and brother Tom DiMaggio and his wife. Monroe promised to “love, honour and cherish” her husband, omitting the word “obey,” from the vows, which was unheard of at the time.

Joe placed a stunning platinum eternity band set with 35 baguette-cut diamonds on Marilyn’s finger and the couple were pronounced man and wife.


Marilyn’s eternity ring from her husband Joe DiMaggio.

After the ceremony, the couple left the building arm and arm, smiles beaming from their faces and very much in love. They departed in Joe’s blue cadillac, ready to start their married life together.

Sadly the marriage was only to last 9 months and the couple divorced shortly after. A lot has been said about what may or may not have gone on behind closed doors during their marriage, but on this day 65 years ago, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio’s hearts were full of love and devotion to one another. So we are here to celebrate the love that was shared on that day by Marilyn and the man she called “my slugger.”

THE VILLA NOVA
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THE VILLA NOVA

The Villa Nova restaurant, the location of Marilyn and Joe’s first ever date, as it looked in their day.  The restaurant was owned by Director Vincente Minelli, who was then married to Judy Garland and the venue had a strict “No press!” rule in place, making it popular with the stars of the day.

March 8th 1952, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio go on their first ever date at the Villa Nova restaurant on Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood.  This would start a relationship and also friendship between the two of them which would ultimately last until Marilyn’s death in 1962.

Joe was keen to meet Marilyn after he saw a photograph of her in a newspaper, posing with Chicago White Sox players Joe Dobson and Gus Zernial.  The sight of Marilyn, in a pair of figure hugging white hot pants, a tight jersey blouse, and of course a baseball cap, prompted him to ask Zernial, “Who’s the blonde?”

                                                                                 The photo that started it all

When Joe found out that one of his drinking pals at Toots Shor’s, David March, knew Marilyn personally, he pestered him to set up a double date, with March’s current belle, actress Peggy Rabe.  This took place on March 8th 1952 at the Villa Nova Italian restaurant on Sunset Boulevard.  Marilyn apparently arrived two hours late, but Joe waited for her all the same.  Many accounts of the events, however, maintain that the evening out was just Joe and Marilyn, and not a double date at all. The date went well and Marilyn drove DiMaggio back to the Knickerboker Hotel where he was staying at the time.

Marilyn, recalling her first meeting with Joe said: “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.  I had dinner with him almost every night for two weeks.  He treated me like something special.  Joe is a very decent man, and he makes other people feel decent too.”

Needless to say, the couple went on to date for nearly 2 years, before marrying on January 14th 1954.

                                                          In happier times:  Marilyn and Joe on their wedding day


 The Villa Nova as Marilyn and Joe knew it was taken over in 1972 and renamed “The Rainbow Bar and Grill.”  It is now no longer an intimate Italian restaurant, but a heavy metal and glam rock bar.  It is still an immensly popular hotspot in the LA nightlife and offers live music every Wednesday, as well as wide range of delicious food and drinks on offer at reasonable prices… and the portion sizes are really good, which is always a bonus!

 

 

Not to back away from their history, you can still spot Marilyn at the Rainbow if you keep your eyes peeled:

Find it:
The Rainbow Bar and Grill (formerly The Villa Nova) can be found at 9015 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069, USA
website: http://www.rainbowbarandgrill.com/

Sources:
The Marilyn Encyclopedia by Adam Victor

Published

MONROE AND DIMAGGIO WED 65 YEARS AGO

January 14th 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio wed at San Francisco City Hall, today marks 65 years since those nuptials took place.

On January 14th 1954, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were married in the chambers of Judge Charles S. Peery, in a simple, small civil ceremony which lasted merely 3 mins, commencing at 1.48pm.

Hundreds of photographers lined the streets outside the building to catch a glimpse of the newley married couple. Marilyn wore a very modest chocolate brown suit with a high ermine collar and DiMaggio donned a navy blue suit and polka dot tie, seemingly the same one he wore the evening of the couples first date. (Read more about that night here: https://www.marilynrememberedfanclub.com/the-villa-nova/ )

Practically all the people at the wedding were from Joe’s side: best man Reno Barsocchini, Lefty and Jean O’Doul and brother Tom DiMaggio and his wife. Monroe promised to “love, honour and cherish” her husband, omitting the word “obey,” from the vows, which was unheard of at the time.

Joe placed a stunning platinum eternity band set with 35 baguette-cut diamonds on Marilyn’s finger and the couple were pronounced man and wife.

Marilyn’s eternity ring from her husband Joe DiMaggio.

After the ceremony, the couple left the building arm and arm, smiles beaming from their faces and very much in love. They departed in Joe’s blue cadillac, ready to start their married life together.

Sadly the marriage was only to last 9 months and the couple divorced shortly after. A lot has been said about what may or may not have gone on behind closed doors during their marriage, but on this day 65 years ago, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio’s hearts were full of love and devotion to one another. So we are here to celebrate the love that was shared on that day by Marilyn and the man she called “my slugger.”