Marilyn Monroe was not only a bombshell. She helped build the shell. In this episode of Buried By Time, we look at the carefully constructed image of Marilyn Monroe, from the famous “switch” she could seemingly turn on in public, to the makeup, clothing, possible cosmetic procedures, vulnerability, glamour, and performance that turned Norma Jeane into one of the most recognizable women in history. Beneath the blonde hair, soft voice, and glowing public image was something more complicated: a woman who learned how to become a myth, and a myth powerful enough to survive her.

Marilyn Monroe, Norma Jeane, Hollywood, bombshell, 1950s, beauty image, public persona, fame, movie star, celebrity mythology, The Seven Year Itch, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.