50 Rare Photos From Marilyn Monroe’s Turbulent Marriages

Marilyn Monroe wed her high school sweetheart, James Dougherty, in 1942. Monroe, then known as Norma Jean Baker, met Dougherty while living with a family friend in Los Angeles, California. The couple married just after her 16th birthday, after dating for a few months.

Dougherty, who was 20 years old at the time, initially married Monroe to prevent her from going back into the foster care system as her mother, Gladys, was in and out of psychiatric facilities. After their wedding, the young couple honeymooned on a lake in Ventura County and moved into an apartment in Sherman Oaks.

In 1944, Dougherty, who had joined the Merchant Marines, was assigned to the base on Catalina Island. The newlyweds moved to the island in California where Monroe “was just a housewife,” Dougherty told United Press International. The couple would divorce in 1946, while Dougherty was serving overseas and Monroe began pursuing a career in Hollywood.

According to History, the couple had originally wanted to keep the nuptials low-key. But press and fans crowded San Francisco City Hall after Monroe casually mentioned the wedding to a person at her film studio. Her comments were reportedly leaked.

After first meeting on a double date, Monroe and DiMaggio dated for two years before tying the knot. Both of them had been divorced previously—DiMaggio’s first wife, Dorothy Arnold, filed divorce papers in 1943 citing “cruel indifference” for the reason of separation.

Monroe and DiMaggio at the airport on their honeymoon. The couple traveled to Japan, which they coordinated with a prearranged work trip for DiMaggio.

DiMaggio and Monroe are photographed on their honeymoon in Japan, stopping by a fishing village to take in the view.

Monroe wrote in her biography that she was hesitant to meet DiMaggio, because she thought the retired baseball legend would be too egotistical. But after she did, the two embarked on a tumultuous, yet loving relationship.

Following their union, both of their careers flourished. Monroe’s film career was taking off, having just starring in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, while DiMaggio was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Monroe’s career became hotter than ever during her marriage with DiMaggio. She starred in her most acclaimed film, The Seven Year Itch, during this time, and it was also during this time period that her iconic subway grate photo was captured.

In 1954, DiMaggio visited Monroe on the set of River of No Return in Canada, as seen here.

Although the two were very much in love, DiMaggio could be very controlling. He was apparently extremely opinionated about Monroe’s career and did not like the sexy image his wife so often portrayed.

Only 274 days after their wedding, Monroe announced her divorce from DiMaggio. The starlet cited “mental cruelty” as her reason for filing.

After his divorce with Monroe, DiMaggio had a difficult time moving on. In a scandal that has now become known as the “Wrong Door Raid,” DiMaggio faced consequences when he wrongfully kicked in the door to a house that he thought Monroe was inside with another man.