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I recently came across a Marilyn Monroe autographed napkin that was for sale at auction. The napkin was signed by Marilyn on Thanksgiving Day, 1961. A letter giving details about the dinner accompanied the napkin (as the writer of the letter sent the napkin to a family member). The letter was written on corporate letterhead (from a firm called "Riss & Company Inc." out of Kansas City, Missouri) by a woman named "Jo."According to the letter, the dinner was held by Gloria Lovell, Frank Sinatra's secretary (and interestingly the woman who took Marilyn's dog Maf after she died). Attending the dinner were Danny Thomas' secretary, Janet, Gloria's hairdresser, Jimmy, Inez Melson, Jo and Marilyn - six total including Gloria. The dinner was held in Gloria's home, which was actually an apartment in Marilyn's former building on North Doheny Drive.
From Jo's letter:
"I know the writing on the little napkin is hard to read, I'll try and get a better one...if you can't make it out its Marilyn Monroe, she was at Gloria's Thanksgiving dinner. There were six of us including Gloria."
"Marilyn is no more like she is on screen than anything...I did not know who she was, hardly.....her voice is diff, altho she has that little hi pitched note, its most exaggerated in her pix. She is as tall as I, but oh so slender, thin face, little bucket, small breasts, wears size 12....she looks (?) times that lagre (sic) on screen...is very sweet, nice as can be, very down to earth, not a bit stuck up or anything,,,just folks. She had on blk short skirt, (black) pumps. a silk jersy (sic) pull on sweater, hair tied up in white silk scarf, (said) it did not look good in back so did not take it off, you'd like her. She (wore) the most elegant, sheared white beaver coat I have ever seen, (I WANT ONE). I'm laughing, who can afford it? Not me......."
The letter provides more details about Marilyn, and how she used to live in Gloria's apartment, and the decorating in Gloria's apartment was actually done by Marilyn when she lived there.
This is truly a fascinating look at Marilyn's final Thanksgiving, Thursday, November 23, 1961. Too bad there were no photos taken.
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