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The Tragic Final Smile: 7 Untold Secrets Of Marilyn Monroe's Last Photoshoot

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The enduring mystery of Marilyn Monroe continues to captivate the world, and no single image is more haunting than her final photographs. As of December 2025, new perspectives and recently published collections continue to shed light on the final weeks of the iconic star’s life, revealing a complex woman behind the platinum blonde facade.

The pictures widely considered her absolute last professional set were taken in a casual, candid style, a stark departure from her usual glamorous persona. They capture a moment of fragile beauty and a fleeting sense of hope, unaware of the tragedy that would strike just days later.

Marilyn Monroe: A Brief Biographical Profile

To fully understand the context of her final images, it is essential to remember the remarkable life of the woman born as Norma Jeane.

  • Full Birth Name: Norma Jeane Mortenson (later baptized Norma Jeane Baker)
  • Born: June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  • Died: August 5, 1962, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  • Cause of Death: Probable overdose (Barbiturates)
  • Occupation: Actress, model, singer, and international sex symbol.
  • Key Films: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, Some Like It Hot, The Misfits.
  • Spouses:
    • James Dougherty (m. 1942; div. 1946)
    • Joe DiMaggio (m. 1954; div. 1955)
    • Arthur Miller (m. 1956; div. 1961)
  • Signature Look: Platinum blonde hair, a beauty mark, and a distinctive breathy voice.

The Two "Last" Photoshoots: Bert Stern vs. George Barris

The term "Marilyn Monroe's last photo" is often debated, as she participated in two major professional photoshoots in the summer of 1962, both carrying immense historical weight and providing different glimpses of her state of mind.

1. The Last Sitting (Bert Stern)

In June 1962, approximately six weeks before her death, Marilyn posed for photographer Bert Stern for a series commissioned by *Vogue* magazine.

  • Context: This was a highly stylized, high-fashion shoot, often featuring Monroe nude or semi-nude, draped in sheer scarves and beads.
  • The Scars: The session is famously known for the images where she deliberately drew "X" marks over the negatives she disliked, a powerful, self-destructive act that became an iconic part of the collection.
  • The Volume: Stern took over 2,500 photographs during the three-day session, which he later compiled into the famous book, *The Last Sitting*.

2. The Last Shoot (George Barris)

The final, definitive professional photoshoot took place in late June and early July 1962, with photographer George Barris, a close friend and former colleague from the set of *The Misfits*.

  • Context: Barris was commissioned by *Cosmopolitan* to photograph Monroe for a book they planned to co-author.
  • The Date: The last day of the shoot was July 13, 1962, just three weeks before her death on August 4, 1962.
  • The Location: The photos were taken at various locations around Los Angeles, including a private home in the Hollywood Hills and, most famously, Will Rogers Estate Beach in Santa Monica.

It is the images from the George Barris session that are universally regarded as the absolute final professional photographs of Marilyn Monroe. They are less glamorous and more revealing of the woman behind the star, often showing her unstyled and relaxed.

7 Haunting Details of "The Last Shoot"

The photographs taken by George Barris are a powerful, bittersweet record of Marilyn's final days, capturing her in a state of transition and vulnerability. These are the secrets and details that make this collection so compelling.

1. The "Laying in the Sand" Image

The most famous image from the Barris collection, and arguably the single "last photo," is a black-and-white print showing Marilyn lying on the sand at Santa Monica Beach, smiling with her eyes closed. This image, often titled *Marilyn Monroe 'Laying in the Sand'*, is a candid moment of peace, contrasting sharply with the turmoil of her private life.

2. The Unreleased Intention

Barris intended to publish the photos and a corresponding interview as a book titled *Marilyn: Her Final Days*. However, after her sudden death, Barris was so distraught that he canceled the project and locked the negatives away for over 20 years. This is why the images remained relatively unseen until the 1980s, preserving their "lost" quality.

3. The Candid, Unstyled Look

Unlike the high-glamour *Vogue* shoot, the Barris photos show a more natural, almost unstyled Marilyn. She is seen in a simple white towel, a casual green-and-white striped top, and a bikini, often posing playfully on the sand or climbing on rocks. This raw, unpolished look is what gives the images their powerful, intimate feel.

4. The Last Known Interview

The photoshoot was accompanied by a series of conversations that formed her final recorded interview. In these discussions, Marilyn spoke of her career, her hopes for the future, and her desire for more serious roles, revealing a professional ambition that was still burning brightly.

5. The Sense of Optimism

Despite being fired from her last film, *Something's Got to Give*, just weeks earlier, the Barris photographs and the accompanying interview reveal a woman who was surprisingly optimistic. She was reportedly in good spirits during the shoot, laughing and joking with Barris, a detail that makes her subsequent death even more shocking.

6. The Unfinished Project

The entire "Last Shoot" was meant to be the start of a collaborative project. Barris had moved to California specifically to work with her on the book, a testament to the trust and friendship between the photographer and the star. The sudden end to this partnership and project adds a layer of tragic incompleteness to the collection.

7. The Enduring Legacy of the "Lost Photographs"

In recent years, the Barris collection, along with other rarely seen images by her long-time makeup artist Allan "Whitey" Snyder, have been featured in exhibitions and new book releases. These "lost photographs" continue to resurface, offering new generations a chance to connect with the authentic, vulnerable Norma Jeane Baker in her final moments, rather than just the manufactured icon of Marilyn Monroe.

The final images of Marilyn Monroe are not just photographs; they are a historical snapshot of a cultural moment—the last light of a star before it tragically faded. They serve as a poignant reminder of her complex life and her struggle to balance the demands of her public image with her private reality.

marilyn monroe last photo
marilyn monroe last photo

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