Marilyn Monroe Net Worth: Earnings, Will & Death
One of the greatest American actresses, who is known for her unparalleled beauty, and alluring personality, Marilyn Monroe’s net worth was $10 million.
Marilyn Monroe, originally Norma Jeane Mortenson, epitomized the Hollywood sex symbol with her champagne blonde curls, proactive clothes, and gentle voice.
She was the top-grossing actress of her time with a total of $200 million at the box office, roughly $2 billion in today’s money.
Despite the fact that she has been dead for more than six decades, she still remains a major icon of pop culture.
Monroe has been ranked sixth on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest female screen legends from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Likewise, in 1993 Monroe appeared in the very first issue of Playboy magazine.
Marilyn Monroe | Quick Facts
Before jumping into astounding details about Monroe, let’s take a look at her facts quickly.
| Birth Name | Norma Jeane Mortenson |
| Known As | Marilyn Monroe |
| Nickname | MM, The Blonde Bombshell |
| Birth Date | June 1, 1926 |
| Birth Place | Los Angeles, California, United States |
| Date of Death | August 4, 1962 |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White American (Part Mexican) |
| Religion | Judaism |
| Gender | Female |
| Sexuality | Disputed |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Father’s Name | Not Known |
| Mother’s Name | Glayds Pearl Baker |
| Foster Father | Albert Bolender |
| Foster Mother | Ida Bolender |
| Siblings | Robert Kermitt Baker (Half-Brother), Bernice Baker Miracle (Half-Sister) |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Spouse | James Dougherty (m. 1942-1946), Joe DiMaggio (m. 195401955), Arthur Miller (m. 1956-1961) |
| Ex-Partner | John F. Kennedy (1961-1962), Dean Martin (1960), Marlon Brando (1955), Frank Sinatra (1954-1955), Ronald Reagan (1948) |
| Children | No Children |
| Weight | 54 kg/119 lbs. |
| Height | 5 ft. 5½ in/166 cm/1.66 m |
| Body Measurement | 36-22-36 in/91.5-56-91.5 cm |
| Dress Size | 6 (US)/38 (EU)/10 (UK) |
| Shoe Size | 7.5 (US) /38 (EU) |
| Hair Color | Dyed Blonde |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Distinctive Features | Platinum Blonde Locks, Beauty Mark on Cheek, Voluptuous Figure |
| Education | Emerson Junior High School, Van Nuys High School, University High School, Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute |
| Profession | Actress, Model, and Singer |
| First Film | Dangerous Years (1947) |
| First TV Show | The Jack Benny Program (1953) |
| Best Known For | The Misfits (1961), The Seven Year Itch (1955), Some Like It Hot (1959) |
| Endorsements | Lux Soap, Co, Pabst Beer, Snickers |
| Social Media | Twitter, Facebook, Instagram |
| Favorite Actress | Jean Harlow |
| Favorite Actor | Marlon Brando |
| Favorite Artist/Painter | Francisco Goya |
| Net Worth | $10 Million |
| Merchandise | Signed Check, Signed Photograph Black, and White, Signed Vintage Photo |
| Last Update | September 2024 |
Marilyn Monroe | Net Worth & Income
The beautiful blonde Marilyn Monroe’s net worth at the time of her death was $800,000, which is the same as $7 million after adjusting for inflation.
She made an astonishing amount of money from her acting career, which rounded up to around $3 million and roughly $24 million before taxes today.
Her appearances in more than 38 films greatly contributed to her fortune.
In addition to her acting, Marilyn also made a sizable amount through endorsement deals, and believe you me, she had a lot under her belt.
She used to spend her money recklessly on things she loved, which only proves that Monroe was not quite responsible with her money.
Moreover, her production firm and other ventures also flowed money to her, which enabled her to live lavishly.
Movie Earnings
Whether people like it or not, Monroe was one of the biggest film stars in the 50s and the 60s.
Her fame at the time smartly leveraged for greater pay.
Her biggest paychecks came from two films; namely, Something’s Got To Give (1962) and The Misfits (1961).
Despite the fact that she hated the film The Misfits, it is considered to be her best acting performance.
She reportedly made $1 million for The Misfits, around $8.62 million today, and another million for Something’s Got to Give, roughly $8.56 million. (A million dollars in 1961 was bigger than a million in 62.)
Likewise, in 1956, Monroe starred in the romance drama film Bus Stop.
Her role as Cherie in the film earned her $150,000, roughly $1.4 million today.
Similarly, for her role in the 1959 film Some Like It Hot, she reportedly made $500,000, and another $500,000 came from the 1960 film Let’s Make Love which is the same as earning $4.4 million today.
Furthermore, Monroe earned $150,000 or $1.39 million from the 1957 comedy romance film The Prince and the Showgirl.
In addition to that, she made $100,000 and around $955,000 each from 1955 The Seven Year Itch, How to Marry a 1953 Millionaire, 1954 There’s No Business Like Show Business and 1954 River of No Return.
Not many people know this, but Marilyn’s films still earn her estate millions of dollars each year.
Surprisingly, in 1999, her film Some Like It Hot made her estate $4.5 million.
As per Forbes, several big brands and businesses still use her likeness and earn massive each year.
Monroe earned $8 million in 2020.
Once a star, always a star!!
Net Worth of Marilyn Monroe in Different Currencies
Marilyn Monroe’s net worth at the time of her death was $10 million. Let’s check the amount in some of the other currencies around the globe.
| Currency | Net Worth |
| Euro | € 9.47 Million |
| Pound Sterling | £ 8.10 Million |
| Australian Dollar | A$ 14.30 Million |
| Canadian Dollar | C$ 12.87 Million |
| Indian Rupee | ₹ 773,905,000 |
| Bitcoin | ฿ 310.34 |
Marilyn Monroe | Real Estate & Cars
Real Estate
Norma Jeane’s most valuable possession was arguably her house in Brentwood, Los Angeles. Reportedly, she had purchased the house just eight months before dying.
Monroe purchased this property for $77,500 in January of 1962. And because she was short of money, she had to borrow it from her ex-husband Joe DiMaggio.
At the time of her death, the house was valued at $90,000. More than half a dozen owners occupied the property after Monroe’s death.
According to the last report, it was sold in 2017 for $7.25 million.
Cars
Marilyn Monroe had some of the fanciest cars of the time.
After the success of the 1955 film, The Seven Year Itch, Monroe treated herself to the brand new 1956 Ford Thunderbird.
The car might have set her back around $5,700 at the time, while its price currently is upwards of $250,000.
Similarly, she owned a 1954 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible, which reportedly was a gift to her as a result of an endorsement deal with Chanel No.5 back in the 1950s.
In addition to that, her then-husband Joe DiMaggio gifted Monroe a 1953 Cadillac Series 62 Eldorado Convertible.
Read About Charlie Chaplin’s Net Worth: Career, Death & Legacy
Marilyn Monroe | Death and Will Settlement
Death
Monroe lived in her Brentwood house during her final years.
One night when Monroe’s housekeeper noticed something wrong as she saw the light coming from Monroe’s room but did not get any response. She immediately called Ralph Greenson, Monroe’s psychiatrist.
Greenson arrived at the place and broke into Monroe’s bedroom, where he found Monroe dead in her bed.
At approximately, around 3:50 in the AM, Monroe’s physician pronounced her dead.
It was later concluded that Monroe died on August 4 between 8:30 PM and 10:30 PM.
The toxicology reports revealed that the death was caused by acute Barbiturate poisoning.
Similarly, eight mg% of chloral hydrate and 4.5 mg% of pentobarbital were found in her blood, and 13 mg% of pentobarbital was found in her liver.
Will Settlement
According to the will filed in LA County upon her death, Norma Jeane’s net worth whittled to about $370,000 after settling various estate fees.
As per the will, her half-sister and the personal assistant got $10,000 each.
Similarly, Monroe had also set aside $5,000 in an education trust fund for her assistant’s children.
Likewise, $100,000 went to her mother Glayds Pearl Baker’s trust fund.
As for her physical possessions, Lee Strasberg, Monroe’s acting coach, got all her estate.
Since Monroe was extremely close to Lee and his first wife Paula (Also surrogate parents), Lee received an additional 75% of Monroe’s intellectual property rights.
When Lee died four years after Monroe, the 75% estate went to Lee’s then-wife Venezuelan-born actress Anna Mizrahi.
The remaining rights (25%) went to Marilyn’s therapist Dr. Marianne Kris.
Marilyn Monroe’s net worth at the time of her death was a staggering $10 million.
Marilyn Monroe | Endorsements
With her unparalleled beauty, Monroe was able to captivate a large mass of audiences and brands.
She endorsed a massive number of products and companies in her active days, including Lux soap, Coca-Cola, Union Oil Royal Triton, and Mikimoto limited edition legendary pearls, to name a few.
Even after her death, Monroe’s name, archived footage, nudes, and other intellectual properties generate millions of dollars each year.
After inheriting 75% of Monroe’s estate from her late husband, Lee Strasberg, Anna began capitalizing on the fortune.
She established an empire of out-of-the-rights signing deals with top-notch companies such as Revlon, Absolute Vodka, Coca-Cola, and Mercedes-Benz.
Anna successfully bagged tens of millions of dollars from a dead celebrity’s estate whom she most likely never met.
And yet you don’t believe in destiny, huh!
You know what they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Anna later partnered with a celebrity Management Company called CMG to market Marilyn, which guaranteed at least $1 million each year from licensing fees.
A lawsuit filed against Anna in court revealed that Anna made over $7.5 million in licensing between 1996 and 2000.
Reportedly, Anna later sold the entire 75% stake to Authentic Brands Group for an estimated $25-$30 million in January 2011.
Marilyn Monroe’s net worth at the time of her death was $10 million.
Read About Audrey Hepburn Net Worth: Career & Lifestyle
Marilyn Monroe | Career
Marilyn Monroe signed a deal with Columbia Pictures in 1948 and also appeared in the film Ladies of the Chorus.
Nonetheless, her contract was never renewed.
After that, she signed seven years deal with 20th Century-Fox.
At this point, she was already making headlines with her sexy looks and incomparable magnificence.
However, it was in 1993, after she starred in the thriller film Niagara which turned her into Hollywood’s biggest sex symbol.
Her “Playboy” appearance worked as butter on fire even though it was without her consent.
Playboy published Monroe’s nude photograph in the centerfold of the magazine in 1949.
More than six decades gone, and here we are still talking about the bombshell!
Talk about the level of stardom, huh!
Unknown Facts About Marilyn Monroe
- Marilyn Monroe had a slight rhinoplasty (nose job) in 1950 to lift her nose. She also had her chin line stronger, implanting soft bone in her jaw to perfect her face.
- Monroe had an unusual eating habit. She loved raw eggs.
- She has more than 20 recorded songs to her name.
FAQs
What was the IQ of Marilyn Monroe?
Even though many sources have claimed that Monroe had an IQ of 168, there is no evidence to prove it.
To who did Monroe sing a happy birthday song?
Monroe sang the “Happy Birthday Mr. President” to John F. Kennedy. At the time, she wore a dress made of sheer and flesh-colored fabric.
The famous dress with 2,000 rhinestones embedded into it was auctioned and sold for $4.81 million later.
Reportedly, Monroe had paid Jean-Louis (French Designed) $1,440 for the custom dress.
Did Kim Kardashian really wear Monroe’s dress in the 2022 Met Gala?
Kim dominated the spotlight in the 2022 Met Gala when she appeared on the red carpet donning the original Monroe dress, which Monroe wore when she sang Happy Birthday Mr. President to John F. Kennedy at MSG (Madison Square Garden) in 1962.
Read About 13 Unforgettable Met Gala Red Carpet Fashion
