Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Never Before Seen Photos of Marilyn Monroe Up For Auction


From the Daily Mail:

Tousle-haired and relaxed during a break from work, Marilyn Monroe still displays the same allure that made her an enduring screen icon.
Taken by a trusted friend on location while she filmed her first leading role for Niagara in 1953, this picture has never been seen by the public before.
It shows the 27-year-old actress on the brink of international stardom.

Intimate: Trusted make-up artists Allan 'Whitey' Snyder took these charming shots of a 27-year-old Marilyn Monroe relaxing between takes


Smiling, she seems not to care that her top has slipped down one shoulder as she reclines by Niagara Falls. 
In another shot, she wears a knotted scarf as a makeshift sunhat – an image a long way from the glamorous persona which haunted her until her death nine years later.

    The man behind the camera was Allan ‘Whitey’ Snyder, Monroe’s make-up artist. She would ask him to photograph her to calm her nerves before filming.
    He died in 1994 and the pictures were released after his archive of photos emerged for sale at auction in Beverly Hills this weekend.

    Playful: Snyder spent hours coaxing and comforting Monroe as she prepared to film her scenes and managed to snap the intimate pictures
    Playful: Snyder spent hours coaxing and comforting Monroe as she prepared to film her scenes and managed to snap the intimate pictures

    Stunning: The unseen photographs show a carefree Marilyn Monroe soaking up the sun on a beach between film takes
    Trusted: Allan Snyder's photos are remarkable for the obvious warmth of his relationship with Monroe and show none of the stage fright which she struggled with throughout her career
     The unseen photographs show a carefree Marilyn Monroe soaking up the sun on a beach between film takes

    There are dozens of pictures from the sets of other films including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Prince and the Showgirl, Niagara and Something's Got to Give.
    The archive includes letters and other ephemera and is expected to sell for thousands of  when it all goes to auction.

    Darren Julien, of Julien's auctioneers, said: ‘Whitey Snyder died in the 1990s and these items have come from his estate, so they have never been seen before.
    ‘Whitey was Marilyn's make-up artist for 16 years and had unlimited access to her.
    ‘They met when Monroe had her first screen test at 20th Century Fox in 1946.

    The remarkable pictures, taken by make-up artist Allan 'Whitey' Snyder, on the set of Niagra in 1953, were never meant for publication and show a more natural side of the screen legend

    ‘Sometimes, especially in the early days of her movie career, she would get nervous on set and Whitey would photograph her and she would come to life.
    ‘It would take her mind off all her problems and this would happen during down time on film sets.
    ‘Some of them even show her in costume and they were never intended to be released to the public.
    ‘There are many other items in the archive as well as photographs and collectors and institutions will be keen to own them.’
    The sale also includes a rare calendar with a picture of a naked Monroe on it.
    The picture was taken by Tom Kelly and famously appeared in the first edition of Playboy.


    Trusted: The collection of Allan Snyder's pictures of Monroe show the movie star looking at ease away from the film cameras


    Unseen: The never-before-seen photos of relaxed film star Marilyn Monroe are expected to sell for thousands of dollars when they go before an auction in Beverly Hills, California


    Friendship: Make-up artist Allan Snyder built up a close relationship with Marilyn Monroe, enabling him to take the series of shots of the relaxed film star



    Julien said: ‘These calendars used to sell for about 300 or 400 dollars but recently they are going for up to $6,000.
    ‘This one is in good condition and Marilyn couldn't do anything about the picture being licensed because she had no control over it.
    ‘But in a way it was the picture that helped launch her career.’
    The archive will be sold in Beverley Hills, California, during a two-day sale starting on March 31.


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