A script owned by Marilyn Monroe. This screenplay
for a Broadway play titled "Maiden Voyage" was written by Paul Osborn, who
penned scripts for many great plays including East of Eden and South Pacific.
Kermit Bloomgarden hadn't had a chance to see (Arthur) Miller during his
brief stay in New York, but the producer and the playwright had talked on the
phone. Upon Miller's return, Bloomgarden telegraphed inviting Marilyn to
appear on Broadway as Athena in Paul Osborn's Maiden Voyage. Soon,
a copy of Maiden Voyage followed. Osborn was the commercially
successful author of such plays as The Vinegar Tree and Point of No
Return. Bloomgarden was careful to say he didn't want Marilyn simply
for her name but because he was sure she would be terrific in the role.
Miller declined on Marilyn's behalf. He made a point of reaffirming his
belief that Marilyn was going to be a great stage star, but as far as he was
concerned, making her theatrical debut in Paul Osborn's play was simply out of
the question. He noted that Marilyn was exhausted and couldn't possibly
work that winter. As soon as she completed The Sleeping Prince, the
Millers wanted to go home and settle down.
Although Marilyn ultimately didn't accept this
project, her annotations and markings can be seen throughout the script. She penned her initials on the first page.
She annotated her
own part, Hera, by writing the word "me." She underlined the words "sex"
and "sexually" and wrote the word "no."
Interesting point of note: There appears to be some discrepancy over the
part Marilyn was to play. Barbara Leaming's book indicates Marilyn was
offered the part of Athena. However, in her script,
Monroe appears to annotate her part as that of Hera by writing "me."
,
page 272:
Kermit Bloomgarden hadn't had a chance to see (Arthur) Miller during his
brief stay in New York, but the producer and the playwright had talked on the
phone. Upon Miller's return, Bloomgarden telegraphed inviting Marilyn to
appear on Broadway as Athena in Paul Osborn's Maiden Voyage. Soon,
a copy of Maiden Voyage followed. Osborn was the commercially
successful author of such plays as The Vinegar Tree and Point of No
Return. Bloomgarden was careful to say he didn't want Marilyn simply
for her name but because he was sure she would be terrific in the role.
