An actress is not a machine, but they treat you like a machine. A money machine.
Marilyn Monroe
- Life
- 1926-1962
- Occupations
- film actor, film producer, singer
- Notable works
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch, The Prince and the Showgirl
Facts: Wikidata (CC0), as of 2026-07-09
Marilyn Monroe may be the most misquoted woman of the twentieth century: 'If you can't handle me at my worst...' has never been traced to anything she said or wrote, and scholars consider it apocryphal. Her genuine interviews -- especially the 1962 Life magazine sessions -- show a sharper, sadder wit than the poster quotes. The gap between Monroe-as-quoted and Monroe-on-the-record is itself a well-documented cultural phenomenon.
Fame will go by and, so long, I’ve had you, fame. If it goes by, I’ve always known it was fickle. So at least it’s something I experienced, but that’s not where I live.
Marilyn Monroe
Fame will go by and, so long, I've had you, fame. If it goes by, I've always known it was fickle. So at least it's something I experienced, but that's not where I live. Life magazine
Marilyn Monroe
First, I’m trying to prove to myself that I’m a person. Then maybe I’ll convince myself that I’m an actress.
Marilyn Monroe
First, I'm trying to prove to myself that I'm a person. Then maybe I'll convince myself that I'm an actress. quoted in Ms. magazine
Marilyn Monroe
Hollywood’s a place where they’ll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, and fifty cents for your soul. I know, because I turned down the first offer often enough and held out for the fifty cents.
Marilyn Monroe
Hollywood's a place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, and fifty cents for your soul. I know, because I turned down the first offer often enough and held out for the fifty cents. Marilyn Monroe In Her Own Words, "Acting"
Marilyn Monroe
Husbands are chiefly good as lovers when they are betraying their wives.
Marilyn Monroe
I don’t want to make money, I just want to be wonderful.
Marilyn Monroe
I don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderful. quoted in Ms. magazine
Marilyn Monroe
I restore myself when I’m alone. A career is born in public-talent in privacy.
Marilyn Monroe
I restore myself when I'm alone. A career is born in public-talent in privacy. quoted in Ms. magazine
Marilyn Monroe
It’s not true I had nothing on. I had the radio on.
Marilyn Monroe
It's not true I had nothing on. I had the radio on. Time (New York, 1952)
Marilyn Monroe
My work is the only ground I’ve ever had to stand on. I seem to have a whole superstructure with no foundation — but I’m working on the foundation.
Marilyn Monroe
My work is the only ground I've ever had to stand on. I seem to have a whole superstructure with no foundation'but I'm working on the foundation. Marilyn Monroe In Her Own Words, "Acting"
Marilyn Monroe
People feel fame gives them some kind of privilege to walk up to you and say anything to you, of any kind of nature-and it won't hurt your feelings-like it's happening to your clothing. Quoted in Ms. magazine
Marilyn Monroe
Please don’t make me a joke.
Marilyn Monroe
Please don't make me a joke. Interview with Patricia Newcomb, 1962.
Marilyn Monroe
Unfortunately, I am involved in a freedom ride protesting the loss of the minority rights belonging to the few remaining earthbound stars. All we demanded was our right to twinkle.
Marilyn Monroe