Marilyn Monroe born Norma Jeane Mortenson, in Los Angeles on June 1st, 1926, was an American actress and model. Famous for playing comic "dumb blonde" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s. Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million by the time of her premature death on August 5th, 1962. She continues to be a major, popular culture icon.