A Little Bit Of Hollywood

At the recommendation of a music coach, ​​Marilyn Monroe spent hours listening to Ella Fitzgerald recordings while trying to train her own voice. After Monroe first saw Fitzgerald, her favorite singer, perform live in 1954, the pair rapidly became friends, sharing a common bond through their life experiences. A year later, when the “First Lady of Song” had trouble booking a gig at legendary L.A. nightclub Mocambo — the owners thought Fitzgerald wasn’t svelte and glamorous enough to draw a crowd, if you can imagine— Monroe used her star power to step in.

“She personally called the owner of the Mocambo, and told him she wanted me booked immediately, and if he would do it, she would take a front table every night,” recalled Fitzgerald. “She told him — and it was true, due to Marilyn’s superstar status — that the press would go wild. The owner said yes, and Marilyn was there, front table, every night. The press went overboard. After that, I never had to play a small jazz club again.”

Fitzgerald wasn’t the only singer with whom Monroe had a close connection: Crooner Frank Sinatra had a deep affection for Monroe, and the pair were close friends for years. Some speculate that the pair dated — perhaps because she stayed at his home for a period after her divorce from playwright Arthur Miller in 1961 — but, according to Sinatra’s close friend and road manager Tony Oppedisano, their relationship never got romantic. 

Close to the end of Monroe’s life in 1962, Ol’ Blue Eyes presented her with a cherished gift: a fluffy white Maltese terrier, sometimes referred to erroneously as her poodle. Feeling cheeky, she named the pup Mafia, or “Maf” for short. Monroe loved animals and had canine companions throughout her life, including her childhood dog Tippy, a chihuahua named Josefa, and Hugo, a basset hound she shared with Miller during their marriage.

Just a little “fluff”!