1st Installment of "My Tribute To Marilyn"

Hulbertwaldroup.com

Did You Know?

She Owed Her First Big Break to Ronald Reagan

During World War II, as part of his duties in the Army's First Motion Picture Unit, Captain Ronald Reagan thought it would be a great morale booster for the troops to see some pictures of some pretty factory girls, showing how they, too, were contributing to the war effort just as the boys were overseas. One factory Captain Reagan had in mind was the Radioplane Company in Burbank, which was owned by his friend and fellow actor Reginald Denny. To complete the task, Reagan sent out a private by the name of David Conover who was an experienced photographer.

When he got to Radioplane, Conover found a pretty 19-year-old brunette by the name of Mrs. Norma Jeane Dougherty working on the lines. Her duties included inspecting parachutes and spraying fire retardant on drone airplanes. The girl had a bright smile and was so photogenic that Conover not only decided to make her the feature of his piece but to use her in later modeling jobs as well. Mrs. Dougherty eventually got divorced, changed her hair, and changed her name, but the shoot, which appeared in Yank Magazine in the summer of 1945 is generally considered her first step to stardom. And Ronald Reagan had been the impetus.