Marilyn takes a break during her trip to Bement with hairdresser Peter Leonardi at her side. Photo by Eve Arnold, 1955
Almost sixty-one years after Marilyn’s trip to Bement, Illinois – in honour of Abraham Lincoln’s visit a century before – the town’s mayor is repaying the tribute, WCIA3 reports. Pat Tiernan also owns a hair salon, and lives in the house where Marilyn stopped for a rest. Photographer Eve Arnold, who accompanied Marilyn that day, captured the moment – with MM’s own hairdresser, Peter Leonardi, also in the frame.
“Pat Tieman started cutting hair more than 20 years ago. The iconic face that’s all over Salon 101 has been around a lot longer than that.
He’s got a collection of things connected to Marilyn Monroe. Ever since he moved into the Marilyn Monroe house in town, people started giving him stuff, like articles about when she visited, pictures and collectibles.
‘She came to the home, she took a nap there, she rested up and soaked her feet because she was sick the day she came,’ said Tieman. ‘She had a kidney infection so her ankles had swelled.’
Now he knows that piece of history forward and backward. People started giving him plates, statues and other pieces with her picture. His shop reflects his passion.
Marilyn got paid $500 to make that appearance. We’re told she was very interested in seeing the Bryant Cottage, where Abraham Lincoln had been, while she was there.”