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‘Marilyn Was Just Like the Other Girls’

Montage by Marilyn Mexico

Writing for the McLeansboro Times-Leader, Helen Sue Johnson remembers her residency at the Hollywood Studio Club for young actresses in the 1940s:

“Looking at a picture of Marilyn Monroe in Parade magazine reminds me of my short time in Hollywood, when I was making singing commercials. ‘Get fresh today, and you will see how really fresh can be’ was one of them.

I stayed at the Hollywood Studio Club, where Marilyn Monroe, Donna Reed and others also stayed while trying to get into the movies. At the time, Marilyn was not famous, but after she left, I got her room with another girl who had been Marilyn’s roommate.

Her roommate, Clarice Evans, later told me Marilyn was just like the other girls, but when she put on make-up, she dazzled everyone!”

 

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Remembering the Studio Club

Collage by Sergio Serrano

Writing for the McLeansboro Times-Leader, Helen Sue Johnson remembers her stay at the Studio Club, the hostel for young actresses where Marilyn once lived:

“Back in the 1950s, when I was an aspiring actress and singer, I stayed at the Studio Club, a place for young ladies wanting to go into the theater.

Though Marilyn was famous later, she was there for a while and then left to move somewhere else; I got her room and roommate, Clarice Evans, whom I ran into after Marilyn was famous. We talked about Marilyn at the Studio Club; Clarice said she was just like the other girls, pretty, but she got lucky.

Believe it or not, Marilyn attended the Christian Science church, and so did Elizabeth Taylor, during their younger years.”