The little friendship between Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable
Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable worked together in How to Marry a Millionaire, one of the most successful films for both actresses. They got along well during filming and formed a brief friendship, though it wasn’t as close as the bond Marilyn shared with Jane Russell.
Betty Grable had been one of the most successful actresses of the 1940s and perhaps 20th Century Fox’s “golden goose” during that decade. She stood out for her comedies and musicals, which were especially popular among U.S. soldiers during World War II. Grable became a true American icon and the ultimate pin-up girl. However, her career did not extend much beyond comedy and musical films. By 1953, at the age of 36, her stardom was beginning to fade.
Marilyn, on the other hand, was a much fresher presence. She began to gain recognition in 1950 with The Asphalt Jungle and All About Eve. She was immensely beloved by the public, receiving more fan mail than many top stars of the time. Between 1950 and 1952, her fame grew steadily, and by 1952, Fox believed she was ready for leading roles in Niagara and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Before filming How to Marry a Millionaire, Niagara had already been released and was a success, which greatly boosted Marilyn’s popularity. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes had not yet premiered — the film that would make her a true superstar — but she was already very famous, and her image was ideal for comedy. Betty Grable, meanwhile, was entering a later stage in her career, and Fox began to see Marilyn as her potential replacement.
Filming for How to Marry a Millionaire began in March 1953. Fox brought together a stellar female cast: the veteran star Betty Grable and the rising sensation Marilyn Monroe, both in comedic roles, along with Lauren Bacall, one of the most important actresses of the 1940s and 50s. Bacall was known for her dramatic roles, but she performed very well in this comedy. Marilyn, whose career excelled in both comedic and dramatic roles, acted as a natural bridge between the playful Betty Grable and the serious Lauren Bacall. How to Marry a Millionaire became one of the most successful films of the year and one of the best in the filmography of all three actresses.
Although Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable did not develop a friendship as deep as the one between Marilyn and Jane Russell in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, they did share a cordial relationship during filming and got along quite well. Betty Grable was not jealous of Marilyn or the possibility of being replaced; on the contrary, she was kind to her from the start. In fact, she once told Marilyn during production, “Honey,” she said warmly to Marilyn one day during production, “I've had mine—now go get yours.” Something that stuck in Grable’s memory was that when her daughter fell from a horse and got hurt, Marilyn repeatedly called offering help and comfort; according to Grable, she was the only one on set to do so. Despite their good rapport, once How to Marry a Millionaire was released, their friendship did not continue. There were no problems or conflicts; each simply went on with her life, although both retained a fond memory of the other.
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