A Walk Through Marilyn's Ghost

Some mornings, on my way to work, I stand over a subway grate at the SW corner of 52nd street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan and breathe in the essence of Marilyn Monroe.

I take a deep breath and feel enriched. I only do this on occasion. I don’t want to wear out my welcome.

It all started in the early morning hours of September 15, 1954. A film crew, helmed by Billy Wilder, set up shop at the SW corner of 52nd street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. They were there to film a scene for the movie The Seven Year Itch. A scene that would one day prove iconic.

Marilyn Monroe standing over a subway grate in a soon to be billowing white dress. (In 2011 the white “subway" dress sold for 5.6 million dollars in Beverly Hills.)

With her on the set was actor Tom Ewell. Her co-star in what was essentially a two-character movie. Also on the set was her husband, New York Yankees legend, Joe Dimaggio. Most importantly, to this little New York aside, were the people of New York.

They were, to put it mildly, unruly. Making any of the footage shot that day unusable. The scene we now see in the movie had to be filmed in a studio. But the publicity photos from the original shoot location in New York helped make the movie a box office hit when it hit the screens the following year.

The spot where I meet up with Marilyn on my way to work is where it all started. Lucky me.

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.doctormacro.com/Images/Mo...