Marilyn Monroe’s breathless rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to President John F. Kennedy has been remembered as both provocative and sensuous. However, actress Joan Copeland has recently offered a new explanation that clarifies why Monroe appeared so breathless at the 1962 performance.
The DailyMail reports that actress Joan Copeland, now 89 years old and Monroe’s former sister-in-law, shared her memories from the night of the performance. Copeland, who was in attendance that evening, said that Monroe did not perform breathlessly in hopes of appearing sensual on purpose, but rather that she was actually out of breath from getting lost back stage and was “running around trying to find a door,” even causing her to miss her cue.
Monroe’s breathy song to JFK further fueled rumors of infidelities between the President and the starlet at the time. Speculation surrounding the situation has lingered on ever since.
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Following Monroe’s performance, JFK came on stage and said, presumably sarcastically, “I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way.” JFK was not accompanied by his wife Jackie for the May 19, 1962 performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden which honored the President’s 45th birthday which would occur ten days later.
Monroe’s voice wasn’t the only thing that captured the public’s attention that night. Her fitted, flesh colored gown adorned with 2,500 rhinestones and which showed most of her back didn’t deter the seductive connotations of her appearance. The dress has since become nearly as popular as the performance itself, and captured a staggering $1.26 million when it was put to auction in 1999 in New York.
Below, watch Monroe’s now famous ‘Happy Birthday’ song to President John F. Kennedy:
4 Comments
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.Mayosligo | Dec 01, 2011, 11:55 AM EST
I thought her performance was funny at the time and still do.
ciarajoyce | Dec 01, 2011, 03:15 AM EST
You didn't have to cut the middle out of it. Yes, she was out of breath, but she didn't run anywhere in that dress and heels. No one else could have pulled the dress or the "dumb blonde" act off, and JFK and his brother should not have had her "handled." Marilyn was not stupid, but she was insecure (it's hard to imagine). Jackie knew exactly where the problem was and she actually seemed to like old Joe. Some say that after she lost the last baby that summer/fall, Jack & Jackie actually seemed to grow close (I hope for her sake, they did cause she heard most of stories when they happened -- J Edgar made sure of that). Jackie was a lot smarter than her husband, and Joe knew it. Neither of her kids was in US-tabloid news unless it was totally made up, or after John Jr was eye-candy. (Jackie would have exiled them some place horrible, and they both knew it. John Jr didn't pass the Bar right off cause he really didn't need a job and probably didn't want to be a lawyer! I think he found what he enjoyed in publishing.
SingleDonald | Nov 29, 2011, 03:31 PM EST
I guess I was pretty much all alone, but I did not have a boyhood crush on Marilyn!! I liked Susan Hayward, and a Miss America, Mary Ann Mobley. Still, I felt very bad when Marilyn died, the night of August 4th-5th, 1962. Concerning her not deliberately trying to be sensuous, I guess Marilyn had that unique quality. She was a natural seductress, at least to most boys & men, who easily came across that way, even when it wasn't her intention. BTW, I loved that movie, "Calendar Girl". Three boys coming of age drive from Nevada to California, July of 1962, to visit Marilyn. One of them actually gets to ride with Marilyn, as she drives down Pacific Coast Highway 1. A month later, as he begins college, he hears the sad news of her death, over the radio. The movie ends with him not being afraid to approach any girl, on campus! Marilyn's acceptance, even for an innocent ride in her convertible, would instill lifetime confidence in almost any boy/man!!
JimmieM | Nov 29, 2011, 09:46 AM EST
Facts don't matter the democrats use the fantasy, with the help of forged documents, to smear JFK and RFK each time it comes up that they had patriotic and conservative leanings