Marilyn Monroe / Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson; June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress and model. Famous for playing &quot;dumb blonde&quot; characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s, emblematic of the era&#x27;s attitudes towards sexuality. Although she was a top-billed actress for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962. She continues to be considered a major popular culture icon.