Marilyn Monroe was one of the most iconic and influential actresses of the 20th century. She rose to fame with her roles in films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Some Like It Hot, and The Seven Year Itch. She also had a tumultuous personal life, marked by three marriages, several affairs, and struggles with mental health issues. She died of a drug overdose in 1962, at the age of 36.
But who was Marilyn Monroe’s real father? For a long time, this question remained a mystery, as her mother, Gladys Pearl Baker, had given her conflicting information about his identity. On her birth certificate, her father’s name was listed as Martin Edward Mortensen, who was Gladys’ husband at the time of her conception. However, Mortensen had separated from Gladys before Marilyn was born, and later claimed he was not her biological father.
The Affair Between Gladys and Charles
According to Biography, Gladys told Marilyn that her father was one of her co-workers at RKO Studios, where she worked as a film negative cutter. His name was Charles Stanley Gifford, and he was a supervisor and executive at the studio. Gladys and Charles had a brief affair in 1925, which resulted in Marilyn’s conception. However, Charles was also married to another woman, Lilian, whom he later divorced.
Charles Stanley Gifford was born on September 18, 1898, in Newport, Rhode Island. He had two other children with Lilian: Elizabeth and Charles Jr. He also worked as a Hollywood director and producer, before retiring from the film industry and becoming a dairy farmer in Hemet, California.
The Rejection of Marilyn
Marilyn Monroe never met her biological father, despite her attempts to contact him. According to The Sun, when she was a teenager, she called Charles and asked him to acknowledge her as his daughter. However, he refused and told her to see his attorney. Marilyn was heartbroken by his rejection.
Later, when she became a famous actress, she tried to reach out to him again, hoping that he would change his mind. She even visited him in Hemet, but he still denied having any relation to her. Some reports claim that they met at a drive-through that he owned, but there is no evidence to confirm this.
Charles Stanley Gifford died of a heart attack on June 27, 1965, having never accepted Marilyn Monroe as his daughter. He was buried at San Jacinto Valley Cemetery in San Jacinto, California. His granddaughter, Francine, said that he regretted his decision and felt guilty about losing another daughter
