When the former Norma Jeane Mortenson teamed up with pinup photographer Earl Moran as a model in the 1940s, the result was nothing short of stunning.     At the time, Marilyn  Monroe was a model for Blue Book Modeling Agency, and was paid 10 dollars  an hour for the shoot. The images are being displayed  in Minneapolis.

Even then it was evident that she had real star qualities

It was probable that this photo shoot helped her into films.

I didn’t know much about Earl Moran, the photographer but he certainly did a good job – and I have discovered something – as below:-

In 1946, Earl Moran  moved to Hollywood though having already painted many movie stars and soon after his arrival, he interviewed a young starlet named Norma Jean Dougherty who wanted to model for him.    For the next four years, Marilyn Monroe  posed for Moran and the two became friends.     She always credited him with making her legs look better than they were as she felt they were too thin.

Moran’s work during this time period is now his most valuable; a Moran Marilyn pastel sold for $83,650 in 2011 nearly doubling the previous record for one of his works.