Page 22 - Marilyn

Arnold Schwarzenegger

I sat mesmerized listening to the story of Douglas’ career. Look’s 25th Anniversary issue. In those days, unlike today,
His humility came through loud and clear as he apologized a size 14 movie star was the norm and her voluptuous form
for talking too much about himself and asked me to tell him would remain (to this day) one of the most famous photos of
about me. I hesitated thinking, what could I possibly say that his career. Douglas paused as he remembered the famous
could compete. I mentioned a few details of my photograph- Superstar. “She was running late. The studio I had rented
22 ic background and urged Douglas to tell me more. for the photo shoot was filled with the items she requested;
a bottle of chilled Dom Perignon sat waiting for her arrival
Now the juicy stories would begin. This was the man who
was in a room alone with a naked Marilyn Monroe, as he and Frank Sinatra music was playing in the background. I
took the famous photographs that would make his name syn- thought as I waited…Had I oversold myself, was I in over my
onymous with celebrity photography. When Look Magazine head?”
offered him a job on the recommendation of a colleague,
Douglas jumped at the chance. Douglas, at age 25, was the Marilyn arrived several hours late, but Douglas was just
second youngest photographer to ever be hired to work at relieved that she showed up at all. After some initial shots
Look. Stanley Kubrick was the youngest when he was hired the mood was not right in the room and it was Marilyn who
at the age of 16. In 1961 Douglas was sent to accompany a would turn and announce “I think I should be alone with this
writer who had been assigned to interview Elizabeth Taylor. boy. I find it usually works better that way.” So in a matter of
After a two year illness, Elizabeth was willing to be inter- moments Douglas was alone in the room with a naked Mari-
viewed but refused photographs, still not confident of how lyn Monroe, a situation most young men could only dream
she looked. Knowing that no photos were allowed, Douglas about. When, after a few moments of continued shooting
was sent out to accompany the writer and told to see if he - while Marilyn suggestively slithered below the white silk
could change her mind. The charming Douglas appealed to sheets that were the setting for the photo - she suggested he
Ms. Taylor’s heart when he explained that he was a brand join her in bed. Douglas did what many men would think the
new photographer at Look and having the chance to pho- unthinkable, he refused her offer. Not for a lack of interest,
tograph someone of her importance would make his career. but for the fact that he was married to his first wife at the time
He wore her down and she agreed to let him come back the and she was at home in Lodi, New Jersey with their three
next day and do some photographs. The results were amaz- children. Douglas knew that he had to resist this temptation.
ing and this would set the stage for his future. From this When recounting this story to friends Douglas has always
point forward Douglas was known as the premiere celebrity been met with the same astonished reaction. They’d say
photographer. A few months later he was sent to photograph “You were there with Marilyn Monroe and she asked you to
Judy Garland with whom he would spend a month following get into bed with her and you didn’t. What’s wrong with you?”
around and photographing her life. But Douglas does maintain that had he taken her up on her
Douglas’ biggest break came when he was assigned to offer he does not think that the pictures would have been as
photograph the blond bombshell, Marilyn Monroe. His as- powerful. The result might have been devoid of the sexual
signment was to get the most sizzling photo that he could for tension and excitement that came through.
May/June 2008