Marilyn Monroe's doctor under suspicion: New documents raise questions

As the cultural world honors Marilyn Monroe's 100th birthday with documentaries and retrospectives, a new document raises uncomfortable questions. Shortly before the anniversary, records emerge showing that Monroe's doctor prescribed her over 800 doses of medication in a period of just two months – a quantity that medical professionals question.

The findings once again focus attention on what remains unsolved to this day: How did Marilyn Monroe really die? The official version is overdose, but conspiracy theories and new evidence have fueled doubts for decades. The role of her treating physician – and possible negligence or complicity – stands at the center of these debates.

A different picture of the actress

Parallel to these revelations, documentaries paint a different picture of the actress. A new documentary sheds light on how Marilyn Monroe found her self-confidence and asserted herself against the expectations of the film industry. She was not just the sex symbol that Hollywood made her out to be – she was a perfectionist, intelligent, and witty. Archive footage even shows her performing for American soldiers in Korea, where she sought genuine human connection, away from the camera.

The anniversary week thus reveals a paradox: While media worldwide honor the complexity and depth of a woman who was far more than her image, new documents point to the dark sides that led to her early death. Unknown photographs by photographer Sam Shaw emerge – images that show who Marilyn Monroe was beyond the myth. Yet the medical records remind us that behind the legend was also a vulnerable woman who may have been abandoned by those who were supposed to care for her.