SIX DEGREES OF MARILYN | Fredric March

The weather is cool, leaves are turning, PSL is flowing, and I’ve been watching many horror films. This week, I watched Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)starring Fredric March. A few things stood out to me: The pronunciation of Jekyll is actually “Jeekel” 🤯; Fredric March looks a lot like Gene Kelley; and the effects in this film were way ahead of their time. I watched it twice within a week – that’s when I know I really like something. I watch a film alone and then immediately rewatch it with my partner.

Since this is a Marilyn blog and not a horror film blog, I’ll get into the connection! But truly, watch Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (TW for the film: abusive themes with the Hyde character).

How Marilyn Rescued a White Piano

As many know, Marilyn’s beloved piano from childhood – now in the possession of Mariah Carey – once belonged to Fredric March.

In the fall of 1933, Marilyn’s Mother, Gladys, put a down payment on a two-story home near The Hollywood Bowl.

“Gladys’s special gift to Norma Jeane is a piano to call her very own, a black Franklin grand, once owned by Fredric March.”

Miracle, Berniece Baker; Miracle, Mona Rae. My Sister Marilyn: A Memoir of Marilyn Monroe (p. 14). iUniverse. Kindle Edition.

“One day a grand piano arrived at my home. It was out of condition. My mother had bought it secondhand. It was for me. I was going to be given piano lessons on it. It was a very important piano, despite being a little banged up. It had belonged to the movie star Fredric March.”

Monroe, Marilyn. My Story (p. 7). Taylor Trade Publishing. Kindle Edition.

At the time of purchase, it was black. Marilyn later had it painted white to match the all-white decor in her NYC apartment.

RAIN | what could have been

In 1961, Marilyn was in talks to make a TV version of Rain. She wanted Lee Strasberg to direct, which ultimately was denied.

“Oh, everything is such a mess!” she continues with a groan. “We were going to tape Rain this spring and air it in the fall. They scrapped it. They didn’t want Lee for a director because he had no TV experience.”

Miracle, Berniece Baker; Miracle, Mona Rae. My Sister Marilyn: A Memoir of Marilyn Monroe (p. 172). iUniverse. Kindle Edition.

Also connected to the project: none other than Fredric March! He could have played the reverend and it would have been glorious. Talk about full circle. I would have loved to see Marilyn and March as these characters.

Another dagger to the heart piece of info: at one point in the process, Rod Serling was to write the script. Yes, the Twilight Zone ICON. He wrote two drafts, but his was an updated version that strayed from the original play. It’s possible that if it had gone on to be made, he would not have been the final scriptwriter. But the idea of a Monroe + March script written by Rod Serling collides so many of my interests – it breaks my heart that it didn’t work out.

Somewhere in an alternate reality, this dream project happened and maybe Marilyn even made an appearance on The Twilight Zone (Thanks for indulging me in this daydream).