“We’re calling her Marilyn Monroe.” Those were the words 12-year-old Jane Lawrence remembered when she was asked to head the up-and-coming blonde starlet’s fan club at 20th Century Fox under the supervision of studio head Darryl Zanuck. Jane was no stranger to movie sets or movie stars, being that her father, Sidney Lipsitch, headed RKO’s legal department. She spent many Saturday afternoons at her home with the likes of Robert Mitchum, Lucille Ball, and Ethel Merman, but helping launch the career of one of the world’s most legendary sex symbols was a task beyond Jane’s wildest dreams. Nearly four decades later, author Tony Jerris was introduced to Jane through a mutual friend and learned how Jane’s working relationship with the actress developed into a special friendship that lasted right up until Marilyn’s untimely death on August 5th, 1962. Told in Jane’s voice, this is a story of an elderly woman reflecting upon her fondest memories of the blue-eyed screen goddess and how she became a confidante of sorts, who Marilyn used to call “My Little Secret.”
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Tony Jerris is a playwright, author, and screenwriter from New York. His off-Broadway play TELL VERONICA! ran in New York City before premiering in Los Angeles. His other New York credits include his play “The Hostesses,” which he later adapted into a short film, earning him a spot in the 2007 Big Damn Film Festival. His musical “Gina’s Parole” showcased at the New York Dramatist’s Guild and ASCAP Musical Festival, before winning a spot in The Peekaboo Festival in New York. As an author, Tony created a trilogy of children’s books. The first in the series, “The Littlest Spruce,” was featured on Good Morning America. He adapted the third book in the series, “The Littlest Witch,” into a musical. His screenplays have placed in The Nicholl Fellowship Awards, The Project Greenlight Screenwriting Contest, and The Writer’s Digest Writing Competition. Tony currently lives in Los Angeles where he is working on several new film projects.
Before devoting his time to writing, Tony Jerris was a New York actor who appeared in several plays and soap operas, including "All My Children" and "One Life To Live." He later went on to write numerous plays, musicals and a trilogy of children's books. After moving to Los Angeles, Tony produced his off-Broadway play TELL VERONICA! at The Hudson Theatre. It starred Charlene Tilton (of "Dallas" fame) in the title role, and costarred character Lin Shaye, who is best known for her roles in the Farrelly Brothers movies like "Something About Mary" & "Dumb & Dumber." The LA TIMES raved, "Tony Jerris' cult hit "Tell Veronica" managed to give broadcast burlesques a run for their money with a raucous send-up of Oprah, Sally Jessy and Ricki Lake rolled into one hot pink hot-flash of a show!"
Tony also wrote a trilogy of children's books, with the first in the series, The Littlest Spruce, being voted "Best New Children's Book" at the North American Book Exchange. He turned the last book in the series, "The Littlest Witch," into a children's musical. It premiered in New York before playing at The Secret Rose Theatre in Los Angeles. It was recently picked up and published by Steele Spring Theatrical Licensing. Tony was also hired to write a series of iPad books called "Squeakers & Friends" that teaches kids how to 'Go Green' and save our environment.
Tony has just completed writing the stop-motion musical feature "The Potters," about a young girl's unusual journey to find her birth parents. The movie is currently in development and being directed by award-winning director, Jennifer Clary. Tony is currently working on a new novel titled "Hearts In Ruins," which centers on a recovering drug addict who is wrongly accused of killing his ex-girlfriend's husband.
I adored reading this! Jerris has done a wonderful job of relating a little known piece of Monroe history, relating a crystal clear story that had since been obscured. I am going to recommend this to all of my fellow Monroe idolizers as it's both historically significant and goes a long way to illustrate that this woman was above all else - human. Wonderful!
I disagree with the negative reviews here, simply because their beef is with the morality of the story rather than the book itself. It didn't surprise me one bit that someone as taken advantage of by men as Marilyn was, for her entire life, would find solace in the embrace of someone just like her. I think it is beautiful thing when people who have had such traumatic lives can heal in the arms of one another. Well written, factual and very engaging-perfect summer reading!
Even as a non Marilyn fanatic, this is a story worth telling, and worth reading. It's much deeper than scandal, it feels real, honest and insightful. A unique relationship that celebrates intimacy, fun, friendship and love. Ultimately it reminds us that Marilyn herself was not immune to these core human values. Beautifully written. Congratulations to Tony and Jane for their collaboration and courage to tell the story.
