By April 1959, Marilyn Monroe was one of the most recognized faces in the world. Her latest film, ‘Some Like It Hot,’ had premiered just weeks earlier to strong critical praise and packed theaters. To keep the momentum going, Monroe sat for a dedicated promotional photoshoot tied directly to the film.
Directed by Billy Wilder, ‘Some Like It Hot’ co-starred Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Monroe played Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, a sweet and vulnerable singer and ukulele player in an all-female band. Curtis and Lemmon’s characters disguise themselves as women to hide in that same band after witnessing a gangland murder. The black-and-white film was set during the Prohibition era and was already being recognized as a comedy classic by the spring of 1959.
In the Hollywood studio system of the 1950s, promotional photoshoots were standard practice for any major release. The sessions produced what the industry called publicity stills — high-quality photographs supplied to newspapers, magazines, and theater distributors for articles, advertisements, and lobby displays.
Monroe’s April 1959 session took place in a professional photography studio. A controlled studio environment gave the photographer full command over lighting, backdrops, and props, producing the polished, glamorous results that studios and publishers expected.
The photographer worked with Monroe across a range of poses and expressions, all designed for wide publication. These images served a clear commercial purpose: sustain public interest in the film and keep its biggest star front and center long after the opening-week buzz had faded.
The photos from this session captured Monroe at a career high point. ‘Some Like It Hot’ was a box office success and Monroe’s performance as Sugar Kane drew wide praise. The photoshoot produced images that circulated through print media across the country, reinforcing her status as Hollywood’s defining star of the era.
