Marilyn Monroe (born
Norma Jeane Mortenson, June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962) was an American actress and model. Famous for playing "
dumb blonde" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s, emblematic of the era's attitudes towards sexuality. Although she was a
top-billed actress for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million by the time of her
unexpected death in 1962. She continues to be considered a major
popular culture icon.