Quotes by Marilyn Monroe

An actress is not a machine, but they treat you like a machine. A money machine.
– Marilyn Monroe
Before marriage, a girl has to make love to a man to hold him. After marriage, she has to hold him to make love to him.
– Marilyn Monroe
Being a sex symbol is a heavy load to carry, especially when one is tired, hurt and bewildered.
– Marilyn Monroe
Fame will go by and, so long, I've had you, fame. If it goes by, I've always known it was fickle. So at least it's something I experience, but that's not where I live.
– Marilyn Monroe
I don't mind living in a man's world as long as I can be a woman in it.
– Marilyn Monroe
I have too many fantasies to be a housewife. I guess I am a fantasy.
– Marilyn Monroe
I've been on a calendar, but never on Time.
– Marilyn Monroe
It's not true that I had nothing on. I had the radio on.
– Marilyn Monroe
Say good-bye to Pat, say good-bye to Jack and say good-bye to yourself, because you're a nice guy.
– Marilyn Monroe
The body is meant to be seen, not all covered up.
– Marilyn Monroe
A place where they'll pay you a thousand dollars for a kiss, and fifty cents for your soul.
– Marilyn Monroe
Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition.
– Marilyn Monroe
When it comes to gossip, I have to readily admit men are as guilty as women.
– Marilyn Monroe
What's the good of drawing in the next breath if all you do is let it out and draw in another?
– Marilyn Monroe
What good am I? I can't have kids. I can't cook. I've been divorced three times. Who would want me?
– Marilyn Monroe
What good is it being Marilyn Monroe? Why can't I just be an ordinary woman?
– Marilyn Monroe
There was my name up in lights. I said, 'God, somebody's made a mistake.' But there it was, in lights. And I sat there and said, 'Remember, you're not a star.' Yet there it was up in lights.
– Marilyn Monroe
There is just no comparison between having a dinner date with a man and staying home playing canasta with the girls.
– Marilyn Monroe
The working men, I'll go by and they'll whistle. At first they whistle because they think, 'Oh, it's a girl. She's got blond hair and she's not out of shape,' and then they say, 'Gosh, it's Marilyn Monroe!'
– Marilyn Monroe
The truth is, I've never fooled anyone. I've let men sometimes fool themselves.
– Marilyn Monroe
The fact is that I find more most men are more open, more generous, and much more stimulating than the majority of females I know.
– Marilyn Monroe
The 'public' scares me, but people I trust.
– Marilyn Monroe
Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you.
– Marilyn Monroe
Sometimes I've been to a party where no one spoke to me for a whole evening. The men, frightened by their wives or sweeties, would give me a wide berth. And the ladies would gang up in a corner to discuss my dangerous character.
– Marilyn Monroe
Sometimes I think it would be easier to avoid old age, to die young, but then you'd never complete your life, would you? You'd never wholly know you.
– Marilyn Monroe
Sometimes I feel my whole life has been one big rejection.
– Marilyn Monroe
Someday I want to have children and give them all the love I never had.
– Marilyn Monroe
Some of my foster families used to send me to the movies to get me out of the house and there I'd sit all day and way into the night. Up in front, there with the screen so big, a little kid all alone, and I loved it. I loved anything that moved up there and I didn't miss anything that happened and there was no popcorn either.
– Marilyn Monroe
Sex is a part of nature. I go along with nature.
– Marilyn Monroe
Respect is one of life's greatest treasures. I mean, what does it all add up to if you don't have that?
– Marilyn Monroe
One of the best things that ever happened to me is that I'm a woman. That is the way all females should feel.
– Marilyn Monroe
My work is the only ground I've ever had to stand on. I seem to have a whole superstructure with no foundation but I'm working on the foundation.
– Marilyn Monroe
Men who think that a woman's past love affairs lessen her love for them are usually stupid and weak.
– Marilyn Monroe
Men are so willing to respect anything that bores them.
– Marilyn Monroe
Marriage destroyed my relationship with two wonderful men.
– Marilyn Monroe
It's often just enough to be with someone. I don't need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You're not alone.
– Marilyn Monroe
It's better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone - so far.
– Marilyn Monroe
Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.
– Marilyn Monroe
If your man is a sports enthusiast, you may have to resign yourself to his spouting off in a monotone on a prize fight, football game or pennant race.
– Marilyn Monroe
If you spend your life competing with business men, what do you have? A bank account and ulcers!
– Marilyn Monroe
If there is only one thing in my life that I am proud of, it's that I've never been a kept woman.
– Marilyn Monroe
If a star or studio chief or any other great movie personages find themselves sitting among a lot of nobodies, they get frightened - as if somebody was trying to demote them.
– Marilyn Monroe
I've found men are less likely to let petty things annoy them.
– Marilyn Monroe
I've been on a calendar, but I've never been on time.
– Marilyn Monroe
I've always felt toward the slightest scene, even if all I had to do in a scene was just to come in and say, 'Hi,' that the people ought to get their money's worth and that this is an obligation of mine, to give them the best you can get from me.
– Marilyn Monroe
I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I'm out of control, and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best.
– Marilyn Monroe
I want to grow old without facelifts. I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I have made.
– Marilyn Monroe
I used to think as I looked out on the Hollywood night, 'There must be thousands of girls sitting alone like me dreaming of being a movie star.' But I'm not going to worry about them. I'm dreaming the hardest.
– Marilyn Monroe
I think that when you are famous every weakness is exaggerated.
– Marilyn Monroe
I think one of the basic reasons men make good friends is that they can make up their minds quickly.
– Marilyn Monroe
I think I have always had a little humor.
– Marilyn Monroe
I restore myself when I'm alone.
– Marilyn Monroe
I read poetry to save time.
– Marilyn Monroe
I once wanted to prove myself by being a great actress. Now I want to prove that I'm a person. Then maybe I'll be a great actress.
– Marilyn Monroe
I myself would like to become more disciplined within my work.
– Marilyn Monroe
I love a natural look in pictures.
– Marilyn Monroe
I have noticed... that men usually leave married women alone and are inclined to treat all wives with respect. This is no great credit to married women.
– Marilyn Monroe
I have always had a talent for irritating women since I was fourteen.
– Marilyn Monroe
I guess I have always been deeply terrified to really be someone's wife since I know from life one cannot love another, ever, really.
– Marilyn Monroe
I don't want to make money, I just want to be wonderful.
– Marilyn Monroe
I don't know who invented high heels, but all women owe him a lot.
– Marilyn Monroe
I don't know if high society is different in other cities, but in Hollywood, important people can't stand to be invited someplace that isn't full of other important people. They don't mind a few unfamous people being present because they make good listeners.
– Marilyn Monroe
I am involved in a freedom ride protesting the loss of the minority rights belonging to the few remaining earthbound stars. All we demanded was our right to twinkle.
– Marilyn Monroe
I am invariably late for appointments - sometimes as much as two hours. I've tried to change my ways but the things that make me late are too strong, and too pleasing.
– Marilyn Monroe
I am good, but not an angel. I do sin, but I am not the devil. I am just a small girl in a big world trying to find someone to love.
– Marilyn Monroe
I am alone I am always alone no matter what.
– Marilyn Monroe
Husbands are chiefly good as lovers when they are betraying their wives.
– Marilyn Monroe
Having a child, that's always been my biggest fear. I want a child and I fear a child.
– Marilyn Monroe
Girls shouldn't worry about being the equal of men in the business world.
– Marilyn Monroe
For a long time I was scared I'd find out I was like my mother.
– Marilyn Monroe
Fear is stupid. So are regrets.
– Marilyn Monroe
Fame is like caviar, you know - it's good to have caviar but not when you have it at every meal.
– Marilyn Monroe
Experts on romance say for a happy marriage there has to be more than a passionate love. For a lasting union, they insist, there must be a genuine liking for each other. Which, in my book, is a good definition for friendship.
– Marilyn Monroe
Consider the fellow. He never spends his time telling you about his previous night's date. You get the idea he has eyes only for you and wouldn't think of looking at another woman.
– Marilyn Monroe
Black men don't like to be called 'boys,' but women accept being called 'girls.'
– Marilyn Monroe
Beauty and femininity are ageless and can't be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won't like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour it's based on femininity.
– Marilyn Monroe
An actor is supposed to be a sensitive instrument. Isaac Stern takes good care of his violin. What if everybody jumped on his violin?
– Marilyn Monroe
A woman knows by intuition, or instinct, what is best for herself.
– Marilyn Monroe
A woman can't be alone. She needs a man. A man and a woman support and strengthen each other. She just can't do it by herself.
– Marilyn Monroe
A woman can bring a new love to each man she loves, providing there are not too many.
– Marilyn Monroe
A strong man doesn't have to be dominant toward a woman. He doesn't match his strength against a woman weak with love for him. He matches it against the world.
– Marilyn Monroe
A man has a tendency to accept you the way you are, while most women immediately start to pick flaws and want to change you.
– Marilyn Monroe