Venus Gods and monsters circling Marilyn circa 1960 Director George Cukor’s parties were pari of tie Hollywood soctal calendar for many decades. Last year’s Academy Award-nominated film Gods aud Monsters, about euls dirceter James Whale, includes a party scene at Cukor’s home. North Vancouver astrolager Robert Aiken knew Cukor and visited the set in 1960 while he was filming Let’s Make Love with Marilyn Monrov. Fohert Aiken Contrituting Writer UNTIL now the only person who knew about the evening I spent with Marilyn Monroe was “woman’s director” George Cukor. He arranged our liaison at his secluded West Hollywood Shangri-La. Why reveal chis? Why not? Cukor obviously liked me, saw ine as 2 viable, soon-to-be bankable “up and comer.” T reminded him of his friend “Larry” (Olivier) when he was younger. He would invite me to dinner parties with people like Katherine Hepburn, where he would hold court and dominate with his strong opinions which were not all kindly disposed toward women, in general. He introduced me to Vivien Leigh, with whom I enjoved several dances at a glittering, star-studded gala on her behalf. I cwice cut in on a very intense Kirk Douglas, who got so furious, he nearly floored me. On the set of Afy Fair Lady 1 was aston- ished by how petite and skinny Audrey Hepburn was. She chain smoked. The camera adds about twenty pounds. Cukor could hardly wait to present me to Monroe on the set of Let’s Make Love in which she was co-starring in with Yves Montand. Her hair was bleached piatinum blonde and she was wearing a long, blue cable knit sweater over tights. Monroe was heavier than T had expected and she was waiting with Yves Montand, her co-star, between setups for the “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” production number. It was hurry up and wait, plenty of time to spare. Pretty? The “prettiest” person I encoun- tered in Hollywood was male — the French actor, Alain Delon. No, Marilyn was way beyond preity. I coolly pretended to ignore her, as best I could, and spoke with Montand about Wages Of Fear a 1953 Georges Clouzot movie that ~ he had starred in. I was feeling shy, passive and Marilyn seemed to like that. “Tell me about your name?” shc asked with that breathy voice, as she guided me to the director’s chair (beside hers), while Cukor and Montand discussed the next scene. , Marilyn clearly needed a break from all the over-attentive wardrobe and make-up people hovering around her, and so she established and maintained constant eye con- tact with me during a conversation that must have gone on for an hour. She was interested in my astrological ori- entation — I had seen her chart. “You're a Gemini, as you know and you have Neptune rising, which you may not know.” She didn’t. Eyes wide, whispering, “Please telf me about it.” . “Well, we’re fascinared by celebrities ‘because most of us have this really deep need to kind of acknowledge the archetypal Gods and Goddesses that reign and strut and writhe and even rage inside us. To celebrate them in the illusionary outer world of appear- ances we need to outpicture them... it’s pro- jection really.” She seemed to understand as her eyes would occasionally lock in some galaxy inside her mind, which encouraged me tu go on. “So, Neptune, astrologically, cules photogra- phy” as I gestured toward the cameras and lights, “which tends to glamourize. We are enamoured of, seduced, even mesmerized by the glamour of these projections of our own psvche like Elvis, Paul Newman, Gable...” Marilyn added, “Marlon, Jimmy Dean...” She totally comprehended what I was saving. Truc to her Gemini sun-sign, she would entangle portions of her words with wisps of air. Just ike in her movies. She was, not sur- prisingly, intuitive and intellectually astute. “And, get this, vour ‘Venus’ — has any- one ever told vou this? Your Venus, Goddess of love and beauty within us all, mythologi- cally speaking, is on your midkeaven, like Dean and Valentino. With Venus so promi- nently placed at the zenith the public loves and adores you.” “Yeah,” she immediately responded, look- ing down, “especially after you're dead!” By now, Montand was breathing down our necks. I found out later, that they were having an affair. He was married ar the time, to Siinone Signoret. She had this soft, poignant, soulful quali- ty. The vuinerable little girl, right “out there.” She seductively oozed the need for true Jove and validation. | was impressed with how endearingly wholesome she was. An innocent. Our evening together at Cukor’s was sweet and we talked about a lot of things. We even laughed about how, in the reaim of posthumous fame (Valentino, Harlow, Dean} an icon’s death needn’t limit that per- son’s commercial value and marketablilty. Death was often a smart career move we observed as we imbibed the champagne that Cukor had generously provided. Thar evening involved some skinny dip- ping in the pool. She wore nothing but a bathing cap, so that *...my hair won’t turn green.” Late one night, nor long after her death, 1 found myself before her crypt at the Westwood Memorial Cemetery, with my friend, screenwriter, Stewart Stern. We were looking for Paul Newman whose son, Scott, had recently been buried next to Marilyn. We thought he might be there. He had been and one. Marilyn had no epitaph. Very simple. i . made one up for her; “Beloved Gaddess of myth and glamour...beyond Venus and other ephemeral illusions... home, at last.” — Robert Aiken, a former actor-screen- writer was known as Ford Dunhill during bis time in Hollywood. He is an internationally- known professional astrologer and therapeutic counsellor, teacher/writer with forty years’ expe- rience. Phone: 926-4961; e-mail: . Further reading Next Thursday, August 5 marks the anniver- sary of Marilyn Monroe’s death in 1962. Many books have been written about the star’s life with many more to come. One of the more notorious Norman Mailer’s 1973 biography Marilya (Grosset and Dunlap) developed out of a foreword the author was asked to write for a collection of pho- tographs. Mailer just kept on writing — inventing the term “factoids” along the way to define his speculative material on her death and the relationship with the Kennedys. The photograph used above came from his book which includes several of Monroe in Los Angeles in 1960. Donald Spoto in Marilyn Monroe: Tae Biography (HarperCollins 1993) says the Monroe and Montand affair began in late April and ended in June of 1960. Susan Strasberg’s Marilys and Me: Sisters, Rivals and Friends (Warner Books 1992) is 2 fascinating look at Monroe off camera. \ 1262 Marine Dr. N. Van (next to Save-On-Foods) 333 Brocksbank, N. Van (Park & Tilford) 1763 Marine Dr. W. Van {across trom Home Hardware) Cres peed te trae Coe et ., Expiras August 6/99... ee eae O_ SRERG TD .. ES -, SOE - ESS. ae. Fhcto John Bryeon MARILYN Rionroe on the set of Let’s Make Love surrounded by make-up and wardrobe people. The image wes included in Norman Meiter’s biography Afarilyn. SAVE ON FRASER VALLEY PACKAGE GETAWAYS FOP Guiting Qefaways, | he (ran. Pranning your next getaway? Make it a Summer Train Adventure and save! We offer exclusive w_ discounts on a variety of accommodation packages. Travel in comfortable air conditioned coaches _. with picture windows and breathtaking views. We even have a Cappuccino bar on board. Stay at charming B&B’s ’ or first class hotels. Play golf, 4 hike, bike or just relax and MA enjoy your getaway. 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