The hostess and entertainer for Hollywood moguls
Marilyn took her career as an actor seriously, and assiduously studied her new craft. Hollywood, in the form of the moguls still exploiting the studio system, were little impressed with her abilities on screen. Instead, Marilyn was used as a hostess for Hollywood parties and gatherings, tasked with “entertaining” motion picture moguls and their would-be investors. Small parts in musicals and a few low-budget stage productions whetted her appetite for an acting career, but roles eluded her. In 1948 she signed a contract with Columbia, though she continued to find little demand for her in films. She did find that Columbia executives wanted her to fill the time-honored image of the “blonde bombshell”.
Columbia lightened her hair still further, creating the platinum blonde look which remained throughout her career. Following the end of her Columbia contract she returned to modelling, including posing for nude calendars and pinups. She also worked in advertising, under the tutelages of the William Morris Agency and its vice-president Johnny Hyde. Hyde became her mentor, lover, and chief promoter. It was under his guidance she finally landed roles in major Hollywood productions, including All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle, though her roles were small. Hyde used the good reviews she garnered to negotiate a contract with 20th Century Fox, for seven years. Shortly after Marilyn signed with Fox Hyde died of a heart attack, leaving her emotionally devastated and without a champion in the studios of Hollywood.