In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Ralph wrote a manuscript about some of his memories with Marilyn. One of Ralph’s goals was to dispel some of the rumors and alleged relationships that developed after Marilyn’s death. When Ralph attempted to have the manuscript published, it was considered unexciting or too tame to sell books.
This web site will gradually post Ralph’s manuscript, with the possibility of
a book. We hope you find it interesting, if not exciting!
Enjoy.
**Ralph wrote this manuscript prior to Donald Spoto's book. He felt that
Spoto's book was very true to Marilyn and that its information was
accurate. We are posting the manuscript "as is" in its unpolished
state. There are edit marks and comments but we're posting
only what was actually typed. The gist is still there.
Published Manuscript
We are entertaining the idea of publishing a first edition of Ralph's manuscript
in book form. This would be a hard bound limited print first edition with the complete manuscript
(around 100 pages) and pictures if possible. At this time we are trying to gauge
interest in the book. If you think you would be interested in a copy of this book, should we
publish it,
Draft pages will be posted here so
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Posted - January 2004 So many truths, half-truths, and out and out fabrications, lies,
and, especially, phantasmagoricals (?) have been written through the
years about Marilyn that I think the time has come for me to change
my set rule of silence, and to finally put down on paper the Marilyn
I got to know, love and respect during the three and a half years I
knew her. I have read very little of the many books, articles, and ‘exposes’
published about her since August 5, 1962. Enough has filtered
through published ‘excerpts’, etc., to make me realize that most
have very little in common with this person I knew. Having
done a great deal of soul-searching, and realizing some of our
mutual friends and acquaintances will consider me a pharisaical. I
saw Lee Strasberg, the night of March 9, 1980, and told him about my
decision. "Wonderful, Ralph, wonderful. You’re the one who
could. She told me very often that you’re the one person in the
world she felt she could tell anything to, that you were the brother
she always wanted. It’ll be difficult to relive much of those
years, but I’m delighted that you will try to set the record
straight on the rare and beautiful person." When I got
out of the army, at the end of World War II, I came to New York to
try to become an actor. After several years of working sporadically,
I decided it was necessary for me to find some kind of work to keep
me ‘going’ in the between times. I had remained in the army
Reserves, and went on active duty each summer, both to earn enough
money to help me through the other months, and to keep my army rank,
Major, intact. The first summer I was stationed at the
Pentagon on a special assignment. During the lunch break one day, I
discovered the gymnasium in the bowels of this sprawling building,
where I could go to work-out with weights. I also found that there
was a steam cabinet, and a masseur. I had never had a massage until
then, and found that the Swedes, the Chinese and the Egyptians for
thousands of years had been right. Then and there I knew I had found
the second profession I’d been trying to find. When I went back to
New York that fall, I got a small part in the hit production of
MADWOMAN OF CHAILLOT, enrolled in the Swedish Institute of Physio-therapy
and Massage, and nine months later passed the New York State
examination, and became a licensed masseur. I have spoken to hundreds of people through the years since
August 5, 1962. Each has his idea of Marilyn, good, bad, but never
indifferent. Everything in the real world has been written and said
about her. Even outside of the world – where Marilyn really was.
She was everything special to everybody. She was one of the true
originals. A UFO. When I finally decided that I should
write my memoirs of Marilyn, I took two drinks of vodka and water,
gave a toast to her, and there seemed to be a tangible feeling of
permission, even approval, but something made me play several
records, records of Gertrude Lawrence, Gertrude Niesen, and
especially, Janice Mars. Moonlight is Silver, Sunshine is gold.
Marilyn is, and was, both. Manuscript property of the estate of Ralph L. Roberts. Do not
copy without permission.