Marilyn’s last years were increasingly unhappy for her
During 1962 Marilyn’s health problems led to delays in several projects, including a film in which she was to star with Dean Martin, Something’s Got to Give. Monroe’s health problems included sinusitis, which prevented her working, though the studio publicly claimed she was faking her illness. In May 1962 she appeared at a birthday gala and fundraiser for President John F. Kennedy, at which she sang Happy Birthday to JFK in a famously sultry, sexy manner, wearing a skin tight dress which made her appear n-u-d-e under the television lights.
Following that appearance Marilyn filmed a scene for Something’s Got to Give in which she swam naked in a pool, generating considerable publicity. By then the film was so far behind schedule that Fox fired Marilyn, replacing her with Lee Remick. Dean Martin refused to continue the production without Marilyn, and Fox sued both stars for compensation. Monroe eventually settled with Fox and planned another film to be shot later that summer. She also sat for interviews with Life Magazine and Cosmopolitan that summer in an attempt to counteract the negative publicity which had accompanied her firing. Something’s Got to Give was scheduled to resume shooting late in 1962.
