Marilyn Monroe’s Father Charles Stanley Gifford – Netflix’s Blonde, featuring Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe has made viewers curious about her past and legacy.
After numerous setbacks, Joyce Carol Oates’ novel finally made its movie adaptation debut on streaming services this Wednesday.
Unbelievably, after 60 long years since Marilyn Monroe’s untimely death, her true biological father has finally been revealed. While speculations about Charles Stanley Gifford being her biological father abounded for decades afterward, confirmation was finally obtained in 2022.
Marilyn Monroe had no real clue who her biological father was until near the end of her life. Gladys Pearl Baker made headlines for registering Martin Edward Mortensen as Monroe’s father on her birth certificate; unfortunately, Baker and Mortensen were no longer married by then, so Martin Edward Mortensen could no longer claim this role. However, she continued believing he might be her true paternity despite no concrete proof to support this belief. At times, Monroe held onto the idea that the legendary Gone with the Wind star Clark Gable might be her biological parentage even after leaving no physical trace to back up this claim, ultimately leaving the truth shrouded in mystery.
At Consolidated Film Industries, where Baker worked as a negative film cutter, rumors began surfacing about an affair she may be having with one of her colleagues during her marriage to Mortensen. Our protagonist’s superior, Charles Stanley Gifford, was introduced as another possibility; shortly after that, Baker was pregnant and gave birth, according to storylines surrounding Gifford’s dismantlement of both Baker and Monroe.
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Who was Marilyn Monroe’s Biological Father?
Blonde presents audiences with the illusion that Marilyn Monroe may have had an actor as her biological father instead of Martin Mortensen, as is documented on her birth certificate.
According to the movie’s plot, Martin Mortensen was not the real father of Marilyn Monroe; although involved with the production, he was not an actor.
Dramatically, the film never revealed who Monroe’s mother had an affair with. However, in 2022, an incredible revelation came when it was confirmed that Charles Stanley Gifford was indeed her biological father.
Unbeknownst to most, Marilyn’s true paternity was revealed through DNA testing and in a dramatic French documentary, Marilyn, Her Final Secret, which premiered in June 2022.
DNA researchers in this riveting documentary embark on an extraordinary mission: verifying who Monroe Gifford’s father was. With help from Monroe and Francine Gifford’s granddaughter Francine, as well as his great-granddaughter Lisa as sources for DNA samples and saliva and cheek swabs from both Gifford’s granddaughter Francine Gifford as well as Lisa’s saliva swabs taken by Francine’s great-granddaughter Lisa, their team begins searching for answers.
Charles Stanley Gifford was born in 1898 and died at 66 in 1965. While working as a motion-picture salesman, he met Gladys Monroe’s mother instead of going into acting herself; Gladys worked at RKO Pictures film cutting as an apprentice film-cutter, falling deeply in love with Charles while they shared an intensely romantic affair.
Before the release of Marilyn: Her Final Secret, there had been speculation that Gifford might be playing an influential father figure role in Marilyn’s life.
James Dougherty, former police officer and ex-husband of Marilyn Monroe, revealed in the 1996 documentary “Marilyn Monroe: The Mortal Goddess” that Monroe knew of Gifford before becoming famous and attempted to reach out to him before making her move to Hollywood.
As seen in the film, Dougherty described her actions: she picked up the phone with determination in her eyes. She searched for his number without hesitation, dialed it quickly without delay, and waited patiently for him to answer. No reply was forthcoming as he stared blankly back at her, unable to recognize who she was or recognize his familiar face before him, leading up to an animated scene wherein the character boldly declares, “See my attorney!”
Dougherty’s comments hinted that Gifford had an intense emotional reaction, leaving her feeling emotionally depleted after their exchange.
Dramatically, Monroe never confirmed who her biological father was, something many have suspected for years. Now, in a dramatic turn of events, Monroe (Norma Jeane Mortenson) finally unveils this truth and confirms what many have suspected all along.
Did Marilyn Monroe and Charles Stanley Gifford Ever Meet In Real Life?
No, Marilyn Monroe never met her father Charles Stanley Gifford. Francine Gifford Deir, Gifford’s granddaughter, revealed that Marilyn Monroe had made several attempts to meet him. According to Francine Gifford Deir, Marilyn visited Gifford in Hemet, California, during the 1950s but declined her visit. Monroe persistently tried to reach out to Gifford, but he rejected or refused her every time she attempted to contact him. And just when you thought Gifford’s story was over, he became a father again – not once, but twice! In 1965, Marilyn Monroe’s father, Charles Stanley Gifford, passed away at 66 under mysterious circumstances.
Watch Blonde on Netflix to know more about Marilyn Monroe’s Life.
