Birth and Early Childhood

Marilyn Monroe, born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles General Hospital, spent her formative years primarily in foster care settings across Southern California.

Growing Up in Foster Homes

Her upbringing involved frequent relocations due to her mother's mental health issues and lack of stability:

• From infancy to age 7, she lived with foster parents Albert and Ida Bolender in Hawthorne, California.
• She moved between multiple foster families in areas like Compton and Van Nuys, facing inconsistent care.
• At age 11, she stayed at the Los Angeles Orphans Home Society, where she experienced orphanage life.

Adolescent Years

In her teens, Monroe continued shuttling among relatives and foster homes, culminating in her marriage at age 16 to James Dougherty to escape further instability.