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Marilyn Monroe’s FBI files found and released

Marilyn Monroe’s FBI files, which could not be located earlier this year, have finally been found and re-issued, revealing the names of some of the movie star’s communist-leaning acquaintances who drew concern from government officials and her own entourage.

Wellington: Marilyn Monroe’s FBI files, which could not be located earlier this year, have finally been found and re-issued, revealing the names of some of the movie star’s communist-leaning acquaintances who drew concern from government officials and her own entourage.
The files, which previously had been heavily edited, do not contain any new information about the sex siren’s death 50 years ago, Stuff.co.nz reported. Letters and news clippings included in the file show that the bureau was aware of theories the actress had been killed, but they do not show that any effort was undertaken to investigate the claims. Los Angeles authorities concluded that Monroe’s death was a probable suicide. The updated FBI files do show the extent to which the agency was monitoring Monroe for ties to communism in the years before her death in August 1962. The records reveal that some people in Monroe’s inner circle were concerned about her association with Frederick Vanderbilt Field, who was disinherited from his wealthy family over his leftist views. Informants told FBI that a mutual infatuation had developed between Field and Monroe, which caused concern among some in her inner circle, including her therapist, the files state. Under Hoover’s watch, the FBI kept tabs on the political and social lives of many celebrities, including Frank Sinatra, Charlie Chaplin and Monroe’s ex-husband Arthur Miller. The bureau has also been involved in numerous investigations about crimes against celebrities, including threats against Elizabeth Taylor, an extortion case involving Clark Gable and more recently, trying to solve who killed rapper Notorious B.I.G. For years, the files have intrigued investigators, biographers and those who don’t believe Monroe’s death at her Los Angeles area home was a suicide. A 1982 investigation by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office found no evidence of foul play after reviewing all available investigative records, but noted that the FBI files were heavily censored. That characterisation intrigued the man who performed Monroe`s autopsy, Dr. Thomas Noguchi. While the DA investigation concluded he conducted a thorough autopsy, Noguchi has conceded that no one will likely ever know all the details of Monroe’s death. The FBI files and confidential interviews conducted with the actress’ friends that have never been made public might help, he wrote in his 1983 memoir ‘Coroner.’ Monroe’s file begins in 1955 and mostly focuses on her travels and associations, searching for signs of leftist views and possible ties to communism. One entry, which had previously been almost completely changed, concerned intelligence that Monroe and other entertainers sought visas to visited Russia that year. The file continues up until the months before her death, and also includes several news stories and references to Norman Mailer’s biography of the actress, which focused on questions about whether Monroe was killed by the government. Despite the focus on Monroe’s closeness to suspected communists, the bureau never found any proof she was a member of the party. ANI