Marilyn Monroe’s legacy has seen many victories in the past week, including one that was set on the schedule for today, May 7, 2007.
Today would have been the day the lawsuit was scheduled to be brought against defendants Robert W. Otto of Chicago, Mark Roesler of CMG Worldwide, and The Queen Mary Corporation by expert witnesses and plaintiffs from the Bellinghaus team, including Mark Bellinghaus, Ernest Cunningham and Emily Sadjady. to be heard. Mark Bellinghaus and Ernest Cunningham entered with the intent to sue and Mr. Bellinghaus was pretending to be a plaintiff, however attorneys George G. Braunstein and Timothy D. McGonigle requested that Mark Bellinghaus act as an expert witness due to his status as a “collector “. It turns out that lawyers for both parties decided to settle this matter last week out of court. No further details were released. Despite the deal, this remains a tremendous victory for Team Bellinghaus in the memory of Marilyn Monroe now and in the future.
In November 2005, “Marilyn Monroe The Exhibit” was presented aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. The exhibit featured items said to have belonged to the late actress. The display included dresses, jewelry, and other memorabilia and personal items, which were later discovered by Mark Bellinghaus, the owner of the world’s largest collection of authentic Marilyn Monroe, that 99% of the items featured were fake. He recognized these fake items immediately when he attended the opening of the exhibition. He particularly highlighted the Clairol hair rollers, one of the so-called “highlights” of the Robert Otto collection, as Bellinghaus is the owner of the authentic Marilyn Monroe wire rollers. Mark Bellinghaus’s findings were published in his blog exhibit and diminished the credibility of this exhibit so dramatically that it began as an event scheduled to tour 39 cities and 6 continents with anticipated gross earnings in excess of $ 100 million (including funding). sponsors and merchandise sales). for the next 12 years to become an embarrassment that was subsequently shut down.
In all seriousness, why would the public want to see a Victoria’s Secret dress (which is what one of them really was), featured as Marilyn Monroe’s and furthermore displayed with the copyrighted signature of the immortal icon of Victoria. Hollywood? And if that wasn’t enough, this exhibit claimed that this dress was designed by famous costume designer William Travilla, especially for Monroe. Victoria’s Secret was established many decades after the death of Marilyn Monroe. Even more degrading to his memory, 100% fake boxers, which had his name handwritten on the inside of the tacky piece with a modern Sharpie marker, as well as looking gargantuan and too big to fit. Crafty fans know that Marilyn Monroe avoided underwear to begin with, let alone a pair pulled out of Grandma’s underwear drawer.
These are just a few of the outrageous items that were on display for seven months in the biggest display scandal to ever hit the US, and which was about to tour the world. What a shame this would have brought to our country. If it hadn’t been for Mark Bellinghaus’ persistence, how many more innocent fans and attendees would have lost their $ 22.95 entry costs to being misled by a fraudulent display?
To read the blog of Mark Bellinghaus exposed:
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2006/02/06/132111.php
Please see the attached link for the initial news report on this Marilyn Monroe fraud exposure:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f5mTyYKG_s
For more information on Mark Bellinghaus’ Authentic Marilyn Monroe Collection:
http://EzineArticles.com/?id=542783
The victory that the image of Marilyn Monroe has been protected from fraud goes hand in hand with another triumph in terms of the image of the deceased superstar. In New York, last Thursday, federal judge Colleen McMahon ruled that Marilyn Monroe’s beneficiaries and licensing agents have no post-mortem rights to advertising property over her, who died with her in 1962 as she did not bequeath this right in her will. . This decision was part of a countersuit by The Shaw Family Archives LLC, who was sued for its violation of publicity rights by Marilyn Monroe LLC for its sales of Miss Monroe images without its consent. However, Marilyn Monroe LLC had misinterpreted the Celebrity Rights Act that was passed in 1985 and extends publicity and image rights for a celebrity 70 years post-mortem, and is not applicable to Ms. Monroe’s circumstances since she he did not consent to this in his will.
The leaps and bounds wins in Marilyn Monroe’s memory have been tremendous in the past week. Unfortunately, even years after her death, Marilyn Monroe’s abuse has continued worse than in her life by those who didn’t know her as well as some who did. Anna Strasberg is an excellent example of someone who never knew her, but who has gained financially by taking advantage of the legacy of the late actress. Robert Otto is another who has sold fictional ‘bling’, said to have belonged to him in his charlatan displays. Bebe Goddard (Marilyn Monroe’s own adoptive sister) and Dolores Hope Masi have also generated counterfeit items for sale that they claim to have been owned or inspired by Marilyn Monroe. Sherry Lea Laird benefits from Marilyn Monroe through her stories of the actress being reincarnated within her. And storytellers like Jeanne Carmen and June DiMaggio have woven webs of stories about their friendships with the late actress, but none can present evidence such as personal photographs with her to validate their stories. June Alpino, also known as June DiMaggio, has also served as the sole authenticating connection for the Robert Otto / Queen Mary exhibit items, which as the world now knows is fake.
May the actions of the Bellinghaus team, as well as the success in court of The Shaw Family Archives LLC, establish precedence for the future protection of Marilyn Monroe’s memory. Part of the success of the publicity lawsuit can also be attributed to Mark Bellinghaus, who provided The Shaw Family Archives LLC attorneys with information from Marilyn Monroe’s will. He was able to share this as he is the owner of this authentic document that he bought at auction in 2005. His copy belonged to May Reis, the second beneficiary in Marilyn Monroe’s will, while Lee Strasberg was only named fourth. See this attached link for more information on this groundbreaking flaw:
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2007/05/03/goodbye-norma-jean-and-to-your-right-of-publicity/.
The public now recognizes that wrongdoing against the late actress will no longer be tolerated. It is as if Marilyn Monroe herself has spoken to declare to the world that enough is enough.