The Last Photograph of a Legend

 

The Last Photograph of a Legend

On July 13, 1962, just three weeks before her untimely passing, Marilyn Monroe posed for what would be her final professional photo session on the sunlit sands of Santa Monica Beach. Captured by photographer George Barris, these images revealed Marilyn not as the glamorous Hollywood icon of Some Like It Hot or Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, but as a radiant woman at ease—playful, barefoot, and wrapped in a simple sweater against the ocean breeze.

Barris had been collaborating with Monroe for a book project, hoping to showcase the actress beyond her screen persona. That day, she laughed, teased, and spoke of her dreams for the future, radiating warmth and humanity. Yet behind the glow of the Pacific light lingered a haunting fragility, as if time itself was quietly aware of its fleeting hold on her.

These photographs endure not only as Marilyn’s last professional portraits but as intimate glimpses into her spirit—an eternal reminder of beauty, vulnerability, and the golden soul of Hollywood’s brightest star.