Marilyn Monroe was born on this day in 1926. The American actress, model and singer became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 50s and early 60s. Despite being a top billed actress for just a decade. her films grossed $200 million at the box office before her tragic untimely death in 1962 aged just 36.

She continues to be a major icon of pop culture and in In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked Marilyn Monroe sixth on its list of the greatest female screen legends from the Golden Age of Hollywood.