Marilyn Monroe dress sells for $4.8M
The iconic dress worn to sing Happy Birthday to U.S. President John F. Kennedy was sold to Ripley's Believe It or Not at auction. Ms Monroe performed the song at a Madison Square Garden gala in New York, May 19, 1962. Previously, the custom Jean Louis creation dress sold for 1,267,500 in 1999. It is said that the dress was so tight fitting that Marilyn wore nothing underneath and had to be sewn into it last minute.
Actress Marilyn Monroe sings "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden on May 19, 1962. The dress sparkled with over 2,500 hand-stitched crystals.Bettmann/Reuters
Marilyn Monroe prepares to sing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy at a Madison Square Garden gala in New York May 19, 1962.Courtesy Running Press/The Associated Press
Marilyn Monroe sings "Happy Birthday" to President Kennedy at his 45th birthday celebration at New York's Madison Square Garden.Cecil Stoughton/The Associated Press
Marilyn Monroe wears the iconic gown that she wore while singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden, during a reception in New York City. Standing next to Monroe is Steve Smith, President Kennedy's brother-in-law May 19, 1962.Cecil Stoughton/The Associated Press
Marilyn Monroe on the set of her last movie, "Something's Got To Give," in Los Angeles April 1962.The Associated Press
The dress worn by Marilyn Monroe when she sang "Happy Birthday Mr. President” on display in a glass enclosure at Julien's Auction House in Los Angeles, California.Frederic J. Brown/AFP / Getty Images
Christie's auctioneer Lord Hindlip(R) gestures towards Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday Mr. President Dress," which Monroe wore while she sang happy birthday to former US President John F. Kennedy, during bidding in New York 27 October 1999. The dress sold for 1,267,500 USD during the auction.Doug Kanter/AFP / Getty Images
Julien's Auctions shows the flesh-colored dress Marilyn Monroe wore during her rendition of "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy.Julien’s Auctions