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In this first episode of 2026, All Things Marilyn returns to mark a historic milestone: the forthcoming 100th birthday of Marilyn Monroe. Hosts Scott Fortner, historian, collector, and founder of The Marilyn Monroe Collection, and Elisa Jordan, author, tour founder, and Marilyn Monroe historian, reunite to explore the global celebrations, exhibitions, books, and conversations shaping Marilyn’s centennial year.

After a brief hiatus, Scott and Elisa return with renewed focus, setting the stage for one of the most significant cultural anniversaries of the 21st century.

This episode centers on Marilyn Monroe’s worldwide centennial recognition, including major museum exhibitions in Los Angeles, London, and Paris. Scott shares details about contributing personal artifacts from his collection to all three exhibitions, offering rare insight into how institutions curate and present Marilyn’s private life and public legacy for an international audience.

The conversation also turns to Los Angeles, Marilyn’s hometown, where planning for a series of centennial events is underway. Elisa discusses the return of her Marilyn Monroe sites tour, alongside panel discussions, screenings, and fan gatherings timed around Marilyn’s birthday and the opening of major museum exhibitions in Los Angeles, Londoon, and Paris.

A significant portion of the episode is devoted to the many books being released in honor of Marilyn’s 100th birthday. Scott and Elisa discuss new and recent publications, including:

• The Marilyn Monroe Century by Joshua John Miller, grandson of photographer Bruno Bernard
• A forthcoming centennial book by David Wills, following his acclaimed titles Metamorphosis and Marilyn in the Flash
• Dear Marilyn: The Unseen Letters and Photographs, from the Shaw family archives
• Marilyn Monroe 100, the estate’s official centenary publication
• Marilyn Monroe: The Last Photographs, The Lost Interview, produced by Jason Green and Chris Flannery, featuring never-before-published photographs and Marilyn’s final interview transcript

Looking ahead, the episode previews an exceptional lineup of upcoming All Things Marilyn podcast guests for 2026, including:

• Jason Green and Chris Flannery, discussing archival stewardship, unpublished materials, and honoring Marilyn’s final photo session and interview
• David Wills, on creating a centennial book that blends rare imagery with new written scholarship
• Dawn McGovern, author of Murder Orthodoxies, offering an evidence-based examination of Marilyn Monroe’s death
• James Haspiel, who personally knew Marilyn Monroe in New York and documented their time together through photographs and film

Thoughtful, historically grounded, and deeply personal, this episode establishes the tone for a year-long exploration of Marilyn Monroe’s legacy, one rooted in evidence, archival responsibility, and respect for the woman behind the icon.

ATM Podcast: @allthingsmarilynpodcast
Scott @marilynmonroecollection
Elisa @la_woman_tours

Credits
Artwork by @marilynmexico
Soundtrack by @silver_technicolor

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In this episode of the All Things Marilyn Podcast, hear Part II of Scott and Elisa's conversation with David Stenn. (In Part I, we covered the true origin of Marilyn Monroe's birth name, Norma Jeane.)

In Part II, we talk about an article David authored for the September/October 1982 issue of Film Comment magazine, in which he detailed the incredible mismanagement of Marilyn Monroe's estate after she died, which lasted for 20 years. Through research that started with his review of Marilyn Monroe's probate file, David uncovered astonishing facts about how poorly her will was administered following her death. The people Marilyn wanted taken care of after her death had to wait years for their inheritance from her. It was all due to the negligence of one man. This all started when David asked himself, "Who is it that's making the money from all of the Marilyn merchandise I see?"

We cover the following topics in our conversation:

• Was Marilyn Monroe really broke when she died?
• Who did Marilyn leave her money and her personal possession to?
• Who was Marilyn Monroe's personal attorney, and executor and trustee of her estate?
• Who was primarily responsible for following the direct wishes of her will?
• Were the explicit directions in her will actually followed?

Tune in to learn the truth about how Marilyn Monroe's last wishes were not followed until years after she died.

David is an American television writer, producer, biographer, film preservationist and historian David Stenn. His television credits include Untold Hollywood, Boardwalk Empire, Girl 27, the L Word, 21 Jump Street, Hill Street Blues, and Beverly Hills 90210. He's known for his biographies of Hollywood Stars, Clara Bow and Gene Harlow.

Follow David online here:

Instagram: @realdavidstenn

YouTube: @realdavidstenn

See David's article in the September/October 1982 issue of Film Comment magazine here.

ATM Podcast: @allthingsmarilynpodcast
Scott @marilynmonroecollection
Elisa @la_woman_tours

Credits
Artwork by @marilynmexico
Soundtrack by @silver_technicolor

Send us a text

In this episode of the All things Marilyn Podcast, Scott and Elisa interview American television writer, producer, biographer, film preservationist and historian David Stenn. His television credits include Untold Hollywood, Boardwalk Empire, Girl 27, the L Word, 21 Jump Street, Hill Street Blues, and Beverly Hills 90210. He's known for his biographies of Hollywood Stars, Clara Bow and Gene Harlow.

There's a commonly told story that Norma Jeane Baker, a.k.a. Marilyn Monroe, was named after two early film stars: Norma Talmage and Jean Harlow. Is it true? David read one line in the book My Sister Marilyn by Marilyn's half-sister Berniece Miracle, and then he started to do some research. Listen to our interview to find out the truth about the origin of Marilyn Monroe's birth name, Norma Jeane.

Follow David online here:

Instagram: @realdavidstenn

YouTube: @realdavidstenn

ATM Podcast: @allthingsmarilynpodcast
Scott @marilynmonroecollection
Elisa @la_woman_tours

Credits
Artwork by @marilynmexico
Soundtrack by @silver_technicolor