James Dougherty
Encyclopedia
James Edward Dougherty was an American
policeman who rose to fame for being the first husband of Marilyn Monroe
.
. He was the youngest in a family of four children born to Ethel (née Beatty) and Edward Dougherty, natives of Pueblo, Colorado
who moved to Globe, Arizona
when he was an infant. Dougherty's grandparents were immigrants from England
and Ireland
. He attended Van Nuys High School, graduating in 1938 alongside Jane Russell
, where he was active in theater and a member of the football
team.
. While working part-time and living with his parents, Dougherty met Monroe (then known by her birth name of Norma Jeane Baker), when she was 15 and he was 20. They began dating. Monroe's adoptive mother suggested that Dougherty marry Monroe. He would later admit to A&E Network
that his mother also wanted him to marry her. She graduated from high school in advance. On June 19, 1942, Dougherty and Monroe married at the home of Chester Howell in Los Angeles. Since they met, she affectionately nicknamed him "Jimmie". In 1943, Dougherty joined the United States Merchant Marine
. Prior to that he worked with Robert Mitchum
in a defense plant. He was ordered to boot camp on Santa Catalina Island, California
, then sent overseas in 1944. Norma Jeane started to work for Radioplane Company, where she was discovered. She moved out of her mother-in-law's home and stopped writing to Dougherty. She filed for divorce in Las Vegas, Nevada
, while he was in Shanghai, China; it was finalized on September 13, 1946. In To Norma Jeane With Love, Dougherty stated he was so depressed after his breakup with Monroe that he considered taking his own life, but he could not bear the thought of his mother finding his body.
Dougherty's second marriage was to Patricia Scoman in 1947, and joined the LAPD
. They had three daughters. The couple divorced in 1972.
In 1974, Dougherty married a third time, to Rita Lambert. The couple relocated to her native Maine
, settling in Sabattus. They were married until her death in 2003. He was noted to have become more outspoken about his relationship with Monroe after marrying Lambert. In 1997, Dougherty commented: "I love her, but I'm not in love with her. There's a lot of difference between loving someone and being in love."
, although she was never present at the event herself. Dougherty later appeared on To Tell the Truth
as "Marilyn Monroe's real first husband." During his CNN appearance, Dougherty informed Larry King
that an LAPD officer, Jack Clemmons, called him only minutes after he found Monroe dead. According to To Norma Jeane with Love, he explains that when New York Times asked him to comment on her death, Dougherty replied: "I'm sorry," and continued his LAPD patrol.
In To Norma Jeane with Love, Dougherty wrote that they were in love but dreams of stardom lured her away. She always maintained theirs was a marriage of convenience
. She was furious when he told Photoplay
in 1953 she threatened to jump off the Santa Monica Pier
if he left her. In a 1956 interview, however, she confessed to having attempted suicide during the marriage and stated that she felt trapped and bored by Dougherty, even blaming their marriage on her foster mother.
Dougherty maintained in his books that he didn't mind if she modeled. Conversely, his sister wrote in the December 1952 issue of Modern Screen Magazine
that he left Norma Jeane because she decided to pursue modeling, and he didn't like the attention it created. He told Lifetime
's "Intimate Portrait" that he cut off her monthly allotment when he was served with divorce papers; To Norma Jeane with Love also references this.
's first husband and to investors in the documentary. The judge said money must be repaid with interest to investors and to heirs of Monroe's first husband, James Dougherty, who lived in Auburn and died in 2005. Lawyers said Krug spent investors' money on himself and injured parties never received promised proceeds from the documentary.
of complications related to leukemia
. He was 84 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
policeman who rose to fame for being the first husband of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
.
Early life
Dougherty was born in TexasTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He was the youngest in a family of four children born to Ethel (née Beatty) and Edward Dougherty, natives of Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo, Colorado
Pueblo is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pueblo County, Colorado, United States. The population was 106,595 in 2010 census, making it the 246th most populous city in the United States....
who moved to Globe, Arizona
Globe, Arizona
Globe has an arid climate, characterized by hot summers and moderate to warm winters. Globe's arid climate is somewhat tempered by its elevation, however, leading to slightly cooler temperatures and slightly more precipitation than Phoenix or Yuma....
when he was an infant. Dougherty's grandparents were immigrants from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. He attended Van Nuys High School, graduating in 1938 alongside Jane Russell
Jane Russell
Jane Russell was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s....
, where he was active in theater and a member of the football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team.
Marriages
Dougherty was married three times. His first marriage was to Marilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
. While working part-time and living with his parents, Dougherty met Monroe (then known by her birth name of Norma Jeane Baker), when she was 15 and he was 20. They began dating. Monroe's adoptive mother suggested that Dougherty marry Monroe. He would later admit to A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
that his mother also wanted him to marry her. She graduated from high school in advance. On June 19, 1942, Dougherty and Monroe married at the home of Chester Howell in Los Angeles. Since they met, she affectionately nicknamed him "Jimmie". In 1943, Dougherty joined the United States Merchant Marine
United States Merchant Marine
The United States Merchant Marine refers to the fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels, operated by either the government or the private sector, that engage in commerce or transportation of goods and services in and out of the navigable waters of the United States. The Merchant Marine is...
. Prior to that he worked with Robert Mitchum
Robert Mitchum
Robert Charles Durman Mitchum was an American film actor, author, composer and singer and is #23 on the American Film Institute's list of the greatest male American screen legends of all time...
in a defense plant. He was ordered to boot camp on Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
, then sent overseas in 1944. Norma Jeane started to work for Radioplane Company, where she was discovered. She moved out of her mother-in-law's home and stopped writing to Dougherty. She filed for divorce in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, while he was in Shanghai, China; it was finalized on September 13, 1946. In To Norma Jeane With Love, Dougherty stated he was so depressed after his breakup with Monroe that he considered taking his own life, but he could not bear the thought of his mother finding his body.
Dougherty's second marriage was to Patricia Scoman in 1947, and joined the LAPD
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
. They had three daughters. The couple divorced in 1972.
In 1974, Dougherty married a third time, to Rita Lambert. The couple relocated to her native Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, settling in Sabattus. They were married until her death in 2003. He was noted to have become more outspoken about his relationship with Monroe after marrying Lambert. In 1997, Dougherty commented: "I love her, but I'm not in love with her. There's a lot of difference between loving someone and being in love."
Other work
He was one of the police officers who held back the crowd at the premiere of Monroe's 1950 movie, The Asphalt JungleThe Asphalt Jungle
The Asphalt Jungle is a 1950 film noir directed by John Huston. The caper film is based on the novel of the same name by W. R. Burnett and stars an ensemble cast including Sterling Hayden, Jean Hagen, Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore, and, in a minor but key role, Marilyn Monroe, an unknown...
, although she was never present at the event herself. Dougherty later appeared on To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
as "Marilyn Monroe's real first husband." During his CNN appearance, Dougherty informed Larry King
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
that an LAPD officer, Jack Clemmons, called him only minutes after he found Monroe dead. According to To Norma Jeane with Love, he explains that when New York Times asked him to comment on her death, Dougherty replied: "I'm sorry," and continued his LAPD patrol.
Books
- The Secret Happiness of Marilyn Monroe, Buccaneer Books, 1976 (out of print)
- To Norma Jeane with Love, Jimmie, BeachHouse Books, 2001, ISBN 978-1888725513
In To Norma Jeane with Love, Dougherty wrote that they were in love but dreams of stardom lured her away. She always maintained theirs was a marriage of convenience
Marriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than the reasons of relationship, family, or love. Instead, such a marriage is orchestrated for personal gain or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as political marriage. The phrase is a calque of - a marriage of...
. She was furious when he told Photoplay
Photoplay
Photoplay was one of the first American film fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded a similar magazine entitled Motion Picture Story...
in 1953 she threatened to jump off the Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica Pier
The Santa Monica Pier is a large double-jointed pier located at the foot of Colorado Avenue in Santa Monica, California and is a prominent, 100-year-old landmark.-Pacific Park:...
if he left her. In a 1956 interview, however, she confessed to having attempted suicide during the marriage and stated that she felt trapped and bored by Dougherty, even blaming their marriage on her foster mother.
Dougherty maintained in his books that he didn't mind if she modeled. Conversely, his sister wrote in the December 1952 issue of Modern Screen Magazine
Modern Screen Magazine
Modern Screen was an American fan magazine that for over 50 years featured articles, pictorials and interviews with movie stars .- Founding :...
that he left Norma Jeane because she decided to pursue modeling, and he didn't like the attention it created. He told Lifetime
Lifetime Television
Lifetime Television, often referred to as Lifetime TV, or most commonly, Lifetime, is an American cable television specialty channel devoted to movies, sitcoms and dramas, all of which are either geared toward women or feature women in lead roles. The cable network is owned by A&E Television Networks...
's "Intimate Portrait" that he cut off her monthly allotment when he was served with divorce papers; To Norma Jeane with Love also references this.
Marilyn's Man
Dougherty was also featured in a 2004 documentary, called Marilyn's Man. On 7 August 2008, a Maine judge who says "substantial fraud" was proven ordered documentary producer Schani Krug to repay more than $500,000 to the family of Marilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
's first husband and to investors in the documentary. The judge said money must be repaid with interest to investors and to heirs of Monroe's first husband, James Dougherty, who lived in Auburn and died in 2005. Lawyers said Krug spent investors' money on himself and injured parties never received promised proceeds from the documentary.
Death
Dougherty died on August 15, 2005 in San Rafael, CaliforniaSan Rafael, California
San Rafael is a city and the county seat of Marin County, California, United States. The city is located in the North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area...
of complications related to leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
. He was 84 years old.