Never-before-seen trove of Marilyn Monroe pictures… the true story of her most famous (and sexy) photoshoot… and the ugly battle it caused

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A steaming New York City subway grate.

A billowing white dress.

Hollywood’s most beloved, most tragically misunderstood, starlet.

It was a perfect formula.

Oh my gosh, Sam Shaw… he was *there*. He wasn’t just a photographer, he was someone Marilyn *trusted*. And he got it all in one single shot – that photo? It’s absolutely legendary. Seriously, it’s one of the most famous pictures *ever* taken, and it’s all thanks to him capturing that perfect moment with her.

In 1955, Shaw had no idea that Hollywood executives would eagerly try to take credit for what would become known as ‘the shot seen ’round the world.’

However, Shaw clarified his side of the story in the recently published book ‘Dear Marilyn: The Unseen Letters and Photographs.’ This book was compiled by his daughters, Meta and Edie, after he passed away in 1999.

The newly revealed collection of his work includes personal letters to Marilyn Monroe, private diaries, and never-before-seen photos. It details the journey of this New Yorker, who started as a magazine photographer and became the most sought-after still photographer in Hollywood.

Shaw said he first conceived of the famous image of Marilyn Monroe in 1941, more than ten years before he actually photographed it for the movie ‘The Seven Year Itch,’ which also starred Tom Ewell.

While shooting the cover of Friday Magazine, Shaw asked two models to pose above a subway grate in Coney Island, New York. A gust of wind from the grate lifted one model’s skirt, and nearby sailors watched as it happened.

Shaw reported the cover image was incredibly popular, leading to the issue selling out right away. He also noted he’d always hoped to recreate that same design on a larger scale if he ever got the chance.

Shaw got his big break when he was hired to design the sets for the movie version of ‘The Seven Year Itch,’ a story about a man who finds himself attracted to someone other than his wife.

When Shaw saw Monroe and Ewell filming on a Manhattan street corner, he immediately envisioned recreating a photo from his Friday Magazine cover as an advertisement for the movie.

‘Producer Charles Feldman asked me to create a key photo and logo for promotion,’ Shaw wrote. 

I shared my advertising concept with Feldman, Wilder, and Charles Einfeld, who was the VP of advertising and publicity at 20th Century Fox.

I anticipated needing more time, and working beyond the standard hours (often called ‘golden hours’ in filmmaking). I asked them to request extra police officers to manage the expected crowd.

For a scene on 51st Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, the production crew blocked off the street. A technician used a wind machine hidden under a grate to mimic a subway train and create a breeze that would lift Marilyn Monroe’s skirt.

Thousands of onlookers gathered to watch Monroe and Ewell shoot the scene.

According to Shaw, the police were so captivated by Marilyn Monroe that they completely lost focus on the crowd. No one attempted to push past the barriers, as everyone was too spellbound by the spectacle.

The photograph Shaw took was considered incredibly bold for its era, and Hollywood Reporter columnist Irving Hoffman famously called it ‘the shot seen ’round the world’.

It was a huge success, to the point where George Bernard Shaw said the studio’s advertising VP tried to claim he’d come up with the idea.

According to Shaw, everyone in Los Angeles was competing for recognition. She specifically called out Einfeld as the worst offender, alleging he tried to claim credit for her work, including photos of her skirt caught in the wind, articles she secured in LIFE magazine, and a photo spread in Harper’s Bazaar that she had arranged with Richard Avedon.

Looking back, I was completely unaware of the power struggles happening behind the scenes at 20th Century Fox. It’s hard to admit, but I was used – just like Marilyn – as a piece in their game. They were taking credit for my work and even trying to get me removed from the project. Honestly, I genuinely believed we were all friends, and it’s a really painful realization to have now.

The book ‘Dear Marilyn,’ published by ACC Art Books, features a self-portrait Marilyn Monroe gifted to Shaw, along with relaxed, behind-the-scenes photos of the actress at her New York home and on the beach in Amagansett.

Even sixty years after her untimely death at the age of 36, people still wonder who Marilyn Monroe truly was.

Many unofficial biographies and dramatic movies have tried to explain Marilyn Monroe, but none have shown her inner life as closely as Shaw’s filmmaking.

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2025-09-27 20:04