Why Marilyn Monroe wanted to track down the father she never knew

Marilyn Monroe was already a star when, at a New York party, she announced what she wanted most in the world. 

Perhaps it was a case of ‘in vino veritas’, but her confession — according to fashion mogul Henry Rosenfeld, a longtime friend — was extraordinary even for a Hollywood actress who liked to cause a stir.

Marilyn, Rosenfeld recalled, declared she’d like ‘to put on her black wig, pick up her father in a bar and have him make love to her. Then she’d say: ‘How do you feel now to have a daughter that you’ve made love to?’ ‘

It was a shocking wish, but then the film star believed her father had done her a terrible wrong.

Born to a deeply troubled mother who spent most of her time in and out of mental institutions, Monroe embarked on a lifelong quest to confirm the true identity of a…