Celebrity Chat with Donald H. Wolfe


April, 2001

Donald H. Wolfe is the author of The Last Days of Marilyn Monroe, also known as The Assassination of Marilyn Monroe.


Mr. Wolfe was interviewed by Connie Larson, David Ash, and myself - Danamo.


(Connie) Were you a Marilyn fan, or did something spark your curiosity to learn about her?

(Wolfe) I met Marilyn in 1958, when she was making Some Like It Hot. I was working on the Goldwyn lot and was able to watch some of the filming. I was hooked from then on - not as a fan, but I found MM to be fascinating.

Yes, I think that is fair to say of most of us...Aside from the star status, she was extremely fascinating and ahead of her time...

You rely on Norma Jeffries throughout much of the book. I notice Norma Jeffries cited on many of the facts the book relies on, why do you think Mr. Jeffries waited so long to tell his story, if indeed the light he sheds on the case is to be believed?

Norman Jefferies was quite ill when I met with him. The timing was right. He obviously was troubled by things he had witnessed and been a party to.

That makes sense to me. You found him sincere...

Yes, I found him very sincere. It was clear that he liked Marilyn a great deal and was troubled. He told me he ended up despising his mother-in-law, Euice Murray.

I hate to jump right into the death questions, but the book is clear on explaining many of the facts in a quite acceptable manner. In regards to the overdose that killed Marilyn, do you think it could it have been deliberately administered on the orders of 'someone'? Who and why?

Yes, I concluded it had to be deliberate, because there was enough barbituate to kill from 10 to 25 people. What happened to Marilyn {the hot shot} had to have beeen administered while Bobby Kennedy was there with the two secutittty officers from the LAPD intelligence unit.

I must say that I certainly agree with that point! I must back up a bit, sorry. Mr. Jeffries came to 'despise' Eunice? Why?

Without going into detail, he indicated that he felt both Greenson and Mrs Murray had used him. He also told me that MM was clearing house, so to speak. She had fired Eunice, Dr Greenson and Pat Newcomb on that last day.

Do you find it at all a possibility that MM's overdose could have been accidentally or otherwise, administered via Eunice Murray?

No, because the barbituate level in her blood stream was so high, she would have been dead - the heart would have stopped beating- after her digestive system had absorbed just 30% of the total percentage found in the blood. It had to be an injection.

I agree with that...
Moving back a little...Mr. Jeffries states that he and Mrs. Murray were asked to leave the house for a bit that evening. I wonder, who were the neighbors whom Murray and Jeffries visited that night when they were asked to leave the house? Why didn't these neighbors ever offer that information to the police? Or did they? Why didn't Murray mention it, and why did she partake in the coverup for so long? Kennedy fear possibly? Why was this whole crime covered up to begin with? It obviously was...

I've never done this before, and am enjoying it - a new experience! When Norman first told me that he and Eunice went to the neighbors, I assumed he was talking about the couple that lived next door, but later I concluded that he was talking about Dr. Greensons associate, who lived acrooss the way on 5th Helena, but had a view of MM's house.

I've never interviewed like this before either, haha! I'm glad you are enjoying it--me too! Murray eventually changed her story on the events the day of Aug. 4th. Why, and do you think her recollections would be reliable and accurate after so many years had passed? She obviously wanted to finally tell, but she leaves out alot still of what Jeffries talks about...

The closest she ever came to telling the whole story was on the BBC interview in 1985 when she admitted Bobby had been there that last day and there had beeen a violent argument. She said on camera , "Why do I have to keep covering up this thing?"

I remember that...She was talking to Anthony Summers. I think now I'd like to ask about one of the real heroes of this whole case, Jack Clemmons, 'officially', the first officer on the scene. You also rely heavily on his statement and recollections, and you seem to admire this man. So do I. I wonder why he was never able to get anyone to listen? After all, he was there. The LAPD pretty much blackballed him, didn't they? Cheif Parker, the man in charge, the man who wanted Hoover's job....

Also, she was afraid of incriminating herself. She was an accessory to a murder, and she was there to pick up information on MM for DR Greenson, who Norman said was a marxist. There were obvious intellegence agency problems. She and Greenson, and for that matter Jefferies could have gone to prison had the whole story come out.

Yes, they were accessories to the crime in the least...Who else? Who can we accurately and factually place at Marilyn's home the day and night of Aug. 4, 1962? There were actually several people 'hiding' in the house that night when Jack first arrived, correct? People who had long been there...

About Clemmons - yes I greatly admired Clemons. He was an honest man , and his careeer in the LaPD was destroyed because of his honesty. After I completed the book, I acquired some of Marilyns- Daryl Gates file, which was never published, and it indicates that they really did a number on Clemmons. Framed him and drummed him out of the department.

The cover up just goes on down the line doesn't it....If only we could get ONE honest person in there... Anyway... There is another interesting character in this tale that I would like to talk about, because he is noted often in your book. Bob Slatzer...This man has taken more flack about his supposed relationship with Marilyn than anyone I know. His stories are undocumented to say the least, and wasn't it some years after her passing that he first spoke up on the issues involving he/her? Why?

Clemmons believed there were other people at the house when he arrived. I believe Pat Newcomb was one of them. Mickey Rudin said that Dr Greenson had been there before midnight, and I beleive that's true. At some time before midnight Lawford was there as well - along with Newcomb.

And, Arthur Jacobs likely....

About Slatzer. I always believed Slatzer because when I was working on the Loretta Young show at Goldwyn in 1957-58-59 the music editor was Hugo Grimaldi, who was a mutual friend of both Slatzer and me. Hugo used to tell me about Slatzer and MM. Hugo lived in John Barrymore's old house and told me the story about Marilyn and Slatzer visiting the house back in the 1940's. I also interviewed several paople in Ohio who knew about Slatzer and Marilyn. Yes, for some reason - perhaps starting with Spoto and the ill-conceived Marilyn and Me show, Slatzer has beee criticized and maligned unjustly. I found him to be a real gentleman, and I could see why Marilyn would have liked him.

Conster Quit (Connection reset by peer (TCP/IP connection broken))

(BigDave) Connie is coming right back... a little bad weather...

(Danamo) Oops, it looks like Connie was disconnected. Please excuse the interruptions, folks. We now return you to our regular programming :-) Sorry, I lost the connection. Dan, could you paste Mr. Wolfe's last reply please?

With the flack in mind, I can also state from my point of view that Bob Slatzer is probably the most instrumental person we have had to date in uncovering hidden mysteries surrounding MM's last days and death. I believe he is directly responsible for much of the info we have now...If he didn't know her, as many believe, why else would he do this? It couldn't be a money factor I don't believe...Thoughts?

Though Slatzer was accused of making a cottage industry out of Marilyn Monroe, the fact is that he spent far more money researching his books than he made.

I have to apologize for the interruption. Kansas is now being Kansas, and I really need to shut down as we have the ole storm here! David will continue the interview, and again my apologies. Mr. Wolfe, my personal thanks for this fantastic book!

Thank you!

Thank you, Connie, for braving the tornado to be here with us tonight!

David, you have the floor, and then I have a few questions too.

Well thank you Thank You very much. There are only 2 more questions...

John Miner and Dr. Noguchi, why did the wait so long to begin to reveal things they knew all along? After all this time doesn't it take away some of their credibility?

Yes it does, unfortunately. Mayor Yorty and Chief Reddin told me that the cover-up was done under the guize of "National Security". Noguchi has always been basically a politco, and Miner, I believe always wanted to hnor his promise of silence to Dr. Greenson.

You said earlier that you were hooked on Marilyn but not as a fan....Could you elaborate just a little?

I was absolutly mesmerized when I met her. She seemed to speak of something very touching - yet unspoken. She sent out vibes redux. But also in watching her work, she was extemely professional, despite what the critics say. And, of course she was a fine actress. But then one photo says far more than all the books and millions of words She was very special.

Thank you...Ok Dan your up

I think we can all agree that she was special. That is what brings us all together.

Well, we seem to be having internet problems... imagine that... LOL... We apologize for the technical difficulties... This is a new chat room and the bugs are still being worked out. For all of the newcomers, this room is moderated during the interview with Mr. Wolfe, but we will give you the opportunity to ask questions following this interview.

Mr. Wolfe, I am very interested in the parts of your book that refers to Mr Greenson's involvement with the Communist party... I think that is a fascinating angle. How did you acquire this information?

I'm still trying to obtain the many pages that have been totally redacted from Greenson's FBI File. Over 35 pages arre still under seal. Jefferies confirmed to me what I had been told by several former party members - Greenson was the operative for the party that ran the Arts Sciences and Professsions committee in Hollywoood. Jefferies said that Mrs Murray and her husband John Murray were very active in the party and worked for Greenson. When the Murrays lost their home during the strikes (the one on Franklin that Greenson bought) they moved to a house in Santa Monica Canyon where Jeffereries described numerous party cell meeetings that were conducted by Greenson. Greenson's mother was also a communist party functionary and was close to Frederick Vanderbilt Field. I had a cousin who became infamous because he posed as a psychiatrist who was a party member during the Red Scare. He was actually FBI - knew Greenson and the whole story. He was one of my prime sources. Also there's some material in the Reports of the Un American Activities Commiteee.

I see. That is quite interesting, that Marilyn would be revealing her confidences about the Kennedys to Dr. Greenson, who then passed on that info to the Kremlin. There is recent information from an FBI agent, Robert Surface, about Marilyn also being an agent for the FBI at that same time. Are you familiar with Mr. Surface's claims?

Yes, I think that was a great concern. In the appendix of my book there's a copy of a CIA doc. that establishes that the CIA had MM under surveillance in those last weeks of her life.

There are so many aspects with political overtones, it is no wonder that people suspect these issues \ were significant in Marilyn's death.

No, I'm not familiar with the info on Surface. Please tell me where I can see it. I do know that Marilyn and J Edgar Hoover were in communication during her last years.

Bottom line, Mr. Wolfe, as a result of your research, what or whom do you truly believe to have been the cause of the death of Marilyn Monroe?

I believe that Marilyn became too much of a danger to the Kennedy's. I believe that Robert Kennedy, who was his brother's protector, had the problem eliminated. She could have brought down the Presidency in the midst of the cold war.

Those are some very serious charges, which many people also believe to be true. Unfortunately, we may never really know the truth about what happened, or at least, it may never be proved. But we all appreciate your effort in helping to uncover the facts. Mr. Wolfe.

I think a good deal more will be revealed with the passage of time - documented material.

We will be waiting to learn more, as each of us has our own feelings about what really happened and would like to see more evidence about everything.

Do you have any future book planned about Marilyn? Are you still researching these matters?

Yes, I'm still researching. I'll be forever interested in her story.

Well, I would like to thank you on behalf of us fans, for all you have done to investigate the circumstances of Marilyn's death.

Now if anybody has any questions you just need to click on Dan's or my name and then click on the two violet noses at the top of your screen and then ask Dan or I to allow you to ask a question.

I belive Roy Turner wants to ask a question, so I will give him the floor at this time.

(Roy) Hi Don, didn't Inez Melson make a sweep through the house after Marilyn's death also? Taking things that my shed a bad light on Marilyn?

Yes, I was told she was there almost every day in the week that followed. I believe some of her relatives still have item's of Marilyn's that she obtained.

Do you think Pat Newcomb will ever talk to any biographers?

She once talked guardedly with Slatzer in a recoreded interview, and she spoke with Spoto. You can hear that interview at the Motion Picture Academy Library. But I don't think she will talk about it again - unless required to.

Thanks Don. We appreciate your time tonight.

Thank you for having me as guest in your chat room. Best wishes to all - and goodnight.

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