Marilyn Monroe and choreographer Jack Cole on the set of Let's Make Love, 1960.
Marilyn Monroe and Jack Cole on the set of Let’s Make Love, 1960.
Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell rehearsing a scene with Jack Cole for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, 1952.
Marilyn Monroe rehearsing a dance number with Jack Cole for Let’s Make Love, 1960.
“She gave me a little card…and inside was a check for $1500, and a note that said, “I really was awful, it must have been a difficult experience, please go someplace nice for a couple of weeks and act like it all never happened.” It was all very dear. Then two days later I got another card with another check for $500, and the card said, “Stay three more days.” That was her way to say she loved you and didn’t want you to feel mad.” - Jack Cole (choreographer for some of Marilyn’s films)
Marilyn Monroe with Yves Montand and Jack Cole on the set of Let's Make Love, 1960.
Marilyn Monroe rehearsing for Let’s Make Love with Jack Cole.
Marilyn Monroe rehearsing with Jack Cole for Let’s Make Love.
Marilyn Monroe photographed by John Bryson.
Marilyn Monroe and choreographer Jack Cole on the set of Let’s Make Love.
Marilyn Monroe rehearsing dance scenes for Let’s Make Love.
Cole, Jack (1914 - 1974) Dancer Jack Cole choreographed Marilyn in all her song and dance routines starting in 1953 with Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and including River Of No Return (1954), There’s No Business Like Show Business (1954), and Let’s Make Love (1960). He also helped Marilyn without credit for her “Running Wild” number in Some Like It Hot (1959). Marilyn implicitly trusted Cole’s guidance, and after the first time they worked together they became firm friends. Cole’s function was very much like that of Marilyn’s drama coaches, giving her step-by-step help through filming. Cole stood next to the camera and performed the steps, Marilyn mirrored his movements in front of the camera. Cole worked especially hard with Marilyn for her numbers in Let’s Make Love. More than anything else, Marilyn dreaded the dance numbers. Afterward Marilyn showed her gratitude by giving him a card into which she had slipped a $1500 check and a note, “I really was awful, it must have been a difficult experience, please go someplace nice for a couple of weeks and act like it all never happened.” A couple of days later Cole received another check, this time for $500, in a card which said, “Stay three more days.” Cole later said, “She was just a terribly pretty girl whom all this had happened to, and all of a sudden she was a star, she was going to have to go out and do it and everybody was going to look at her. And she was just terrified! She knew that she was not equal to it.” As well as his work as a choreographer, Cole danced on film in Moon over Miami (1941) and Kismet (1944). His choreographer credits grace more than ten movies, including Gilda (1946) and the Gentlemen Prefer Blondes follow-up, Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955). - The Marilyn Encyclopedia by Adam Victor.
Marilyn Monroe getting direction from choreographer Jack Cole for a scene in River Of No Return.
Marilyn Monroe on the set of Let's Make Love.