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Marilyn Monroe leans over the back of the front seat of a car on the set of 'The Misfits,' directed by John Huston, Nevada, 1960.
Ernst Haas—Getty Images

When Marilyn Monroe died on Aug. 5, 1962, she left behind a series of contradictions. The actress panicked easily, but basked in public attention. She was sometimes troubled by her status as a sex symbol, yet she was willing to profit from it. It was a see-saw life, as TIME’s obituary for the Hollywood icon made clear:

Read the full remembrance from 1962, here in the TIME Vault: The Only Blonde in the World

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Write to Lily Rothman at lily.rothman@time.com.

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