His day with Marilyn: Teen filmmaker in 1955 captured the real Monroe in New York City

• Click here to view more stills from the Marilyn movie
• Scroll below to view a clip from Peter Mangone's film

BY STEVE ROTHAUS, srothaus@MiamiHerald.com

More than 50 years after Marilyn Monroe’s death, she stars in a previously unseen film that premieres Thursday in New York City. It’s a grainy, color 8mm production, shot on location in Manhattan and only 5½ minutes long — filmed in 1955 by a teenage fan who skipped school to meet the platinum blonde movie queen.

“The whole day she played with me,” recalled filmmaker Peter Mangone of Fort Lauderdale in a 2006 interview with Katie Couric. “People that have filmed her said no one captured her like the [15-year-old] kid, because she wasn’t threatened, she wasn’t afraid. It wasn’t going to be in the paper so I got the real girl.”

Mangone won’t be there when his brief film is finally screened this week during a photo exhibit at the Danziger Gallery in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. He died Dec. 11 of lung cancer at age 73.

“This is his legacy,” said Miami financial planner Daniel Pye, Mangone’s partner for 33 years, who will attend the New York opening.

Mangone met Monroe in March 1955 after her split from ballplayer Joe DiMaggio. She was living in New York to study at Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio.

The Bronx boy read in the gossip columns that she was staying at the old Gladstone Hotel on East 52nd Street near Lexington Avenue. One day he showed up at the hotel with a still camera and took Monroe’s photo. He came back the next day and asked her to autograph it.

“And the next day, I’d have a reason to go back,” Mangone told Couric. “Then I’d go back with a little Brownie camera and take the picture.”

This ritual went on for several weeks and he became friendly with the superstar, then age 28.

“She would give me rides to the subway if it was raining. One day she gave me candies to take home and I ate most of it on the subway,” Mangone told Couric.

One morning, Mangone slipped out of his home with his older brother’s wind-up Revere 8mm movie camera.

“He was literally with her from the morning until it was dusk,” Pye said. “She had lunch at 21. That was her favorite restaurant. She shopped at I. Magnum for shoes, Elizabeth Arden.”

As the ninth-grader ran backwards ahead of Monroe, filming, the star flirted with him — blowing kisses as she strolled along Fifth Avenue with two friends, fashion photographer Milton H. Greene and dress designer George Nardiello.

Most of the time, though, she just acted naturally. Despite being among the most famous women in the world, Monroe managed to stroll the streets without drawing much attention.

“In the middle of the day and nobody was bothering her,” Pye said. “Imagine if Madonna was walking down Fifth Avenue.”

Afterward, Mangone never again saw Monroe in person. For nearly a half-century, he didn’t see his movie, either.

Mangone thought he accidentally threw out the film.

In 2002, following a successful career as a South Florida celebrity hairdresser, Mangone got a call from his brother.

After the call, Mangone said to Pye, “You’ll never believe what Lou found. He found the Marilyn film!”

It had been packed away in their father’s home all those years.

Mangone and Pye took the movie to a production company in Baltimore, which transferred the 9,212 color frames to 16mm film.

Pye said Mangone was “floored” the first time he saw the restored film. “He was amazed,” Pye said. “We kept watching it over and over again.”

Last year, Mangone assembled still frames from the film and published a 48-page book, Marilyn Monroe: NYC, 1955: Photographs by Peter Mangone.

Mangone and New York City gallery owner James Danziger originally planned to screen the film (in a continuous loop), along with framed stills in August 2012. To avoid competing with another nearby Monroe gallery exhibit, they delayed the opening until Nov. 1. Then Superstorm Sandy struck, flooding the Danziger Gallery’s first floor exhibit space and forcing the exhibit to be postponed again, this time until Jan. 10.

In August, Mangone was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died four months later.

“We’re obviously sad that Peter won’t be here for this,” Danziger said. “What would be the end of a long journey for him will be a celebration of his life.”

 

About the exhibit

The exhibit Marilyn Monroe (New York 1955) runs Jan. 10 through Feb. 9 at Danziger Gallery, 527 W. 23rd St., New York. Gallery hours 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. 212-629-6778; www.danzigergallery.com.

Orchid at Miami's Pleasure Garden extended; discounted tickets available for Friday's show

From George Coronado of Give Me A Beat Productions:

EXTENDED BY POPULAR DEMAND!! AFTER A SOLD OUT NIGHT, WE DO IT AGAIN THIS FRIDAY, JANUARY 11th - 8 PM show.

SPECIAL EVENT - FRIDAY, JANUARY 11th - ORCHID: an invitation to a unique theatrical installation. ORCHID is a dream world of song, dance, glamour, burlesque, aerial acrobatics and variety arts set inside a seductively surreal Pleasure Garden in the design district. Use George Coronado's promo code BEAT for discounted ticket prices. It will be an amazing night of cocktails, over the top production and entertainment!

Normal Price: $79

With the code BEAT: $49 dollars. Includes ORCHID show plus a complimentary cocktail

6pm to 7:45 pm - Cocktails and dinner available

8 pm - ORCHID show

THE PLEASURE GARDEN - 299 NE 38th street Miami, FL 33137 (38th Street and Biscayne Boulevard)

To purchase tickets: www.orchidtheshow.com

Boy Scout council in California approves gay Scout Ryan Andresen’s Eagle award application

News release from Change.org:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – The Mount Diablo-Silverado Boy Scout Council has approved a gay Scout’s Eagle application after more than 460,000 people joined his mother’s campaign on Change.org, despite the Boy Scouts of America’s anti-gay policy.

Karen Andresen launched her campaign on Change.org urging the Boy Scouts to award her son, 18-year-old Ryan Andresen, the rank of Eagle Scout after Ryan’s Scoutmaster refused to sign the Eagle application because of Ryan’s sexual orientation. On December 19, local Boy Scout leaders granted Ryan an official Eagle Board of Review, and submitted their recommendation of approval to the Mt. Diablo-Silverado Council on Dec. 31. Ryan’s application for Eagle Scout, the Boy Scouts of America’s highest rank, will now be forwarded to the national organization for final approval.

“I’m just so incredibly happy for Ryan. He’s worked so hard for this honor, and as a mother, it means the world to me to know that our local Scouting community believes in him, too,” said Karen Andresen, who launched the petition on Change.org. “Regardless of what the BSA’s National Advancement Team decides to do with his application, this victory makes it all worth it, and gives me so much hope for the future of the organization.”

Bonnie Hazarabedian, the volunteer District Advancement Chair who headed Ryan Andresen’s Eagle Board of Review, verified that Ryan’s application had been approved at the local district and council levels, and issued the following statement:

“Ryan did everything right in this process, with respect and honesty, requesting an Eagle Board of Review under disputed circumstances when his Scoutmaster refused to sign the application. Following BSA advancement policies in such situations, we felt an Eagle Board of Review was justified. As we do with all Eagle candidates, volunteer Scout leaders --- parents ourselves of current or former Scouts --- met with Ryan to review and discuss his scouting history and advancement records, his Eagle Leadership Project, and his spiritual beliefs and life goals. We are convinced that Ryan has demonstrated he deserves the rank of Eagle Scout.”

Approval from the Eagle Board of Review overrides Ryan’s Scoutmaster at Troop 212, Rainer Del Valle, who still hasn’t contacted the Andresen family or issued a statement about his refusal to sign Ryan’s Eagle application. Ryan had completed all of the requirements for his Eagle Scout Award while still a member of BSA and before his 18th birthday, including a capstone project where he worked with a local middle school to build a permanent “Tolerance Wall” to raise awareness about bullying.

“I want other gay Scouts to know, especially those who are hiding who they really are, that this win is for you. Thank you to everyone who joined my mom’s campaign. Your signatures made this possible,” said Ryan Andresen. “It’s been a wild and exhausting ride. I’m really looking forward to life getting back to normal, and to being able to focus on my final year of high school and completing my college applications.”

Karen Andresen’s petition recruited more than 460,000 signatures and gained high-profile endorsements from California Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, and 32 California state legislators. After sharing their story on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Anderson Cooper 360, Ryan and his parents delivered more than 400,000 petition signatures to the Mount Diablo-Silverado Council, where they met with Scout leaders and offered to help the council stand up against the national anti-gay policy. In December, Ryan was recognized by Speaker John Perez at the opening session of the California State Assembly.

Scouts for Equality founder Zach Wahls, who initially helped Karen launch her petition on Change.org, said he hopes this victory will embolden even more local Boy Scout councils to reject the Boy Scouts of America’s “hurtful” anti-gay membership policy.

“The Mount Diablo-Silverado Council joins a growing list of Boy Scout councils and charter organizations that are refusing to embrace the Boy Scouts of America’s hurtful anti-gay membership policy,” said Wahls. “The American Medical Association, corporate and political leaders, and countless Scouting communities across the country have spoken out against the dangers of policies that exclude gay youth and leaders. It’s time for the BSA to listen.”

“More than 50 additional Change.org petitions have been launched by Scouts and Scout leaders, urging local councils to do what Ryan’s council did, and ignore the national anti-gay policy. Change is coming, council by council, community by community,” added Wahls.

Wahls, an Eagle Scout and son of two gay moms whose speech in support of marriage equality was YouTube's most watched political video in 2011, launched Scouts for Equality after delivering nearly 300,000 Change.org petition signatures to the Boy Scouts of America on behalf of Jennifer Tyrrell, a lesbian mom and den leader from Ohio who was removed from her 7-year-old’s Cub Scout Pack for being gay. Together, Wahls and Tyrrell -- in conjunction with California Scout Ryan Andresen and Kentucky Scoutmaster Greg Bourke -- have led Change.org petition campaigns attracting more than one million signatures in support of ending the Boy Scouts’ ban on gay Scouts and leaders.

GLAAD -- which broke Tyrrell’s story in April, sparking a national dialogue about discrimination in the Boy Scouts -- joined Wahls and Scouts for Equality in celebrating news of Ryan Andresen’s Eagle application approval.

"Councils across the nation are rejecting the Boy Scouts' grossly discriminatory ban on gay scouts, echoing the support of fellow scouts, business leaders, and the American public,” said GLAAD President Herndon Graddick. “How long can the BSA go on ignoring its own members and its core values of fairness, leadership and integrity? The growing number of councils welcoming gay scouts and leaders reminds BSA autocrats: change will come with you, or without you."

Source Events to produce fourth annual Miami Beach Gay Pride cruise aboard Norwegian Sky

Miami Beach Gay Pride has announced details of its annual post-parade cruise, this year from Monday, April 15, to Friday, April 19:

Miami Beach – January 8, 2013 -- From Ocean Drive to the ocean waves, Miami Beach Gay Pride 2013 is setting sail once again with Source Events for the “Miami Beach Pride Cruise” immediately following all the Miami Beach Gay Pride festivities.  The Pride Cruise, Monday, April 15 to Friday, April 19, 2013, is an ideal way to extend the magic of Pride for another five days at sea. The event also represents an opportunity to “cruise for a cause” as a portion of all tickets sold through Source Events will be donated back to Miami Beach Gay Pride.

The Pride Cruise is a four-night/five-day voyage aboard the luxurious Norwegian Sky with stops in Grand Bahamas Island, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island.  As the official Pride Cruise producer, Source Events is able to offer exclusive cruise VIP events and activities not offered to other passengers onboard Norwegian Sky.  These private activities include a welcome cocktail party, complimentary happy hours, sail-away tea-dances, private parties with the Pride Cruise guest DJ Chris Racine, a gay beach party on the private island and a special Pride Cruise goodie bag.

“We are thrilled to continue offering the opportunity to sail as a special LGBT group onboard one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s most popular cruises,” said Craig Smith, president of Source Events.  “We invite the LGBT community to join us with a group of friends, or come onboard to meet fun, new people from all over the country – and the world – to celebrate, connect, unite and share great times.”

In addition to the Source Events activities planned for the cruise, Pride Cruise passengers can take advantage of all the amenities aboard Norwegian Sky including a choice of five restaurants, eight bars and lounges, a full-service Body Waves spa and fitness center, two glimmering pools, five hot tubs, a basketball/volleyball court, two golf driving nets, an Internet cafe and a jogging/walking track. Nightlife includes the Sky Club Casino, Stardust Theater, Dazzles Nightclub, a karaoke bar, or just chilling out with old and new friends, admiring the view from Norwegian Sky’s beautiful glass-domed atrium.

“Miami Beach Pride has grown into the largest, single-day event of the year in Miami Beach,” said Babak Movahedi, chairman of the Miami Beach Gay Pride Board of Directors. “The Pride Cruise represents an exciting continuation of the Pride festivities, extending the great feeling of Pride to a community at sea.”

Prices for the Pride Cruise begin at $449 per person, based on double occupancy, plus taxes and fees. For reservations or more information, visit www.SourceEvents.com or call (888) SOURCE8.

Additional travel discounts are available from American Airlines and several partner hotels. For a complete list of discount codes and reservation information, visit www.MiamiBeachGayPride.com/travel-and-accommodations.

The mission of Miami Beach Gay Pride is to bring together members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, their friends, allies, and supporters in celebration of the unique spirit and culture of the LGBT community.  Miami Beach Gay Pride produces free, safe, quality mass-appeal events that are open to all, including the Parade, Festival and allied Miami Beach Pride sanctioned events.  For details on Miami Beach Gay Pride 2013 and related events, visit www.MiamiBeachGayPride.com.