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Declassified · Explained
InvestigatedHollywood & TV · 1955–1962

Marilyn Monroe FBI File: What's Actually in the Declassified Records

Short answer

Marilyn Monroe's FBI file — approximately 709 pages across multiple releases — documents the Bureau's monitoring of her suspected Communist sympathies. The FBI became interested in Monroe after she began dating playwright Arthur Miller, who was under investigation for ties to Communist organizations. The Bureau tracked Monroe's political associations, her contacts with suspected Communists during a trip to Mexico, and her reported attempts to obtain a visa to visit the Soviet Union. The FBI never found evidence that Monroe was a member of the Communist Party. The file also contains material about conspiracy theories surrounding her death in August 1962.

File snapshot

Name
Marilyn Monroe
Known for
Actress, model, and cultural icon of the 1950s and 1960s
File category
Hollywood & TV
Why they appear in records
Monroe drew FBI attention through her relationship with Arthur Miller, who was investigated by the House Un-American Activities Committee. The Bureau monitored her political associations, particularly her contacts with members of the American Communist Group in Mexico.
Years covered
1955–1962
Source
FBI Records: The Vault — Marilyn Monroe

Why there is a file

The FBI opened Monroe's file in 1955, the year she began dating Arthur Miller. Miller had been connected to 29 Communist organizations according to FBI memos, and the Bureau's interest in Monroe was initially an extension of their investigation into him. When the House Un-American Activities Committee subpoenaed Miller in 1956, Monroe publicly stood by him. The FBI monitored Monroe's political views, which agents described as 'very positively and concisely leftist.' A 1962 trip to Mexico brought Monroe into contact with Frederick Vanderbilt Field, a wealthy leftist living in self-imposed exile, which alarmed both her entourage and the FBI. The Bureau also tracked reports that Monroe had sought visas to visit the Soviet Union. After Monroe's death on August 5, 1962, the file expanded to include news clippings, conspiracy theories about her death — including claims involving Robert F. Kennedy — and references to Norman Mailer's biography alleging government involvement. The FBI concluded its investigation without finding proof of Communist Party membership.

What's in the file

  • ▸Surveillance reports tracking Monroe's relationship with Arthur Miller and his Communist associations
  • ▸Reports on Monroe's contacts with Frederick Vanderbilt Field and members of the American Communist Group during her 1962 Mexico trip
  • ▸An FBI assessment concluding Monroe's views were 'leftist' but finding no evidence she was actively used by the Communist Party
  • ▸Reports that Monroe sought visas to visit the Soviet Union
  • ▸Cross-references from Joe DiMaggio's FBI file, including an incident where DiMaggio and Frank Sinatra raided Monroe's apartment
  • ▸News clippings and conspiracy theories about Monroe's death, including allegations involving Robert F. Kennedy
  • ▸References to Norman Mailer's biography implicating the FBI and CIA in Monroe's death
  • ▸A CIA report from Moscow Domestic Service Radio on Monroe's death

What people often get wrong

  • ✗"Monroe was investigated because she was a spy." The FBI monitored her political associations — primarily through Arthur Miller — not because they suspected her of espionage.
  • ✗"The FBI file proves Monroe was murdered." The file contains conspiracy theories and news clippings about her death but no FBI investigation into it. Los Angeles authorities ruled her death a probable suicide.
  • ✗"Monroe was a committed Communist." The FBI's own conclusion was that while her views were 'leftist,' there was no evidence she was a Communist Party member or was being actively used by the party.
  • ✗"The FBI investigated Monroe throughout her career." The file begins in 1955, late in her career, triggered specifically by her relationship with Arthur Miller.

Timeline

  1. 1955
    FBI opens file on Monroe after she begins dating playwright Arthur Miller, who is under investigation for Communist ties.
  2. 1956
    House Un-American Activities Committee subpoenas Arthur Miller. Monroe publicly supports him.
  3. 1956–1961
    Monroe and Miller marry. FBI continues monitoring through Miller's file.
  4. 1962
    Monroe travels to Mexico and meets Frederick Vanderbilt Field, a leftist in self-imposed exile. FBI monitors the contact.
  5. 1962
    FBI memo concludes Monroe's views are 'leftist' but finds no evidence of Communist Party membership. July 1962.
  6. 1962
    Monroe dies on August 5. File expands with conspiracy theories and press clippings about her death.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Marilyn Monroe have an FBI file?
Monroe appears in FBI records because of political concerns, public rumors, relationships, and Cold War-era interest in people connected to her.
What is in Marilyn Monroe's FBI file?
The file includes references to political concerns, Arthur Miller, communist-related allegations, public rumors, and redacted material.
Does Marilyn Monroe's FBI file prove a conspiracy about her death?
No. The existence of a file does not prove conspiracy claims. The records should be read carefully and in context.
Where can I read Marilyn Monroe's FBI file?
The original FBI Vault records are linked from this profile.

Read the original records

Always consult the primary source. Public records may include redactions, allegations, and unverified informant claims.

Open: FBI Records: The Vault — Marilyn Monroe ↗

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