Marylin was born in L.A. on June 1st 1926. She was named Norma Jeane Mortenson, but her mother baptized her as Norma Jean Baker because her father was never around.
Gladys was not able to take care of Marilyn because of economic and emotional problems, so she left her with her adoptive parents Albert and Ida Bolender, who lived in Hawthorne, California.
When Gladys solved her problems and bought a house of her own, she took back Norma Jeane, but after a few months she (Gladys), suffered a nervous breakdown and Norma was given to Grace McKee, her best friend. It was Grace who promoted the little girls interest for the movies and who pushed her to become an actress in the future.
Later in 1935 McKee married Ervin Silliman Goddard and moved to the US West Coast, so the girl was given to other family in custody. 2 years after her wedding, Grace took the girl back with her, but months later she again gave the custody of the girl to someone else, this time her uncle Olive Bruning, after the little girl accused Gobbard of sexual abuse. By the age of 12 the little girl was sexually abused again by both of Brunings sons.