Whatever Happened To Marilyn Monroe's First Husband, James Dougherty?

It's fascinating, and more than a bit sad, to consider how James Dougherty felt when he heard of Marilyn Monroe, a Hollywood persona completely different from the person he knew and loved. After all, as "Marilyn's Man" producer Schani Krug said to NPR, Norma Jeane Mortenson was a "rough around the edges" tomboy when she and Dougherty met. Per the Los Angeles Times, Dougherty characterized Mortenson as "loving and funny." 

Dougherty and Mortenson got married in 1942 at ages 21 and 16, respectively. In fact, as the Los Angeles Times says, they got married only 18 days after Mortenson turned 16. Dougherty, a football captain and class president in high school, worked night shifts at Lockheed Aircraft. Dougherty's family and one of Mortenson's foster families, the Goddards, lived next to each other. Grace Goddard was a friend of Mortenson's mother, with whom the future actress shared an acrimonious, difficult relationship. At one point the Goddards wanted to leave California and head back to West Virginia, but Mortenson wanted to stay. And so, they suggested she marry Dougherty.

As Dougherty remembers, "We loved each other madly. I felt like the luckiest guy in the world." In 1944 Dougherty joined the U.S. Merchant Marine and was shipped to Catalina Island. He said of that time, "We would go down to the beach on weekends, and have luaus on Saturday night. She loved it over there. It was like being on a honeymoon for a year."

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