Marilyn Monroe dress, which prompted veteran star Joan Crawford to describe her behavior as "unbecoming an actress and a lady" to the press. While "Niagara" made Monroe a sex symbol and established her "look", her second film of the year, the satirical musical comedy "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", established her screen persona as a "dumb blonde". Based on Anita Loos' bestselling novel and its Broadway version, the film focuses on two "gold-digging" showgirls, Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw, played by Monroe and Jane Russell. The role of Lorelei was originally intended for Betty Grable, who had been 20th Century-Fox's most popular "blonde bombshell"
Gentlemen Marry Brunettes The studio attempted to repeat the formula, with Russell returning but Jeanne Crain stepping in for a presumably otherwise engaged Monroe (both women played new characters). Alan Young (later the star of TV's "Mr. Ed"), Scott Brady (brother of Lawrence Tierney), and Rudy Vallee also appear. This film was not as well received as the earlier one. The choreography was by Jack Cole, who had also contributed to the "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" film. The dance ensemble includes the young Gwen Verdon. Anita Loos had entitled her book "But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes", but the studio dropped the first word from the