Almost half a century after the shocking death of the great Hollywood legend, actress Marilyn Monroe, her images still command premium attention in today's film, television, and art industries. An alluring green gown worn by Marilyn in 'River of No Return' is expected to fetch at least $200,000 at an international live and online auction on the 22nd of October this year. Known for bringing premium celebrity memorabilia to collectors the world over, Julien's Auctions will sell off the fashion piece along with personal effects from Elvis Presley, The Beatles, and Princess Diana, at its auction event in China.

In Hollywood today, 2011 Oscar-nominated actress Michelle Williams breathes life into Marilyn Monroe in a new biopic by British filmmaker Colin Clark. Based on the late superstar's visit to London to shoot the film 'The Prince and the Showgirl' with Sir Laurence Olivier, the new film 'My Week With Marilyn' boasts of a powerhouse cast of British actors that include Kenneth Brannagh, Emma Watson, Julia Ormond, Dominic Cooper and Judi Dench. The film is out on November 4. Vogue Magazine features Michelle Williams on its October 2011 cover in a glaring likeness to the glamourous blonde icon of the 1950s, shot by renowned photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Ranked as the sixth greatest female star of all time by the American Film Institute in 1999, Marilyn Monroe has made 33 films between 1947 and 1962, and was awarded with a Golden Globe (in 1960, for 'Some Like it Hot'), a David Di Donatello Award (in 1958, for 'The Prince and the Showgirl'), and other accolades. The life of Monroe was a colorful whirl of interesting beginnings and shocking twists and turns, just as cinematic as her highly popular films and very controversial publicities.

It was 49 years ago, in August 1962 when the 36-year old blond bombshell was discovered dead in the bedroom of her home in Brentwood, California. A wild media frenzy ensued as conspiracy theories thrived, involving a 'probable suicide', an 'accidental overdose', a 'homicide' attributed to ill associations with Communist elements, and a much-talked about affair with then U.S. president John F. Kennedy. To this decade, books and television documentaries on these hotly debatable issues still enjoy fair viewership as interest in the Hollywood icon is still very much alive.

Descendants of those who were related to or associated with Marilyn Monroe have put up hundreds of Marilyn's personal effects for sale or auction throughout the years after her death. A bulk of it was sold at a Christie's auction for a total amount of $13,405,785 in October of 1999. The Jean Louis dress that Marilyn wore at her last public appearance in May 1962, singing 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President' for John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden, was sold for $1.26 million. Los Angeles woman Elsie Poncher who owned the crypt space directly above where Marilyn's remains were interred at the Westwood Village Memorial Park, put up the space for a $4.6 million price tag in August 2009. The iconic white halter top dress with the billowing skirt that Mariyn wore for the hit film ' 7 Year Itch' was sold for a whopping $4.6 million in June 2011.