"Playing Catch with Marilyn Monroe": New Memoir Reveals an Intimate, Untold Side of the Screen Icon

PALM DESERT, Calif. — Following the global celebration of Marilyn Monroe’s milestone 100th birthday on June 1, 2026, acclaimed playwright and author Luke Yankee joined the studio to share rare, behind-the-scenes family memories of the Hollywood icon. In an intimate conversation with host Todd, Yankee discussed the release of his new memoir, "Playing Catch with Marilyn Monroe," which chronicles a deeply personal look at the legend through the eyes of his mother, the Academy Award-winning actress Eileen Heckart.

The unique family connection dates back to the filming of the 1956 cinematic classic Bus Stop, where Heckart was cast to play the best friend of Monroe’s character, Cherie. While shooting on location in the intense heat of Phoenix, Arizona, the two actresses developed a profound personal and professional bond. Monroe, who was notoriously private but adored children, frequently interacted with Heckart’s young family on set. Yankee shared a legendary family story from the hotel where the cast resided, noting that Monroe occupied the top-floor suite directly above his mother's balcony. At the end of exhausting filming days, Monroe would regularly take fresh grapefruits and oranges from elaborate Hollywood studio gift baskets and toss them down to Yankee's toddler brothers, playing an impromptu game of catch that routinely sent the citrus rolling down into the resort pool deck.

Yankee’s memoir is a direct offshoot of his acclaimed stage play, Marilyn, Mom and Me, which explores how working with the ultimate method actress deeply impacted his mother for the rest of her life. The production recently enjoyed a high-profile benefit reading locally at the Annenberg Theater inside the Palm Springs Art Museum, raising critical funds for the institution's student outreach and educational programming. The reading featured notable star power, with television veteran Morgan Fairchild portraying the tough, no-nonsense Heckart, and celebrated actress Alisha Soper delivering a chillingly accurate portrayal of Monroe. Yankee even joined the cast on stage to portray himself during the performance.

The local community has been a primary hub for Monroe's centennial celebrations this month. Soper recently headlined a massive gathering at the iconic Forever Marilyn statue in downtown Palm Springs, where nearly 1,100 fans donned the starlet's signature look to commemorate her legacy. Yankee and Soper also traveled to the Hollywood Museum in Los Angeles alongside legendary actress Ruta Lee and Fairchild to officially dedicate the museum’s newly minted "Marilyn Monroe Room," celebrating her enduring impact on global pop culture.

Looking ahead, Yankee is actively working to bring multiple creative projects to a broader audience. In addition to his Monroe-focused work, his satirical comedy play, The Jesus Hickey, recently held a highly successful staged reading in New York City. The production featured a stellar cast, including local favorite Joyce Bulifant as a foul-mouthed Irish grandmother, alongside Broadway veterans Christopher Sieber and Mark Kudisch. Yankee is currently engaged in ongoing production meetings with theatrical stakeholders, aiming to mount full-scale commercial runs for both of his prominent plays within the coming year. His new book, "Playing Catch with Marilyn Monroe," is currently available for readers worldwide on Amazon in both paperback and e-book formats.

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