Behind-the-Scenes of Marilyn Monroe's Iconic Flying Skirt (PHOTOS)

History & Culture Behind-the-Scenes of Marilyn Monroe's Iconic Flying Skirt (PHOTOS) Today in 1954 photographer Sam Shaw shot the famous "flying skirt" image of his friend Marilyn Monroe. What was going on behind-the-scenes? Shaw's granddaughter takes us there.   Melissa Stevens Sep 16, 2014 The Biography Channel The iconic image of Marilyn Monroe was shot by photographer Sam Shaw during the filming of "The Seven Year Itch." (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives)  Sixty years ago today, Marilyn Monroe mesmerized a crowd of lucky onlookers while her white dress blew suggestively above her knees—and sometimes over her head. It was 1954, and the director Billy Wilder was filming a scene of the film The Seven Year Itch on Lexington Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Street in New York City. In the script, Marilyn Monroe and co-star Tom Ewell exit a movie theater and a breeze from the subway passing below lifts Marilyn’s skirt. Instead of rushing to cover her legs, as any decent woman of that era would have, Marilyn exclaims, “Isn't it delicious?”   Behind-the-Scenes of Marilyn Monroe's Iconic Flying Skirt (PHOTOS) 2 of 4When the breeze from the subway catches her skirt, Monroe's line "Isn't it delicious" was provocative for a 1950s woman, but very apropos of the most famous sex symbol of the day. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) 3 of 4The iconic "Seven Year Itch" scene was shot on Lexington Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Street with an invited crowd and press.  The crowd noise made the footage unusable and director Billy Wilder reshot the scene on a soundstage in Los Angeles. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) 4 of 4Monroe's orchestrated wardrobe malfunction became one of the most iconic images in Hollywood history. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) 1 of 4Marilyn Monroe breezes through filming with her  "Seven Year Itch" co-star Tom Ewell in a photograph by Sam Shaw.  It was Shaw's idea to orchestrate the "flying skirt" image and use it to promote the movie.  (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) 2 of 4When the breeze from the subway catches her skirt, Monroe's line "Isn't it delicious" was provocative for a 1950s woman, but very apropos of the most famous sex symbol of the day. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) 3 of 4The iconic "Seven Year Itch" scene was shot on Lexington Avenue between 52nd and 53rd Street with an invited crowd and press.  The crowd noise made the footage unusable and director Billy Wilder reshot the scene on a soundstage in Los Angeles. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) 4 of 4Monroe's orchestrated wardrobe malfunction became one of the most iconic images in Hollywood history. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) More Info Even if you have not seen the film, you have seen the photographs. The whole world has for 60 years, although not everyone knows the story behind the photographs, or the name of the photographer who had the "flying skirt" idea in the first place.   The photographer was Sam Shaw, and he was also my grandfather. In 1951, Sam met Marilyn on the set of the film Viva Zapata. He was the set photographer and she was an unknown out-of-work actress. Marilyn drove Sam to and from the set everyday because as a New Yorker, he did not have a driver’s license. The two independent spirits instantly connected and became lifelong friends and collaborators. Sam Shaw and Marilyn Monroe, backstage at 20th Century Fox studio, Los Angeles, California, 1954. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) A few years later Sam was asked to be the special still photographer for The Seven Year Itch, starring his friend Marilyn Monroe, who was now famous. It was his idea to use a picture from the movie theater scene as the logo to promote the film, and it was his job to create the images.   The idea originated from an earlier photo shoot that Sam orchestrated in the 1940’s for Friday magazine. It featured a sailor and a young girl at Coney Island playing in a wind tunnel. A playful photograph showing the girl’s skirt moving from the wind appeared on the cover and the magazine sold out immediately. Over a decade later, when Sam read the script for The Seven Year Itch, he saw a chance to revisit this “skirt-blowing” idea and turned it into one of the most memorable images ever created.   Most people also don't know there were two separate shoots. one was a publicity event in New York where a large crowd of bystanders and the press were invited to create hype. The noise of the crowd rendered the film footage unusable and Billy Wilder reshot the scene on a closed soundstage in Los Angeles. only my grandfather, the set photographer, was allowed into the studio. At the publicity stunt in New York, a large crowd of bystanders and press were invited to create hype around the filming. (Photo © Sam Shaw Inc. licensed by Shaw Family Archives) In New York, front row access was reserved for Sam. Amidst the roar of the crowd, Marilyn turned, looked directly at her friend and called out “Hi, Sam Spade.” Marilyn gave all her friends nicknames and this one was inspired by Humphrey Bogart’s character from The Maltese Falcon. Sam clicked the camera and captured Marilyn in what he always referred to as “her composition.” Sixty years later, Marilyn’s powerful pose and Sam’s pictures continue to captivate.   Melissa Stevens is Sam Shaw’s granddaughter and Director of Shaw Family Archives. A Special Collector’s Edition TV Guide Magazine featuring over 100 Sam Shaw photographs of Marilyn Monroe—some never before seen—is available on newsstands everywhere. Follow Sam Shaw on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.