Las Vegas: All-day Marilyn Monroe tribute with Warhols, Champagne

Martin Lawrence Galleries in Las Vegas hosts a day dedicated to Marilyn Monroe that showcases the famed Marilyn suite, a series of 10 screen prints made in 1967 by Andy Warhol. Fans are invited to mark the half century since the legendary actress died Aug. 5 by coming to see the artwork, lifting a glass of Champagne and watching one of her films on Thursday (today).

Monroe defined glamor in midcentury America, but it was a brown-haired 19-year-old named Norma Jean Dougherty who turned up in Sin City in 1946, according to the book “Las Vegas Babylon.” She came to Vegas seeking not fame but a divorce from her Merchant Marine husband, with whom she had lived on Catalina Island. She stayed at 604 1/2 Third St. with her foster mom’s aunt, the book says, in a home that no longer stands.

The deal: It’s free admission to the gallery inside Caesars Palace to see the Warhols. The comedy “Some Like It Hot,” with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, will play on two large screens throughout the day. There’s also a 7 p.m. screening when the gallery will lower the lights and hand out popcorn for those who want to see it in its entirety. Guests will be served free glasses of Champagne during the day and the movie while they view Warhol’s Marilyns.

When: The event is set for Thursday (today) only but the Warhols will remain on display.

Contact: Martin Lawrence Galleries, open 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Thursday at the Forum Shops at Caesars, (702) 991-5990