In the 1956 drama "Bus Stop," based on William Inge's Broadway hit, Monroe played Cherie, a down-on-her-luck chanteuse who dreams of going to "Hollywood and Vine." Don Murray played Beau, an exuberant, naive cowboy who pursues her.

"She was trying to prove she was a serious actress and not just a movie star playing bimbo parts," said Murray, who earned an Oscar nomination as Beau. "She was trying to prove she was an actress of substance, and in my opinion she certainly did."