Marilyn Monroe's unseen pics taken by make up artist up for auction

London, Mar 28 (ANI): Marilyn Monroe's previously unknown photographs, taken by her make-up artist Allan "Whitey" Snyder, are now being sold as part of an archive of the actress' memorabilia.

Snyder was Monroe's make-up artist for 16 years, having met the actress at her first screen test at 20th Century Fox in 1946. His photographs show her at her most relaxed and carefree.

"Sometimes, especially in the early days of her movie career, she would get nervous on set and Whitey would photograph her and she would come to life," the Telegraph quoted Darren Julien, of Julien's auctioneers which is selling the photographs at an auction next week, as saying.

"It would take her mind off all her problems and this would happen during down time on film sets.

"Some of them even show her in costume and they were never intended to be released to the public.

"Whitey Snyder died in the 1990s and these items have come from his estate, so they have never been seen before," he said.

The collection contains photos from the sets of some of Monroe's most famous films, including 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', 'The Prince and the Showgirl', 'Niagara' and 'Something's Got to Give'.

Letters and other items linked to the star - such a calendar featuring her famous Playboy nude photograph - are also on sale at the auction, which is expected to raise thousands of dollars. (ANI)