The Tribute Artist
Biography as a Marilyn Monroe Look-Alike
Holly Beavon has been one of the most requested Marilyn look-alikes for over a thousand corporate, civic, fundraising, nightclub and high-end private events across the US and Asia. She won the Hollywood Entertainment Museum’s and Ringling Brothers Marilyn Monroe Look-alike Contests, the Industry's "Reel Award", and has been approved by the Estate of Marilyn Monroe. She's portrayed Marilyn in over 35 Film and Television projects, including: James Dean: An Invented Life, The Best of TRL, Dickie Roberts, History’s Mysteries, palling around with the "Fashion Guy" Lawrence Zarian on the TV Guide Channel, America’s Funniest Home Videos, and most recently Alternate History on Spike TV. She's been a subject in several Reality TV pitches and documented by one of the original "Mad Men", Leonard Glasser (Animator, Commercial Producer, Film Writer/Director, and Sculptor). She's been included in the sell-out book "Marilyns Are A Guy's Best Friend" and honored as an outstanding Look-alike in the photo documentary "Meet The Stars Of The Stars". On an unusual note, she's inspired 3 songs while out in the world as Marilyn, and sang "Fever" on a CD in front of a 23-piece Latin swing band. As Universal Studios' star Marilyn for press events, she was blessed to be in attendance as Marilyn when honorary mayor of Hollywood Johnny Grant accepted his star on the Walk of Fame and welcomed a 30 ft. bottle of Perrier Jouet champagne as it was lowered by helicopter to toast the new Millenium.
That Holly would end up working as a professional Marilyn now seems inevitable. Holly was first compared to Marilyn Monroe at the age of 8 after applying red lipstick. At 13, before she even knew who Marilyn was, she began her acting career in a film role written for her as a “Marilyn type”. She spent her 16th birthday accepting her first acting award for this film. At the premiere, songwriter Bernie Wayne (who worked with MM) wanted to introduce her to Las Vegas as the newest Marilyn Monroe. He also wrote the Miss America song and wanted her to pursue pageant life. But being 16 with over-protective parents, she was a bit young to venture off to the bright lights of a big city. Instead, Holly became entrenched in theatre and as a high school senior won a city-wide acting competition performing, of all things, Bus Stop.
Indiana University theatre director Clara Marshall pre-cast Holly as the “Marilyn-type” Rusty in Goodbye Charlie (written by George Axelrod who was also the screenwriter for The Seven Year Itch). However, in auditions Holly’s sense of adventure enabled her to shift from glamour girl to the lead Charlie, a man-come-back-to-life-as-a-woman victimizer of glamour girls. Charlie was Holly’s first leading role on stage and "lead" to the entertainment world. The director married former Entertainment Director of Harrah's Casino in Las Vegas, Reno and Tahoe, who auditioned Holly to play Marilyn at The President Casino in Davenport, IA.
Holly trained to be a traditional “triple threat” performing artist at Indiana University: studying acting in the major theatrical styles (Shakespeare, Strindberg/Shaw, Chekov, T. Williams, Absurdism, etc.) studying dance (all major styles), and singing, where she was encourage to pursue a career in opera. Her work earned her a place in the National Society of Arts and Letters competition with a monologue from Orpheus Descending. She also studied couture sewing, preparing her for the tasks to come!
After graduating early with honors from IU, one phone call to Chicago resulted in Holly being booked two days later as Marilyn Monroe in Bob Zmooda’s Comic Relief and every weekend at the Hollywood Casino, in Aurora, Illinois. Working out of Chicago, Holly spent the next two years perfecting the Marilyn and Madonna characters averaging 5 events per week in corporate and civic appearances around the Midwest.
Being a look-alike makes use of Holly’s various talents - from singing, acting, make-up & hair to costuming. An avid and expert seamstress, Holly recreates Marilyn’s classic dresses with attention to detail and even makes her own wigs to assure authenticity. Marilyn’s personality is a natural fit for Holly, who ventures beyond caricature and brings the quick-witted and warm-hearted icon to life in a way that touches people. Her appearances as Marilyn have inspired 3 recorded songs. When John Gilmore, Marilyn’s friend and biographer met Holly, he said, “I feel Marilyn’s vibration coming from you, even with my eyes closed”.