The Desert Sun from Palm Springs, California • 4

THE DESERT SUN, Palm Springs, Calif. -Thursday, February 12, 1981 MM's birth legitimate Documents in dead man's home prove biographers wrong By YARDENA ARAR Associated Press Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) Eighteen years after Marilyn Monroe's death, the widely held belief that the blonde sex symbol was born illegitimate has been disproved by authorities who found copies of her birth certificate at the home of a dead man they believe was her father. Martin Edward Mortensen, 85, collapsed at the wheel of his automobile Tuesday in downtown Riverside and died of an apparent heart attack, Riverside County coroner's investigator Lisle Ford said in a telephone interview. Miss Monroe's mother has been in mental institutions since 1953, and early studio biographies reported that her father was dead. Some biographers reported she was born illegitimate.

But Mortensen, who worked as a gas company serviceman for 50 years before retiring in 1965, had told co-workers and his physician he was the late film star's father, giving details of his marriage to her mother that contradict the biographical accounts. At the modest apartment where Mortensen lived alone in Mira Loma, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles, Ford said he found copies of Miss Monroe's birth certificate as well as marriage and divorce papers for Mortensen and Gladys Baker, Miss Monroe's mother. The birth certificate states Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean Mortensen on June 1, 1926, in Los Angeles. Her father is listed as Edward Mortensen, address unknown, age 29. The marriage certificate is dated Oct.

11, 1924; the final Los Angeles Superior Court divorce decree is dated Aug. 15, 1928. Also found at the apartment were several books about Miss Monroe as well as Mortensen's own birth certificate and his parents' marriage certificate. Ford said he is convinced all the documents are authentic. Miss Monroe, whose cooing voice, voluptuous figure and platinum hair set male pulses racing with such 1950s films as "Some Like It Hot," "'The Seven-Year Itch" and "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," died in Los Angeles at age 36 on Aug.

5, 1962, of an overdose of sleeping pills. Authorities ruled her death an apparent suicide. Details of her childhood were always cloudy, and a publicist said Miss Monroe wanted the studio biographies to say her father had died. "It was made up because Marilyn wanted it that way," said Jet Fore, the film publicist who wrote Miss Monroe's first studio biography for 20th CenturyFox. "She told me her father was dead." Fore said he later heard that her father had abandoned her mother, and was under the impression that Miss Monroe was illegitimate.

"That's what we all thought," he said. "It's in several books." "If she was legitimate, I certainly have something on my conscience," said Maurice Zolotow, who wrote "Marilyn Monroe," one of the first biographies. Zolotow said Mortensen had never turned up and no one who knew Gladys Baker around the time Miss Monroe was born knew of Mortensen. Miss Monroe had said her father's name was Mortensen, but "the feeling was it was a name plucked out of the air," Zolotow said. But Mortensen told gas company counselor Burns a different story about his marriage and his daughter's birth.

"They were separated when she was born," Burns said. "Marilyn's mother left him and he didn't know she was pregnant at the time. He said she was quite a wild gal, a lot like Marilyn was a pretty gal, but kind of wild." Burns said Mortensen didn't really know about his daughter until she was 7 and county welfare authorities subpoenaed him. Hotel sales group will meet tonight PALM SPRINGS The Desert Chapter of Hotel Sales be held tonight at the Sheraton Featured speaker for the be David Troy, CHSE, vice marketing, North American tion. Troy began his hotel career America in 1963.

Since that with Treadway Inns, prior poration in 1971. He has for some five years. HSMA is composed of saled hotels throughout the Coachella Bolls is also survived by three brothers, Raymond Bolls of San Pedro, Reese Bolls of Colorado and Royce Bolls of Lake Havasu City, and five sisters, Ruby Jarvis of Harbor Reba Mahurin of Joplin, Roberta Sageser of Durango, Ruth Dowell of Lake Havasu City and Carol McAyeal of Lake Oswego, Ore. Officiating at the 1 p.m. services was Gene Wynn of the 'Community Chapel i in San Bernardino.

Schroeder Funeral services were held Friday at FitzHenry Funeral Chapel in Indio for Alma Roinstad Schroeder, 67, of Palm Desert. Mrs. Schroeder, a native of Geddes, S.D., died Feb. 3 in Rancho Mirage. Burial was at Desert Memorial Park in Palm Springs.

A longtime bookkeeper, she is survived by her husband of 47 years, Leo Schroeder of Palm Desert. Mrs. Schroeder is also survived by sons Loral Schroeder, Gary Schroeder and Richard "Richy" Schroeder all of McMinnville, daughters Carol Mullenhauer of Walnut Creek and Amy Durham of Forest Grove, 14 grandchildren; brothers Milo Roinstad of Missoula, and Thorf Roinstad Palm Springs Mortuary 327-1331 HINDS, HELEN Memorial Mass Friday at 7:30 a.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church in Cathedral City Desert Mortuary Desert Hot Springs 329-8737 seek the its decision Feb.

19 on the Postal Service's announce request to raise first-class rates to 20 cents per letter. Stamp hike decision Feb. 19 WASHINGTON (AP) The Postal Service would have to seek a second, even larger rate increase, perhaps by if it is not allowed now to charge a nickle the end of the year, mailing -class letters, Postmaster General more for William F. Bolger says. independent Postal Rate Commission is scheduled to The IT ARTHRITIS? FREE LECTURE WITH QUESTION ANSWER SESSION FEB.

12 7:00 P.M. YOU MUST HAVE A RESERVATION FOR RESERVATIONS CALL 325-1563 176 So. Indian Avenue Palm Springs Religions meet against government WASHINGTON (AP) One of the broadest religious gatherings in American history, including Hare Krisnas and "Moonies" as well as Christians and Jews, is hearing speaker after speaker detail growing government intrusion into church affairs. Some recent instances of it threaten "the silencing of social and political criticism by religious bodies." Covert Word has been received here of the death of Airman First Class Clifton Lee Covert, who died Feb. 8 in Alamogordo, N.M.

He was 17. He was stationed at Holloman Air Force Base. Military funeral services are scheduled Friday at Chico Cemetery in Chico. A resident of Diaryville in Tehama County in Northern California, he is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs.

Ted Gorzny, brothers Clayton Covert and Joseph Gorzny; a sis- PALM DESERT RESORT C.C. We're The Talk of the Town CONDO'S STARTING AT $74.950 Country Club Dr. Just West of Washington 345-2681 monthly meeting of the Lower Management Association will Plaza Hotel. 7 p.m. dinner-meeting will president and director of Division, Sheraton Corpora- with the Hotel Corporation of time he has been associated to joining the Sheraton Corbeen in his present position directors from the various Valley.

and Leon Roinstad of Albany, and sister Ruth Tweed of Marshalltown, Iowa. Mrs. Schroeder was a member of the Lydia Circle of the Palm Desert Community Presbyterian Church, of the Methodist Church in McMinnville, of Business and Professional Women and PTA, where she was a past president. Elmer Jones of the Palm Desert Community Church officiated at the services. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to the American Heart Association.

OR FOR GOOD CONSULT AN ADVICE EXPERT ALWAYS Well medicines meaning that have people helped who them give you relieve an prescription ailment with similar symptoms can cause you serious harm. Many drugs are too potent to be taken without a physician's approval. Many different ailments have the same distress symptoms. To diagnose the cause of trouble takes years of study and observation of sick people. Only a physician has this knowledge.

Prescriptions contain what a physician considers to be the specific medicine which will best help his or her patient. What helped your friend may endanger you. Never take any other person's prescription without getting the approval of your own "A physician. GREAT MANY PEOPLE ENTRUST US with their prescriptions, health needs and other pharmacy products. We consider this trust a privilege and a duty.

May we be your personal family pharmacy? PHARMACY Best Sunrise Adjacent Food at 323-5649 to Vista King Smith's Chino R.OR VRORER VROR Development OK appeal scheduled APLaserphoto MARILYN MONROE. Legimate after all PALM DESERT An appeal of a Planning Commission approval for development of a 30-acre shopping center, hotel and condominium complex will be considered during the City Council meeting at 7 tonight. The proposed complex would be constructed at the northeast corner of Deep Canyon Road and Highway 111 and has met strong opposition from adjacent homeowners. Also scheduled for council consideration is an extension of the city's time-sharing moratorium and action on midyear budget adjustments. The moratorium, which temporarily bans time-share projects in Palm Desert, will expire March 4 if the council doesn't extend it.

The extension can be for a maximum of an additional eight months. ter, Caryln Covert, all of Dairyville; and another sister, Mrs. Cathian Dien of Palm Springs; paternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. Don Watson of Desert Hot Springs; Mr.

and Mrs. Gorzny, paternal stepgrandparents of Idylwild; and maternal grandparents Mr. and Mrs. George Hawkins of Mesa, Ariz. Interment will be in the Chico Cemetery.

Hall-Van Hook Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangments. The Desert Sun 1979 PRIZE-WINNING NEWSPAPER of the CALIFORNIA NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Karen Oppenheim Vice President and Publisher Lisle F. Shoemaker, Editor (USPS 155-000) THE DESERT SUN PUBLISHING CO. 611 SOUTH PALM CANYON DRIVE Palm Springs, Calif. 92262 Published evenings except Sunday and Christmas.

Entered as paid second class postage at the Post Office at Palm Springs, California, August 5, 1927 under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. The Desert Sun Publishing Co. will not be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or photos left with or mailed to The Desert Sun. AT NEWSSTANDS Single Copies 20 cents BY CARRIER Month $4.25 Yeat $51.00 MAIL RATES: Payable in Advance Month $7.00 Year $84.00 Postmaster: Send address changes to: The Desert Sun Mail Subscriptions P.O. Box 190 Palm Springs, Ca.

92263 Palm Springs Office 325-8666 Palm Springs Circulation No. 320-6920 Palm Desert Office 346-5646 -MEMBERCalifornia Newspaper Publishers Assoc. American Newspaper Publishers Assoc. Represented Nationally by Branham Inc. Best Musical 1980 EVITA 7 TONY AWARDS Including BEST MUSICAL 8 L.A.

DRAMA CRITICS' CIRCLE AWARDS "IF YOU BELIEVE IN THEATRE, SEE Dan Sullivan, L.A. Times TONIGHT at CHARGE TICKETS BY PHONE WITH MAJOR CREDIT CARDS CALL: (213) 553-8101 Box Office Hours: Monday thru Saturday 10AM to 9PM Sunday 10AM to 8PM Tues. thru Sat. Evenings at 8:30: Sun. Evenings at Sat.

Sun. Matinees at 2:30. Shubert OF 2020 THE AVENUE STARS Tickets Mutual available by mail at Box Office 5 The Century Entertainment City enter CA LOS TELEPHONE 90067 12131553-9000 ANGELES FOR and all INFORMATION and Ticketron GROUP agencies SALES 2020 AVENUE OF THE STARS LOS ANGELES, CA 90067 CALL: 553-9000 DAVID A. TROY speaker Gurewitz Services were held Tuesday for Sydell Gurewitz, a Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs resident who died Friday in Canyon General Hospital in Anaheim. Mrs.

Gurewitz, a housewife, lived in Palm Springs and Desert Hot Springs for the past 20 years. She is survived by a daughter, two grandsons, and two great dren, all of Los Angeles. Funeral services were held at Hillside Cemetery in Los Angeles. Interment was private. Bolls Funeral services for Rodell Collis Bolls, 70, of Indio were held Wednesday in the FitzHenry Funeral Home Chapel.

He died Saturday in Indio. Born in Oklahoma, Bolls worked for the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads. He is survived by his wife, Ruby; two daughters, Mary Ellen Huddleston of Oklahoma and Lois Morrow of Indio; and eight sons, Ralph Bolls of Tacoma, Milford Bolls of Henderson, Cecil Bolls of Pensacola, Gary Bolls of Indio, Kenneth Bolls of Rialto, Dale Bolls of Riverside, Donald Morrow of Long Beach and Lester Morrow of Denver; land 29 grandchildren and night great-grandchildren. SERVICES A1 AND don FUNERAL DIRECTORS 666 VELLA ROAD PALM SPRINGS PHONE 327-1257 JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER AFFILIATED WITH UNION OF AMERICA HEBREW CONGREGATIONS AND UNITED SYNAGOGUE Dr. Joseph M.

Hurwitz, Rabbi Josef Cycowski, Cantor SABBATH SERVICES FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13 8:15 P.M. Pulpit Guest: Bernard Cherrick Vice-President Hebrew University, Jerusalem "Revival and Survival" SABBATH MORNING WORSHIP 10 A.M. For information call 325-2281 Visit the Sisterhood Gift Shop 332 West Alejo Rd. Palm Springs, Calif. CLOSING DOWN SALE Save Thousands Of Dollars On Investment Furniture And Austrian Crystal Chandeliers Come In And Browse Amongst The Finest Selection Of French, English And Spanish Furniture You Have Ever Seen.

ALL OUR CRYSTAL Chandeliers On Special Offer Don't Miss This Fantastic Sale CHRISTIE'S OF EUROPE 1025 South Palm Canyon Dr. Sale Times 10 a.m. 5 p.m. Phone 327-8040 Magnificent Showroom For Lease Fully Carpeted And Draped.