The concept of depicting Jean Harlow 's on film had originated in the 1950s . Many actresses were reported to play Harlow in different biopics , i. e. , Cleo Moore for Columbia and Jayne Mansfield for Fox , but both of these projects fell through . In 1962 , it was officially released that Marilyn Monroe would play Harlow in a lavish biopic as a part of her new contract with Fox . However , after Monroe 's death , the project was sold to Paramount , who cast Carroll Baker in the title role . Based in part on '' Harlow : An Intimate Biography '' , writer Irving Shulman 's pulp biography , Paramount 's '' Harlow '' is a melodramatic look at Harlow 's life , focusing on her failed marriages . The widescreen Technicolor film , produced by Joseph E. Levine , was made on a $ 2.5 million budget , and featured a wide-reaching publicity campaign
Monroe 's death
Death of Marilyn Monroe
Harlow (Paramount film)