Marilyn Monroe With Tom Ewell #3
Availability & Purchase Enquiry
Signed lifetime prints by George Zimbel are available through the archive and our partner galleries. To learn about pricing, availability, or to ask a question, please complete the form below and let us know whether you’d prefer to purchase directly, connect with a gallery, or join the waiting list for future digital prints. We’ll reply within one business day.
Learn the story behind this piece
Fan Test on Lexington Avenue
George Zimbel subtitled this photograph Fan Test. On the New York set of The Seven Year Itch in 1954, Monroe and her co-star Tom Ewell stand on the subway grate as the crew tests the rush of air that would make film history.
Marilyn and Tom
Ewell, with his familiar hat and comic stance, plays the part of the nervous “summer bachelor.” Monroe, radiant in her white halter dress, looks both professional and playful as the fans lift her skirt. Zimbel’s photograph captures the two in rehearsal mode, the moment before the scene becomes polished cinema.
Why Collect Black-and-White Photography?
Because it connects you to process, not just performance. In Fan Test, you see the actors at work, the energy of preparation, and the humanity behind the glamour. Black-and-white makes the expressions sharper, the contrasts stronger, and the story clearer.
Cultural Significance
Zimbel’s photographs from this night have been exhibited worldwide, including at MoMA in New York and the IVAM in Spain. Collectors value Fan Test because it reveals the behind-the-scenes rhythm of a legendary shoot — where preparation, comedy, and spectacle collided on a noisy Manhattan street.
Availability & Enquiries
Signed lifetime prints by George Zimbel are available through the archive and our partner galleries. To learn about pricing, availability, or to ask a question, please complete the form below and let us know whether you’d prefer to purchase directly, connect with a gallery, or join the waiting list for future digital prints. We’ll reply within one business day.
For more on this unforgettable night, see the documentary The Night I Shot Marilyn.
More about George Zimbel: About George Zimbel. More about Andrew Zimbel: About Andrew Zimbel.
Shipping & Framing Info
Delivery & Framing Options
We’re happy to deliver anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area in person. For orders outside the GTA, shipping rates are quoted post-purchase—we ship worldwide and always strive to keep costs fair. If you’d prefer a gallery handle framing or delivery, our partner galleries can help:
Please let us know whether you’d like to purchase directly through us or connect with a gallery for purchase or framing assistance.
Special Projects & Licensing
George Zimbel’s photography is available for licensing and creative collaborations. His work has been featured in the Four Seasons Hotel Montreal and on international book covers, and is widely represented through Getty Images.
Our team — Andrew Zimbel (creative consultant), Matt Zimbel (producer & creator), and Elka Weinstein (museum and heritage specialist) — brings experience in art, media, and exhibition design. We work with interior designers, film producers, publishers, and advertising agencies to adapt George’s timeless imagery for spaces, stories, and campaigns.
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