Marilyn Monroe was well aware of the sexual misconduct that plagues Hollywood long before Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual harassment scandal erupted.

The actress, who died at the age of 36 in 1962, experienced firsthand the manipulative ways of the industry’s powerful men who could make or break careers with sexual favors.

In Monroe’s words: “I met them all. Phoniness and failure were all over them. Some were vicious and crooked. But they were as near to the movies as you could get. So you sat with them, listening to their lies and schemes. And you saw Hollywood with their eyes – an overcrowded brothel, a merry-go-round with beds for horses.”

Monroe would likely not be surprised by Weinstein’s behavior as Hollywood has a long and sordid history of sexual harassment scandals.

Hollywood has been producing dreams on the silver screens for the public, but behind the curtain, it has been plagued by skeletons that just won’t stay hidden.

One such scandal was the tale of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle and Virginia Rappe, also known as Hollywood’s first major scandal.

Arbuckle was a famous silent film actor, and Rappe was an aspiring actress.

On Labor Day in 1921, both attended a bootleg booze-soused party in Room 1219 of San Francisco’s Westin St. Francis Hotel.

Later that day, Rappe would be found on a bed, fully-clothed but screaming in agony.

When discovered, she said of Arbuckle, who was the only other person present in the room, “He did this to me.”

A few days later, Rappe died from peritonitis caused by a ruptured bladder. Arbuckle explained that he had gone to the bathroom, and when he returned, the girl had fainted, and he carried her to the bed.

He insisted she had fallen off, causing her injuries. The authorities charged him with first-degree murder, but he was acquitted after three trials.

The scandal stuck, and Hollywood was tarnished by the affair.

Film historian Cari Beauchamp said, “This was the first scandal in Hollywood with box office implications. Everyone had believed the stars were covered in fairy dust. Now that illusion was shattered, and studio bosses were terrified it would destroy Hollywood itself.”

Errol Leslie Flynn, known for his romantic swashbuckling roles, lost his virginity at 12 and was an “equal-opportunities lover” who “crossed swords” with Howard Hughes, Truman Capote, and Tyrone Power.

Flynn was arrested in 1943 for the statutory rape of two underage girls but was acquitted.

Joan Collins, the legendary thespian, claimed she lost out on the lead role in Cleopatra because she wouldn’t submit to the studio head’s advances.

The studio head asked her, “You really want this part?” and when she said yes, he replied, “Well, then all you have to do is be nice to me.”

Collins could not do that and burst into tears and rushed out of his office. The role eventually went to Elizabeth Taylor.

Child star Shirley Temple encountered the casting couch when she was just 12.

She claimed that upon meeting an MGM producer for the first time, he unzipped his trousers and exposed himself.

Temple responded by nervously laughing, and the producer threw her out of his office.

Judy Garland, another child star, was allegedly pawed and mauled by MGM’s studio bigwigs.

According to her biographer Gerald Clarke, one of the most notorious harassers was allegedly studio head Louis B. Mayer.

Through the years, scandals have continued to burn brightly in Tinseltown, with the likes of Roman Polanski and Bill Cosby.

Now, Harvey Weinstein’s allegations have added to the growing list of misconduct in Hollywood.

The allegations against Weinstein include sexual harassment, assault, and rape, with numerous women coming forward to share their experiences.

Despite the shock of these allegations, the fact remains that such behavior has been prevalent in the industry for many years.

Monroe’s statement about Hollywood as an “overcrowded brothel” remains accurate to this day, even though many have tried to ignore or downplay the reality of the situation.