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Marilyn Miglin

1938 – 2022

Entrepreneur and Home Shopping Network host

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About Marilyn Miglin

Lived 1938 – 2022 (aged 83). Marilyn Miglin was a Czech businessperson.

Marilyn Miglin ( Klecka; October 18, 1938 – March 14, 2022) was an American entrepreneur, inventor, and longtime host on the Home Shopping Network. She has been referred to as the "Queen of Makeovers".

Miglin garnered significant media attention as the widow of Lee Miglin, a business tycoon and philanthropist who was murdered in 1997 by the spree killer Andrew Cunanan.

Biography Born Marilyn Janice Klecka in Chicago, Illinois to Frank & Helen Klecka, she was a model and dancer in Chicago.

Miglin started her beauty company and boutique in June 1963 on Oak Street, which grew to become a cosmetics empire. She created more than 36 fragrances and perfumes through Marilyn Miglin Cosmetics. She appeared on the Home Shopping Network for over 25 years, and her business's worth is estimated at over 50 million dollars. Miglin served on Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley's special committee on tourism, as an officer of the Chicago Convention, the State of Illinois Board of Economic Development, and on the board of directors of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Miglin was an advocate for individuals who are facially disfigured and burn survivors. She was a founding member of the University of Illinois' advisory board for the craniofacial center.

Personal life In 1959, she married Lee Miglin. He was murdered on May 4, 1997, by the spree killer Andrew Cunanan.

At the time of Miglin's murder, the couple had been married for 38 years. They had two children: Marlena (born 1968) and actor Duke Miglin (born 1971). Miglin remarried two years after Lee's death, in 1999. Her second husband died only months after the wedding.

Honors The City of Chicago designated "Marilyn Miglin Way" as the honorary name of Oak Street's shopping district.

Miglin was a recipient of the Raoul Wallenberg Award and the Best Face Forward Award. In 1998, the City of Chicago proclaimed April 15 as "Marilyn Miglin Day".

In popular culture Miglin was portrayed by Judith Light in the 2018 miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. Light garnered critical acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her performance.

Death Marilyn Miglin died on March 14, 2022, at her home in Chicago surrounded by her family at the age of 83 from complications of a stroke.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality

Family & relationships

Spouse
Lee Miglin

People in Marilyn Miglin's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Marilyn Miglin's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Marilyn Miglin?

entrepreneur and Home Shopping Network host

When was Marilyn Miglin born?

Marilyn Miglin was born on 18 October 1938 in Plzeň.

When did Marilyn Miglin die?

Marilyn Miglin died on 15 March 2022.

What was Marilyn Miglin's occupation?

Marilyn Miglin was a businessperson.

What nationality was Marilyn Miglin?

Marilyn Miglin was Czech.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Marilyn Miglin

· Wikidata: Q60673573

· DBpedia: Marilyn Miglin

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Marilyn Miglin. https://biography.guide/marilyn-miglin/

MLA: "Marilyn Miglin." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/marilyn-miglin/.

Chicago: "Marilyn Miglin." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/marilyn-miglin/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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