Marilyn Monroe 'pot footage' to go on sale

A footage showing Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe smoking a joint 50 years ago is about to go up for sale.

The never-seen-before video shows the late actress smoking cannabis while relaxing at a friend's home in New Jersey.

The silent film was shot by a filmmaker friend of Monroe who confirmed the beauty was smoking pot.

"I got the marijuana. It was mine. It was just passed around. It was not a party. It was just a get-together. You know, come over and hang out," the friend said, on condition of annonymity.

The blonde beauty can reportedly be seen taking a puff on the cigarette, sniffing her armpit and giggling in the video.

It (the tape) currently belongs to New York collector Keya Morgan who bought it for $275,000.

"This is the late 1950s so she is already very famous, but this is a personal side of her we've never seen before. People have never seen her in such a relaxed pose," said Morgan.

Morgan - who is currently making a documentary on the actress - plans to put the clip up for sale on auction website eBay later this week.