By 1953, Monroe had progressed to leading roles. Her ?dumb blonde? persona was used to comedic effect in such films as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) and The Seven Year Itch (1955). Limited by typecasting, Monroe studied at the Actor Studio to broaden her range, and her dramatic performance in Bus Stop (1956) was hailed by critics. __