London, Feb 21 : An ardent movie fan 'unveiled' a nude photo of 60s screen legend Marilyn Monroe recently - only to find that it was really Madonna in the pic.

Lawrence Nicastro, 73, had found the grainy snap of a naked girl smoking, at his Las Vegas home and thought a customer had left it at the garage he used to keep.

Thinking that the photo had never been seen before, Lawrence called up newsmen to come see his poster-size picture of Hollywood icon Marilyn posing as a hitchhiker.

He was sure that the photo had been taken in 1960, as Marilyn made The Misfits, and was convinced of its originality after Monroe expert Chris Harris declared that it was authentic.

His excitement vanished and embarrassment set in when it was revealed to him by one of the newsmen, that the picture was of Madonna in an image from her controversial 1992 book 'Sex'.

"You're right," the Sun quoted an astonished Nicastro as saying.

"If ever there was an embarrassing moment," he added.

ANI