Jayne Mansfield

**Jayne Mansfield** (April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress and _Playboy_ Playmate. A sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s, Mansfield was known for her numerous publicity stunts. She won a Theatre World Award and Golden Globe Award, and was dubbed as of Hollywood's "smartest dumb blonde."

Mansfield gained popularity after playing the role of fictional actress Rita Marlowe in _Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?_ (1955–1956). Her other film roles include the musical comedy _The Girl Can't Help It_ (1956), the drama _The Wayward Bus_ (1957), the neo-noir _Too Hot to Handle_ (1960), and the sex comedy _Promises! Promises!_ (1963).

Mansfield took her professional name from her first husband, public relations businessman Paul Mansfield. Mansfield married three times, each marriage ending in divorce, and had five children. On June 29, 1967, she died in a traffic collision at the age of 34.

## Early years

Mansfield was the only child of Herbert William Palmer (1904–1936) and Vera Jeffrey Palmer (1903–2000). She was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Her father was of German descent and her mother was of English descent.

After her father's death in 1936, Jayne, her mother, and stepfather Harry Lawrence Peers moved to Dallas, Texas. After high school graduation, she studied acting at Southern Methodist University and the University of Texas at Austin.

While in college, she had a number of small jobs such as hat check girl and nightclub photographer. She won many beauty pageants. She performed in local theater productions around Austin.

## Career

In 1955, Mansfield went to New York City. She appeared in the Broadway production of _Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?_ The critics praised her performance. She appeared in 400 plus shows of the play between 1955 and 1956.

She went to Hollywood in 1956. 20th Century Fox signed her to a six-year contract in an effort to replace the troubled Marilyn Monroe. Her first starring movie role was Jerri Jordan in _The Girl Can't Help It_ (1956).

During production, she still appeared on Broadway in _Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?_ The movie studio finally bought out her contract, and shut the show down. In 1957, she appeared in a movie version of the play.

Mansfield's movies include _The Wayward Bus_ (1957), _Too Hot to Handle_ (1960), and _Promises! Promises!_ (1963). She won the Golden Globe for Most Promising Newcomer - Female for _The Wayward Bus_. On television, she made guest appearances on drama series, game shows, variety shows, and many talk shows.

Mansfield was one of Hollywood's original blonde bombshells. When the demand for big-breasted blonde bombshells decreased in the early 1960s, she became a box-office has-been.

She remained a popular celebrity however. Her nightclub acts and summer theater appearances attracted crowds. She made cheap "indies" and European melodramas and comedies.

Mansfield became the first major American actress to have a nude starring role in a Hollywood movie. The movie was _Promises! Promises!_. Hugh Hefner published nude photographs of Mansfield on the movie set in the June 1963 issue of _Playboy_. He was tried in Chicago city court on obscenity charges, but was acquitted.

## Personal

Mansfield married public relations professional Paul Mansfield in 1950. They had one daughter, Jayne Marie Mansfield. The couple divorced in 1956. Jayne kept "Mansfield" as her professional name.

She married actor-bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay in 1958. They had three children, Miklós Jeffrey Palmer Hargitay, Zoltán Anthony Hargitay, and Mariska Magdolna Hargitay. They divorced in 1963.

She married Italian-born movie director Matt Cimber (a.k.a. Matteo Ottaviano, né Thomas Vitale Ottaviano) in 1964. They had one son, Antonio Raphael Ottaviano (Tony Cimber). The couple separated in 1966. Their divorce was pending when Mansfield was killed in 1967.

## Death

Mansfield was killed in a car crash in June 1967. She was going to New Orleans for a television interview when her car crashed into the back of a truck. Her lover Sam Brody and her driver Ronnie Harrison were also killed. Three of her children - Miklós, Zoltán and Mariska - escaped death with minor injuries. An urban legend about Mansfield being decapitated in the crash is untrue. She was buried on July 3 in Pennsylvania. Her gravestone is heart-shaped.

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Jayne Mansfield
- **image**: Jayne Mansfield (Kiss Them For Me) - Color.jpg
- **caption**: Mansfield in 1957
- **birth name**: Vera Jayne Palmer
- **birth place**: Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, U.S.
- **death place**: New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
- **resting place**: Fairview Cemetery (Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania), Fairview Cemetery,
- **years active**: 1954–1967
- **notable works**: _The Girl Can't Help It_ (1956), _Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?_ (1957), _Too Hot to Handle (1960 movie), Too Hot to Handle_ (1960), _The Wayward Bus (movie), The Wayward Bus_ (1957), _Promises! Promises!_ (1963)
- **television**: 'Follow the Sun (TV series), Follow the Sun_ (1962), _Burke's Law_ (1964), _The Match Game_ (1964), _What's My Line?_ (1956–1966), _The Jack Benny Program_ (1963), _ The Bob Hope Show_ (1957–1963), _The Ed Sullivan Show'' (1957)
- **children**: 5, including Jayne Marie Mansfield, Jayne and Mariska Hargitay, Mariska
- **signature**: JMsig Converted.svg
- **signature size**: 100px