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*. 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.

## 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.

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