Who is Jayne Mansfield: Sex Symbol

Mariska Hargitay, the beautiful star of Law and Order SVU, is Jayne Mansfield's daughter. Her father was bodybuilder and actor Mickey Hargitay.

Learn more about Mariska Hargitay:

• www.mariska.com - Mariska Hargitay's official website.
  
• The Joyful Heart Foundation - Mariska Hargitay's charity supporting women who have been sexually abused.

Photo by Joella Marano

"I will never be satisfied. Life is one constant search for the betterment for me."

"Most girls don't know what to do with what they've got."

"We take our children everywhere we go. I don't believe in having them and then leaving them to someone else to bring up."

"A 41-inch bust and a lot of perseverance will get you more than a cup of coffee-a lot more."

"A woman should be pink and cuddly for a man."

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Mansfield, born Vera-Jayne Palmer, was born April 19, 1933 in in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. As her father died when she was very young, she and her mother moved back to her mothers hometown, Pen Argyl, PA. They later moved to Dallas, TX.

Jayne attracted attention wherever she went. This attention led to the birth of her daughter Jayne-Marie at age 16, and early marriage of Jayne to a boy she was seeing, Paul Mansfield (not the father). They moved west.

Jayne was persistent in her pursuit of Paramount Studios, landing herself in The Female Jungle, after making herself a blonde. Through a series of sexy press stunts, she began to get public attention. Her husband, however, did not like the way things were going - he left.

Jayne landed three film's with Warner: Pete Kally's Blues, Hell On Frisco Bay, Illegal. Then, back to the sexy publicity stunts.
Here enters Hugh Hefner. Jayne was the centerfold in February of 1955, and appeared each February until 1963.

After finishing a few B-Movies, Jayne stared in the play "Rock Hunter", on Broadway. During this, the sexy publicity stunts continued. She never wanted the public to forget her.

Jayne's popularity was rising, to the point of having her choice of roles. But her commitment to the play became a problem. Twentieth Century Fox was so interested in her, they bought the rights to the play and closed it. They saw their opportunity to have another Marilyn Monroe, who was sometimes too much hassle.

Jayne moved back to California with Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian body builder and Mr. Universe 1955, who she had met at a Mae West show. "The Girl Can't Help It" was the first of several Fox hits for Jayne. But, when Marilyn Monroe finalized her contract with them, Jayne was not their top priority any longer.

On January 13, 1958, Jayne and Mickey Hargitay finally wed in a grand ceremony. (They had had to wait for the divorce from Paul Mansfield to be finalized). A few months later, she was pregnant again - to the dismay of Fox. Her movie career, was becoming an foreign-made film fest.

"Promises, Promises", in 1963, included Jayne's first nude scene and the first by any major Hollywood star. The movie was banned in many cities.

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Jayne began a fling with singer Nelson Sardelli, and quickly (and publicly, got a Mexican divorce from Mickey. It was not long before she returned to Mickey, pregnant again. As the Mexican divorce was not believed to be legal, they did not remarry.

Jayne, in 1964, fell in love with Matt Cimber, director of the play she starred in, "BUS STOP". Again, she left Mickey, but did not get a divorce as now that Mexican divorce was believed to have been legal. The two got married in Mexico on September 24, 1964, and moved to New York. Jayne gives birth to her fifth child Antonio Raphael Ottaviano a.k.a Anthony Richard Cimber in October of 1965.

As work slowed, for Jayne, she began a romance with her custody and divorce lawyer, Sam Brody. Jayne's drinking accelerates, and she and Sam fought - often physically.

And the publicity stunts resurface. During one of these stunts, her son Zoltan (Mickey's son) was mauled by a lion, putting him in a coma and requiring emergency brain surgery. He was released by Christmas.

Jayne died tragically at age 34. A freak auto accident in the middle of the night in Lousianna took the the lives of Jayne Mansfield, Sam Brody, and Ronnie Harrison, and three dogs. Mariska, Zoltan, Mickey Jr, and two dogs survived.

A fight over her body and where she wanted to spend eternity ensued between the men of her life. A judge declared that that Mexican divorce was not legal, and by such neither was the later marriage to Matt Cimber. Mickey was the one to decide upon her resting place. He decided upon Pen Argyl, where her grandparents were. The National Guard came to hold back the crowd of nearly 10,000 people who came to see the celebrities that were expected to attend the funeral. A grand farewell!

Jayne never wanted to be forgotten, and she will not be forgotten. Jayne Mansfield has a beautiful heart shaped gravestone, which began a bold pink - bold as Jayne herself. Though it has faded over the years, it is clear from rows away that that is the stone of a woman who loved life, and lived it more then most women years older then she.

Mansfield also stared on several TV shows and special events as herself - they are not listed here. Her films:

Female Jungle (1954)
Hell on Frisco Bay (1955)
Pete Kelly's Blues (1955)
Illegal (1955)
Sunday Spectacular: The Bachelor (1956)
The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
"Shower of Stars" (1957) TV
The Wayward Bus (1957)
The Burglar (1957)
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957)
Kiss Them for Me (1957)
The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw (1958)
The Challenge (1960)
Amori di Ercole, Gli (1960)
Too Hot to Handle (1960)
"Kraft Mystery Theater" (1961) TV
Monte Carlo (1961) TV
The George Raft Story (1961)
"Follow the Sun" (1962) TV
It Happened in Athens (1962)
"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" (1962) TV
Heimweh nach St. Pauli (1963)
Promises! Promises! (1963)
"Burke's Law" (1964) TV
Panic Button (1964)
Dog Eat Dog (1964)
The Las Vegas Hillbillys (1966)
The Fat Spy (1966)
A Guide for the Married Man (1967)
Single Room Furnished (1968)