Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer on April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American film, theater, and television actress. She was also a nightclub entertainer, a singer, and one of the early Playboy Playmates. She was a major Hollywood sex symbol during the 1950s and early 1960s, while under contract at 20th Century Fox.

Early Life

Mansfield was born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, the only child of Herbert William Palmer (1904–1936), who was of German and English ancestry, and Vera Jeffrey Palmer (1903–2000), of English origin. She was raised in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

Career

Mansfield's first film part was a supporting role in Female Jungle (1955), a low-budget drama. She then starred in the Broadway production of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, in which she played a dumb blonde to critical acclaim. Her performance led to a series of successful films including The Girl Can't Help It (1956), Too Hot to Handle (1960), and Promises! Promises! (1963).

Personal Life

Mansfield was married three times and had five children. Her first marriage was to public relations professional Paul Mansfield in 1950, with whom she had a daughter, Jayne Marie Mansfield. She later married bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay in 1958, with whom she had three children, including actress Mariska Hargitay. Her third marriage was to film director Matt Cimber in 1964, with whom she had a son.

Death

Mansfield died in a car accident in 1967 at the age of 34. The vehicle she was in crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that was parked on the shoulder of the highway. The death car is on display at the Tragedy in U.S. History Museum.

Legacy

Mansfield left a lasting impact on popular culture and has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and academic studies. In popular culture, she is often compared to fellow blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe.