6 Things You Never Knew About Jayne Mansfield
Jayne Mansfield, born on April 19, 1933, was a legendary actress, singer and sex symbol who captured the attention of America in the 1950s and 1960s. With her platinum blonde hair, voluptuous figure and sharp sense of humor, she graced the silver screen in iconic films like The Girl Can’t Help It and Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? However, her life was tragically cut short in a car accident on June 29, 1967. These days, her daughter, Mariska Hargitay, star of Law & Order: SVU, continues her mother’s Hollywood legacy — which she will explore in her upcoming HBO documentary, My Mom Jayne.
In honor of the star who was lost too soon at the age of 34, let’s learn some interesting facts about her:
1 Legacy on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Everett Collection
Mansfield’s undeniable impact on Hollywood was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 8, 1960. Decades later, her daughter Mariska Hargitay received her own star on the Walk of Fame right next to her mother’s, which became a touching tribute and a way to celebrate her own success.
2 Her death may have saved others
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
In the aftermath of Mansfield’s tragic car accident, an important new car safety feature was born: the “Mansfield Bar.” The bar, which is located on the rear side of semi trucks, prevents vehicles from sliding under them in the event of a collision — a critical modification in vehicle design that has saved countless lives. While the Mansfield Bar was designed as a safety measure, its name serves as a somber reminder of the devastating accident that took her life.
3 She kept her ex-husband’s name
Everett Collection
After divorcing her first husband, Paul Mansfield, she made a decision that would help solidify her place in Hollywood: she kept his last name instead of going back to her birth name of Vera Jayne Palmer. She believed “Mansfield” had a glamorous ring to it and was a perfect fit for her growing career. While her immense beauty and talent are obviously what brought her to the top, perhaps her name choice helped as well.
4 Her daughter doesn’t remember the accident but still holds a scar
NBC/Everett Collection
Hargitay was just three years old when her mother passed away, and has no memory of the car accident that took Mansfield’s life — though she and her siblings Mickey and Zoltan were in the car, as well. All three children survived the crash, and Hargitay has a physical reminder of that day is etched on her body: she was wounded in the accident, and today has a scar on her head.
5 The Jayne Mansfield Hot Water Bottle
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At the peak of her fame, Jayne became the face of an unusual product: the Jayne Mansfield Hot Water Bottle. Standing 22 inches tall and designed in a playful, somewhat provocative likeness of Jayne herself, this promotional item was sold in the thousands. Today, it is a collector’s item, with prices sometimes reaching upwards of $300 in pristine condition. It’s a quirky but affectionate tribute to her pop culture significance.
6 The legacy of the 1966 Buick Electra 225
Everett Collection
The 1966 Buick Electra 225, which Mansfield was traveling in on the night of her death, became an infamous part of her story. After the accident, the car, which was severely damaged, was displayed at various events and exhibitions as a chilling reminder of her untimely end. In 1999, the car was auctioned off for $8,000. Despite its morbid association with her passing, it has become a piece of Hollywood history.
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