Jayne Mansfield
“A platinum-blonde bombshell whose larger-than-life image defined a certain 1950s glamour.”
Jayne Mansfield rose to fame on Broadway in 'Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?' and was signed by 20th Century-Fox as a blonde bombshell. Films like 'The Girl Can't Help It' (1956) made her a leading 1950s sex symbol. Became a star in 1956.
Broadway to Hollywood
Pennsylvania-born Vera Jayne Palmer reinvented herself as Jayne Mansfield, scoring a Broadway hit before Fox signed her. Studio publicity cast her as a rival to Marilyn Monroe.
Bombshell Stardom
Comedies like 'The Girl Can't Help It' made her a defining 1950s sex symbol. She leaned into a glamorous, self-aware persona, both on screen and in relentless publicity.
Sudden End
As her film career faded she toured nightclubs and stages worldwide. She died at 34 in a Louisiana car crash, leaving behind children including future star Mariska Hargitay.
Career Timeline
- 1933Born April 19 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania
- 1955Stars on Broadway in 'Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'
- 1956Signs with 20th Century-Fox
- 1956Stars in 'The Girl Can't Help It'
- 1957Wins Golden Globe as new star of the year
- 1957Stars in film of 'Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'
- 1958Stars in British Western comedy 'Sheriff of Fractured Jaw'
- 1960Film roles decline as image dates
- 1963Appears in 'Promises! Promises!'
- 1966Continues nightclub and stage performances
- 1967Dies June 29 in car crash in Louisiana, age 34
Biggest Hits
- [object Object]
- [object Object]
The Moment You Remember
She is remembered sweeping through The Girl Can't Help It as the embodiment of mid-century cartoon glamour, a screen image she crafted with self-aware precision.
Portrait: 20th Century Fox (studio publicity) · Public domain (publicity still) · via Wikimedia Commons