Marilyn Monroe is often regarded as Hollywood’s earliest symbol of promiscuity. But, the actress’ rival, Jayne Mansfield, was much more rebellious.
She was ahead of her time and leaned into the allure of femininity– breaking bounds that no other American actress had ever dared to in Hollywood before.
But, in June of 1967, the star’s life tragically ended following a fatal car accident. And the tragedy prompted various tales to spill out from the rumor mill– ranging from decapitation to a satanic curse.
Jayne Mansfield
On April 19, 1933, Jayne was born Vera Jayne Palmer in the small town of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. But, by twenty-one, she made the decision to pack her bags and try her hand at acting.
Jayne was already a mother and wife when she set foot in Los Angeles in 1951. Still, by 1956, the young starlet was able to land a contract with 20th Century Fox and launch her lucrative career.
That year, she starred in the classic film The Girl Can’t Help It. Then, Jayne went on to star in other hit movies, such as The Wayward Bus (1957), Kiss Them For Me (1957), and Too Hot To Handle (1960).
Still, Jayne’s growing fame was largely due to her off-screen persona. She played up her rivalry against Marilyn Monroe while also emphasizing her curves in a much more sultry manner.
For example, she was the first ever American actress to appear without clothes on the big screen while starring in Promises, Promises (1963). This role pushed Hollywood and the public outside of traditional comfort zones and paved the way for more provocative works.
Jayne also posed as a playmate for Playboy and publicly condemned society’s taboo surrounding talks and imagery of intimacy.
“There is too much guilt and hypocrisy about it,” Jayne said.
Aside from Jayne’s reputation as a blonde bombshell, though, she was also a beloved wife and mother. In 1958, she remarried bodybuilder and actor Mickey Hargitay. Then, the couple went on to have three children– one of whom is Mariska Hargitay– and even starred together in numerous movies.
“My mother was this amazing, beautiful, glamorous [intimacy] symbol. But people didn’t know that she played the violin and had a 160 IQ and had five kids and loved dogs,” Mariska said.
Jayne’s Tragic Accident
Sadly, though, the influential actress never got to progress her career past age thirty-four. Instead, on June 29, 1967, she instantly died following a severe car crash.
Early that morning, Jayne was heading to New Orleans after a performance at the Biloxi nightclub in Mississippi. She was traveling with her driver, Ronald B. Harrison, and Samuel S. Brody in the front seats. Meanwhile, three of her children, including Mariska, were sleeping in the backseat.
The group was forced to drive through the night in order to arrive in time for a television appearance that was scheduled for the following day. However, at 2:00 a.m., their 1966 Buick Electra slammed into the back of a trailer truck.
Then, the Buick slid underneath the trailer– slicing off the top of the car and instantly killing Jayne, Ronald, and Samuel.
Authorities immediately rushed onto the scene and declared the three dead. It was also reported that Ronald likely could not see the trailer in front of the group due to thick fog that evening.
Miraculously, though, Jayne’s three sleeping children all survived the crash.
The Star’s Death Makes Waves
The public was immediately devastated after learning that Jayne had passed away. But then, photos from the crime scene were released and spurred gruesome rumors.
More specifically, a few photos showed that Jayne’s wig had been thrown from the car on impact– making it look like the star had been decapitated.
However, according to police reports, Jayne did not suffer a full decapitation. Instead, authorities wrote that “the upper portion of this white female’s head was severed;” meanwhile, Jayne’s death certificate confirmed that she experienced a partial cranial separation and crushed skull.
Regardless, though, the decapitation rumor continued to swirl throughout Hollywood and even wound up being featured in the 1996 film Crash.
And on top of that, other gossip about Jayne’s ex-boyfriend led to a more supernatural rumor. Apparently, Jayne was once in a relationship with Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan.
So, many suggested that perhaps Jayne was killed by some satanic curse– although, of course, those rumors have never been substantiated despite still persisting today.
Jayne’s Legacy
Jayne departed from her family and Hollywood far too soon, but she also left behind one of television’s most revered actresses– her daughter, Mariska Hargitay.
Mariska has gone on to star as Olivia Benson in Law and Order: Special Victims Unit for nearly twenty-five years now. And while in her role, Mariska continues to force away societal stigmas, just as her mother did, with a focus on consent and bodily autonomy.
Additionally, Jayne’s horrific death also impacted sectors far beyond her family and Hollywood fandoms. In fact, the Buick sliding under the back of the trailer that evening actually led to changes in federal regulation.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recognized that Jayne’s death would have been prevented if there had been a barrier preventing the car from going underneath the trailer. So, they ordered all semi-trucks to add Mansfield Bars to their vehicles.
These steel bars hang behind the back of semi-trucks in order to prevent rolling and ensure that no other person ever has to suffer the same fate as Jayne.
