Jayne Mansfield was born Vera-Jayne Palmer on April 19, 1933 in the small town of Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Her parents Herbert & Vera Palmer anxiously awaited the birth of their only child, and little “Jaynie”, as her parents called her, soon became the apple of her fathers eye.

When Jayne was only three her father suffered a massive heart attack while driving with Vera and herself in the car, swerving off the road, and pronounced DOA at the scene. Vera & Jayne quickly moved to the other side of the Delaware River to a small town where Vera was born & raised in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania. Vera & Jayne were surrounded by lots of family, both the late Herbert Palmer’s parents, as well as Vera’s, lived in Pen Argyl, along with Helen & Bert Milheim, Vera’s close sister and brother-in-law.

Vera taught in elementary school in Pen Argyl and Jayne grew older around several first & second cousins. Vera met a very nice man soon after named Harry Peers, and their relationship progressed quickly into Marriage. Jayne was fond of her stepfather, but always felt sad about losing her father who she remembered dearly. When Jayne was just 6 years old, Harry & Vera Peers packed up and moved to Dallas, Texas, where Harry had been transferred to. Vera enrolled her baby Jayne into numerous dance and musical programs, Jayne was taught Piano as well as violin. Vera was determined to see her baby become successful in some kind of art.

Jayne excelled in piano & Violin and had many musical solo performances in school recitals, as well as dance. Jayne at a very early age had a powerful fascination with the movies. Where most children have their rooms filled with pictures of cartoon characters, Jayne’s walls were filled with rows of Glossy 8 x 10’s of glamorous movie stars. Every chance Jayne got, she would dress in her mothers clothing and make-up.

Jayne developed into a stunningly well developed girl at an early age, which captured the attention of many boys of various ages. Jayne had many secret rendezvous at an early age, and found herself in the family way at age 15. Jayne was terrified of telling her mother about her predicament, but soon started to show there was a rising problem. Vera and her sister Helen dragged Jayne to the doctor to find out if what they thought was true, and it was. Jayne had been dating a few boys from the area, but she suspected that the father was bad boy “Inky”, who worked at the local filling station.

She told him about her predicament, and he told her that he wanted no part of “her” problem. Jayne had been dating an older boy named Paul Mansfield, who was very cute and very sweet. Jayne told him about her predicament, and Paul freely accepted the responsibility. Not long after their marriage, little Jayne Marie was born on November 8, 1950. Her mother 16, her “father” 22. Paul was in the Army and both he and his new family lived on the base in Dallas. Jayne continued her education, taking baby Jayne-Marie in her carriage to class.

Jayne got involved in many school and army drama productions and soon caught everyone’s attention. Jayne had Paul promise her that when he was done with the army, that they would move to Los Angeles. As soon as he was released in 1954, off they went.

Jayne, Jayne-Marie and Paul Mansfield packed all their stuff in their red Buick Convertible and headed west. Jayne was so excited because she knew it was only a matter of time before she would become a big star. As soon as they unpacked, Jayne made a phone call to Paramount studios, and told the receptionist that her name was Jayne Mansfield and that she was going to be their biggest star. The lady on the phone told her that they already had many big stars, but her persistence won her a screen test.

Whatever opportunity or part that Jayne auditioned for, she did so with all of her energy, she knew that she would be able to win some casting directors full attention. Jayne gradually lost the extra weight from having Jayne- Marie but soon noticed that mostly all of the roles she auditioned for were going to blondes. Jayne quickly took the “if you cant beat them join them” attitude, and soon dyed her brunette lochs Blonde.

So the new buxom blonde set out determined to wipe the floor with Hollywood’s current blonde Marilyn Monroe. Jaynie won a leading role in a b-movie called, THE FEMALE JUNGLE, she was paid $100 for her performance, but gladly would have done it for free, just to see herself on a movie screen. Jayne caught the eye of a rising Publicity agent Bill Schrifin, who saw a great opportunity in Jayne. Together the two plotted and planned some of the most eye-catching stunts, in order to get Jayne in every periodical of that time. Jayne dressed in a skimpy 2-piece red velvet bikini trimmed in white fur, and delivered many bottles of liquor to the national press association.

One of Jayne’s most elaborate stunts was when she was sent by her agent to Florida to participate in the premiere of sex-symbol Jane Russell’s new movie, “UNDERWATER”(1955).

She accidentally on purpose left her bathing suit behind, and had to borrow an oh too tight red bathing suit. All eyes were on Jayne Mansfield and not on Jane Russell. For the second part of the photo shoot, Jayne squeezed herself into a red bikini, which just happened to become untied while she was swimming in the pool. Needless to say, the only pictures being taken that day were of Mansfield, not Russell. The pictures appeared in every newspaper across the land, and caught the eye of most every studio. Warner bros were the first to jump on the opportunity and signed Jayne to a starter contract.

Paul Mansfield had quite enough, and decided to move back to Dallas. Jayne said go ahead, but Jayne-Marie stays here with me. A very disgusted Paul had decided not to take a back seat to Jayne’s career aspirations, and moved on. I guess in some way he thought that Jayne wouldn’t be as successful as she was in winning parts and becoming a star, if anyone knew the real Jayne, they would know that nothing was going to stop her from achieving fame.

While signed to Warner’s, she appeared in 3 pictures for them, with only one having any substance to it. She had a small part in PETE KELLY“S BLUES (1955), appearing as a red headed cigarette girl. She had a couple lines while dancing in the feature, HELL ON FRISCO BAY(1955), but had a meatier opportunity in “ILLEGAL”(1955). In the latter she had a few scenes and even got to sing. The part mimicked Marilyn Monroe’s small part in ASPHALT JUNGLE (1949). This was the beginning of a long career of comparison between the two.

Still with Jayne’s positive performance in ILLEGAL, she was dropped from her Warner contract, she was considered to be limited. This brought her much grief, she thought that she was on her way, so back to the publicity mill. She attended every supermarket opening from Los Angeles to San Francisco, while winning numerous beauty titles. A few Consisted of: Miss Photoflash, Miss Tomato, Miss firecracker, Miss Fire Prevention Week, Miss Cadillac and the list goes on.

Jayne also agreed to be Hugh Hefner’s centerfold for his February 1955 Playboy magazine spread. This would begin a long association between Playboy and Jayne, she would appear every February from 1955-1963.

Jayne was offered a leading role in a B-movie for Columbia Pictures, to be filmed in Philadelphia and Atlantic City, the movie was called, “THE BURGLAR”. She co-starred with B-movie actor Dan Duryea, and it was actually one of Jayne’s few serious roles. She received decent reviews after the movie premiered 2 years later in 1957.

While filming in Atlantic City, Jayne received a phone call from her agent telling her about an opportunity to play the lead in a Broadway play. Jayne was intrigued, but needed a little coaxing from her agent to go for a reading. The part called for a “Monroe” type actress, and had been offered first to Rival Blonde Mamie Van Doren. Mamie didn’t want to be a Monroe type and passed on it. Jayne arrived an hour and a half late wearing a plain tan raincoat, when given her pages to read, she dropped the coat to the floor, revealing her outfit which consisted of a terry cloth towel.

George Axelrod, the play’s writer along with the Director, immediately realized they had found their star. Jayne received fair reviews for “Rock Hunter”, but the play was sold out every night, everyone wanted to get a look at the woman who was always getting her picture in the paper. While she was in the play, Jayne would make personal appearances at every supermarket or store opening in the tri-state area. She would usually receive around $5000 for each one, plus merchandise from that store.

Both before and after her performances Jayne would make her presence known around the city, by attending every show and eating in every restaurant. One night Jayne had decided to go to Mae West’s show at The Latin Quarter, little did she know she was going to meet the man of her dreams that evening. Mickey Hargitay was a Hungarian body builder who achieved status of being Mr. Universe in 1955. He was one of the many muscle men who were background for Mae’s act. Jayne took one look, and said….. “Who is that?”

The waiter came to the table to take Jayne’s order and she said, “I’ll have a steak and that man on the right…..”

Jayne & Mickey instantly fell in love with each other, and spent every moment together from that day on. When Mae West ordered Mickey to stop seeing, “that blonde tramp” or he was fired from her show, Mickey pronounced that he loved her and was going to marry her, (as soon as her divorce from Paul was final).

Jayne was a full fledged star, her agent had all kinds of movie offers being thrown at him. Twentieth Century Fox (Marilyn Monroe’s Home Studio) was the most interested. The only problem was that Jayne had signed a run of the play contract, and with all the great box office, they didn’t want to let Jayne go. Twentieth Century Fox was so determined to get Jayne, they bought the rights to the play, and closed the show. Jayne was off to Hollywood.

20th Century Fox was up in arms because their top star Marilyn Monroe, had walked out on her studio contract because she was tired of having no say in the movies she made. Marilyn in 1955 was the number 1 box office draw in the world. The studio saw a chance at having another “Monroe” and thought that it would also teach Marilyn a lesson. For whatever reason Jayne was going to have a major studio behind her, spending tons of money to make her as big a star as Marilyn.

Jayne, Jayne-Marie and Mickey were off to Hollywood (with a few dogs), and nothing was going to burst Jayne’s bubble. Her first project for Fox was to be “THE GIRL CANT HELP IT”(1956), it was a musical comedy with cameos by all the huge Rock N Rollers of that time. She was to play a gangsters girlfriend who wants to be a homemaker, but he wants her to be a huge star. Tom Ewell, Marilyn’s co-star from The Seven Year Itch was her co-star, and the studio was spending thousands of dollars on Jayne’s wardrobe to be designed by William Travilia. The studio wanted to get her in as many movies as possible while she was waiting for “WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?” to be ready for the screen.

Jayne went from one film into the next, after “GIRL” she made a dramatic movie of John Steinbeck’s novel, “THE WAYWARD BUS” (1957) co-starring another screen siren, Joan Collins. Jayne’s part in this movie was a chance for her to show people she really could act, and she received good reviews for the film. With the huge success of “GIRL” and the good reviews from “BUS”, they were ready to throw her into the screen adaptation of her hit play, “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?”. Mickey Hargitay was even cast in it as her on screen boyfriend. It also starred Tony Randall and Joan Blondell.

While Jayne’s star was climbing, the studio had reached an agreement with Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn received a new contract making $100, 000 per picture, with Script & Director approval, she will also be able to make movies for other studios as well as her newly formed Marilyn Monroe Productions. It was a great deal for Marilyn but it also meant that Jayne was no longer going to be there first priority.

Jayne was working on, “KISS THEM FOR ME”(1957) with Cary Grant, but even though she was billed under Cary Grant, Suzy Parker was ultimately the co-star. Jayne once again was there for the quick laugh, a pattern that was becoming too repetitious.

After Jayne’s busy year of movie making, her divorce became final with Paul, and she was free to make plans to marry Mickey. Jayne was determined to make it the biggest pink wedding in history. Mickey and Jayne exchanged vows on January 13, 1958 in Palos Verde’s, California, at the stunning all glass Wayfarers Chapel. Even though only a hundred and fifty people were invited, there were hundreds of people surrounding the church hoping to catch a glimpse of Jayne in her stunning lace gown (it was used in The Girl Cant Help It).

After the wedding, Jayne decided that the Hargitay’s should buy a mansion in Beverly Hills and live like a star & Family should. Jayne & Mickey bought a beautiful Mediterranean style house (formerly owned by Rudy Valee), for $76,000 at the corner of Sunset Blvd. & Carolwood drive, it was one of three houses on a cul de sac. Mickey & Jayne did a quick four week stint in Las Vegas at the Tropicana for $25,000 a week, in order to pay for and furnish it. The first thing on the planning board, (after her annual spread in Playboy Magazine) was to paint the Palace, as she called it, PINK. Mickey worked day & night on the house, and even built a Jayne a heart shaped pool.

Jayne wanted to have a large family (12 Kids) and was already pregnant just a few months after her honeymoon. Of course this was a problem at the studio, they wanted a blonde sex symbol, not a pregnant one. The studio was very resistant on Jayne being married to Mickey, they wanted her to date many of their choice contract players and create more headlines to make her a “Super Monroe”. Jayne didn’t listen, and followed her heart, she wanted it all, and was going to have it.

Unfortunately the studio had just worked out their differences with Marilyn, so Jayne was not a priority. KISS THEM FOR ME was a bomb at the box office and the critics and studio blamed Jayne, not the bad script. She was sent to Europe to make her next picture, a Western, “THE SHERIFF OF FRACTURED JAW”(1958) which co-starred English actor Kenneth More. Jayne was the owner of a saloon, she rode a horse, fired a gun and sang (not really, her voice was dubbed by Connie Francis).

When the studio didn’t know what to do with their “trouble” stars, they would lend them to Foreign productions. Studios made thousands of dollars while Jayne only made her regular salary of $2500 a week. Jayne soon gave birth to her first son Miklos Jr. on Dec 21, 1958. Jayne would always rely on doctor prescribed appetite suppressants to help her lose the extra weight she gained from childbirth, she was also beginning to drink on a regular basis, something that would escalate through the years into dependency.

The body beautiful was soon back in shape, and Jayne & Mickey performed another engagement at the Tropicana in Las Vegas. Bob Hope had also asked her to perform in his USO tour of Alaska. Meanwhile back in Hollywood, Fox plotted Jayne’s next couple of movies, and of course, they were to be filmed in England. TOO HOT TO HANDLE (1961) and THE CHALLENGE (1960) were the names of her next endeavors. Of course there was more controversy and scandal over Jayne’s costume in TOO HOT a.k.a. PLAYGIRL AFTER DARK. The original version of the film was shot in color, but upon viewing Jayne’s risqué see-through mesh with strategically placed sequins costume, the sequins didn’t stay where they were supposed to. Instead of re filming the sequins, the foreign production decided to make the picture become black & white, so they could “paint” a white bikini over each frame of her number. Stills of Jayne in color were printed once again in Playboy.

Jayne announces she is pregnant again!

After all of this was done, Jayne & Mickey were to go to Italy to film, THE LOVES OF HERCULES (1960), a dreadful low budget Hercules movie where Jayne played multiple roles in of all things a padded bra. Right behind “HERCULES” Jayne completed a small role (but received star billing) in “THE GEORGE RAFT STORY”(1961) Jayne’s second son Zoltan Anthony is born on August 1, 1960 one month premature but healthy.

On the heels of “RAFT“, Jayne was to star in, “IT HAPPENED IN ATHENS” (1962) in Athens, Greece. While filming Jayne fell for co-star Trax Coltan and briefly separated from Mickey. Mickey & Jayne recovered and went to Vegas to appear in their show, HOUSE OF LOVE at the Dunes hotel for $35,000 a week. This show is recorded and released as an LP called, “JAYNE BUSTS UP LAS VEGAS”.

Jayne & Family appear on “This Is Your Life” and Jayne’s parents Harry & Vera Peers also appear. Jayne films a great Born Holiday type sketch for the TV Program “FOLLOW THE SUN” in 1962 and gets great reviews. Jayne files for divorce from Mickey when he refuses to let her take the children to Italy to film her next film PANIC BUTTON with Maurice Chevalier. Mickey agrees to take the children and Jayne calls off the divorce.

20th Century Fox Studios drops Jayne’s option to renew her contract, she is on the set filming PANIC BUTTON when she finds out. Jayne & Mickey separate and Jayne starts dating Producer Enrico Bomba. Later that fall Jayne gets permission from Mickey to Divorce in Mexico, she announces that she will Marry Enrico Bomba. Jayne & Bomba break up and she returns home to the pink palace & Mickey in time for Xmas.

Footage is shot for the Movie, “SPREE” which is a documentary about Las Vegas Lounge Acts, but the movie isn’t released until 1967. Jayne & Mickey Start filming PROMISES, PROMISES (1963) with Marie McDonald & Tommy Noonan. It will be Jayne’s first Nude scene and the first by a major Hollywood star in a movie. The movie is soon banned in many cities in the USA. Stills from the movie run in Playboy magazine as, “THE NUDEST JAYNE MANSFIELD”. Hugh Hefner is arrested in Chicago for the issue being lude & indecent.

Jayne Leaves Mickey once again and starts a passionate affair with Singer Nelson Sardelli. They both perform at the Gus Stevens Supper Club in 1963, (where Jayne was performing when she died). Jayne files again for divorce and the lawyers begin preparations. Jayne cant wait and gets a Mexican Divorce from Mickey, with her is Nelson Sardelli. Jayne announces her divorce from Mickey publicly and also pronounces her love for Nelson. While she is with Nelson, Jayne films two movies in Germany “DOG EAT DOG”(1963) and “HOMESICK FOR ST PAULI” (1963) which Nelson has a cameo. Nelson does not want to divorce his wife, so they break up.

Jayne ran back to Mickey already pregnant, and the two make a statement about their reconciliation. They do not get re-married because they say that their Mexican divorce is invalid. In January on the 23, 1964, Jayne gives birth to a girl Mariska Magdolna Hargitay in California. Jayne soon goes back to work and films an episode of the TV show , “BURKE”S LAW”. Since the movie offers are slim, she decides to do a Summer Stock production of the play BUS STOP. The director of the play is Matt Cimber, Mickey is also in the play.

Jayne & Matt fall in love while working together, Matt, Jayne, Mickey & the kids fly to Italy so Jayne can film, “PRIMITIVE LOVE”(1964). Mickey again has a small part in the film and also in a documentary about Jayne which isn’t released until after her death, called “THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD” (1968). Mickey & Jayne officially break up again, but do not divorce because they say that her Mexican divorce that she filed a year earlier is valid.

After her quickie foreign films Jayne Toured in the play, “GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES” to good reviews. After touring for a few months, Jayne & Matt get married in Mexico on September 24, 1964. Jayne & Matt decide to settle in New York and purchase a Park Ave & E 69th Street Townhouse. Jayne keeps the pink palace but has her belongings shipped to New York, as well as all the kids stuff. Jayne stars in a play which Matt directed called, “The Champagne Complex”. She also briefly returns to Hollywood to film a cameo for MGM’s “THE LOVED ONE” (1965), but unfortunately is cut from the final edit of the film.

During her time in New York, Jayne appears on numerous game shows and tours in various plays which Matt directs. She also stars in a Dramatic film which is filmed over the next year and a half called, “SINGLE ROOM FURNISHED”. It was unfinished when Jayne passed away, so Matt decided to cash in on her demise and piece what he had together with an added storyline, and released it in 1968.

Jayne announces she will have her fifth child in October of 1965, But still has time to make a horrible little movie in Florida called, “THE FAT SPY” (1965) starring Phyllis Diller. Jayne is visibly pregnant in the movie which is a take off on 1960’s beach movies. Jayne’s NY Townhouse is broken into and $51,000 in jewelry is stolen while Jayne & Family were strolling around Central Park. Jayne also does a quickie starring cameo in “LAS VEGAS HILLBILLYS” (1965) with Mamie Van Doren.

Jayne gives birth to her fifth child Antonio Raphael Ottaviano a.k.a Anthony Richard Cimber on October 17, 1965 in California. Jayne is quickly back to work in another of Matt’s plays called, “THE RABBIT HABIT”. It was a huge disappointment, but Jayne managed to score a big hit in the middle of winter in 1966 at the LATIN QUARTER in New York. She played to a sold out house for two months, and also does her last filming for Single Room Furnished.

Her next tour was Gentlemen Prefer blondes in various cities across the US, then a sudden separation from Matt in July of 1966 followed by her filing for Divorce. Jayne does a quickie Venezuela and Columbia nightclub tour, then returns to do her last Las Vegas Gig at THE FREEMONT HOTEL in September of 66.

Jayne’s divorce & custody lawyer is Attorney Sam Brody. Jayne & Sam start a romance and Sam Leaves his Handicapped wife and two kids to live with Jayne in the Pink Palace. The courts award custody of Anthony Cimber to Jayne, but Jayne’s behavior is becoming very erratic. Jayne & Sam drink and fight consistently, and it’s harder and harder for Jayne to find work. Jayne again resorts to her silly publicity tactics by posing for pictures with Anton LaVey, who is the leader of the Church of Satan.

During a publicity photo shoot at Jungleland, her son Zoltan is mauled by a lion and is hospitalized in a coma. Zoltan has to have emergency brain surgery, Mickey flies in from Rome where he is filming a movie, to be with Zoltan & Jayne. Zoltan experiences many complications while being hospitalized but is well enough to be released for Xmas of 1966. During the month of December, Jayne films a cameo for 20th Century Fox’s film, “A GUIDE FOR THE MARRIED MAN” (1967). This is actually Jayne’s last appearance in a movie, she looks very puffy and bloated. Her drinking has accelerated into alcoholic proportions and no one can get through to her about it. She was distancing herself from all of the people who loved her the most, her parents, Mickey and Jayne-Marie who had developed into a stunning young woman.

Jayne embarked on a tour of British nightclubs, she took Sam & Tony with her. Jayne was bruised and bloated in too tight mini-dresses with Go-Go Boots sitting on Gentlemen’s laps in the audience. Jayne & Sam Drank and fought nightly, and photos were printed of the two of them beating on each other. It was a very sad scene for a woman who had been the most photographed woman in the world ten years earlier.

Jayne-Marie had taken over for her mother in her years of decline, she became nursemaid, hairdresser, baby-sitter, surrogate mother to her siblings as well as counselor. As Jayne’s drinking grew worse, so did her relationship with Jayne-Marie who really was her best friend, more than her daughter. Jayne & Sam’s relationship was so dangerous and violent, Jayne-Marie couldn’t take it anymore. One night after Sam had Beaten her with a belt, she fled to her Aunt’s house never to return. Jayne & Sam were taken to court over the incident, but it was postponed until after Jayne fulfilled a Nightclub engagement in Biloxi, Mississippi at Gus Stevens Supper Club. Sam got in a car accident outside of the Pink Palace on June 21, and broke his leg, which had to be cast.

Jayne & Sam took Mickey Jr, Zoltan & Mariska & 3 Chihuahuas with them, Jayne wanted to take Tony but Matt got an injunction so that she couldn’t leave the state with him. They flew into Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi so that they could tour the base and Jayne could visit the wounded soldiers back from Vietnam on the base. Jayne was suppose to perform from June 24th- June 29th, a gig that was switched with Mamie Van Doren, when Mamie couldn’t fulfill the engagement. Jayne, Sam & Family flew in on the 23rd of June, while being driven to the Edgewater Gulf Hotel in Biloxi, Jayne & Sam see a yellow Rolls Royce at a car lot. They purchased the Rolls Royce together, and pay for it with a check. Jayne drives since Sam’s leg is in a cast and can’t.

Jayne starts her gig at Gus Stevens‘ Club, she does three shows a night 7:30, 9:30, 11:30, she sings Strangers In the Night, Promise Her Anything, Embrace Me, and assorted others each night. She is in good spirits and enjoys being away. Jayne has an interview scheduled for an early morning talk show in New Orleans for the 29th, so the plan is that they will drive the Rolls Royce to New Orleans after her last show at the supper club on the 28th. It is about a two hour ride along old highway 90.

During the day of the 28th, the Rolls Royce that Jayne & Sam purchased was repossessed in the parking lot of the Hotel by the car lot owner, because the check that they gave him had bounced. Jayne & Sam were very upset and asked Gus Stevens to hire them a limousine to drive them all to New Orleans after her last show. Gus didn’t want to foot the expense, so he said that they could take his wife’s car, it was a big 1966 Buick Electra 225. It had just been checked out by the Car dealer and it was fine. Sam asked him to find someone who could drive them there, since his foot was in a cast and he didn’t want Jayne to have to drive that late at night.

Gus Stevens asked Ronnie Harrison, an employee of the club, and his daughters fiancé to drive them in the Buick and then come back to Biloxi the same night. Ronnie worked at the Naval Base as a security guard and had just gotten off a double shift. Gus told him to go home and sleep for a few hours and come back to the club around midnight to drive them, he agreed. Jayne’s last show was a good one, I interviewed a lady who had seen Jayne’s 11:30 show on the 28th. She was a friend of Gus’s and had a drink with Jayne & Sam after the show. She said that Jayne was in really good spirits and was very coherent.

At around 12 midnight Ronnie returned to the club to drive the troop to New Orleans, Gus had removed the interior dome lights from the Buick because he knew that Jayne liked to paste pictures in her scrapbook while traveling and didn’t want the lights to distract the overtired Ronnie. The Car was loaded with all the luggage, the dog cages, the three children , five dogs and three adults. It was around 12:30 when they set off on the last ride, Jayne asked Ronnie to stop at a gas station to see if they could fix the lights on the inside of the car. As Predicted Jayne wanted to paste some clippings in her scrapbook which was in her big white tote bag. The attendants at the station didn’t have the right size bulbs so they set off down highway 90. Ronnie and Sam were in the front seat with Zoltan holding two dogs, Jayne, Mariska, and Mickey Jr in the back with the other three. It was a hot, humid night in June, there was a heavy mist in the air. On Highway 90 in Slidell, Louisiana about 45 minutes from New Orleans was an all-night restaurant called “THE WHITE KITCHEN“. According to a witness Jayne & Family had pulled up in front of the restaurant around 2:00 am, only Jayne entered the restaurant, and asked one of the waitresses where, “the little Girls room was”. After exiting the bathroom, Jayne stopped at the counter and ask for some cookies and some coke’s. A lady and her son sitting at a Nearby booth, asked if she was Jayne Mansfield, and Jayne replied, “The One And Only”. The lady asked what she was doing in the middle of Louisiana in the middle of the night, Jayne said she had been performing on the Biloxi coast and was on her way to New Orleans for an early morning talk show on WDSU-TV Channel 6.

Jayne said good night to the lady and her son and left the restaurant, they watched Jayne from the window. Jayne moved the sleeping Zoltan from the front seat and put him in the backseat with his already sleeping brother & sister. Jayne sat by the passenger window with a dog on her lap. This was the last time Jayne was seen alive, she was about ten miles away from her impending doom.

From witness statements in the official police report, the Buick flew past several cars on highway 90 doing around 80 miles an hour. A mosquito spraying pesticide machine had just sprayed the marsh land by the Rigolets bridge, directly where they were headed.

A very slow moving tractor trailer driven by Richard Rambo of Pensacola, Florida was creeping through the fog of the machine. Mr. Rambo knew this road well and knew that the steel girder bridge was coming up soon. He was driving about 25 miles an hour, when he felt a jarring impact from the rear and immediately stopped to see what had hit him. Upon walking to the rear of the truck, Mr. Rambo saw what looked like a steaming smashed convertible. He saw that the driver and passengers in the front of the car were dead. He heard crying coming from the rear of the car, he couldn’t open the rear door but managed to open the passenger front door where Jayne was sitting. He removed Jayne’s lifeless body from the passenger seat, he could see she was visibly dead because about a half an inch above her eyebrows back was gone, and laid her down on the shelled shoulder of the roadway.

By this time the two vehicles that the speeding Buick had passed on the highway had stopped to see if they could help. The gentlemen and woman from both cars helped the truck driver pry the back door open and remove two crying little boys (Mickey Jr. & Zoltan), two little Chihuahuas jumped from the back seat as well. One of the little boys (Zoltan) was screaming, “ my sister, my sister!!!!” Upon further investigating, the men saw some movement from behind the front seat, under the luggage which had traveled from the trunk on top of the back seat area from the impact. Mariska’s head was stuck between the front seat and the metal pillar of the car, she was bleeding badly.

One of the people from the cars ran to the home across the street from where the accident had occurred and knocked on the door. The door immediately opened and the woman said there was a terrible accident at the end of their drive. The people in the house were awoken by the sound of the crash and had already called the police, who had just arrived at the scene. The two officers ran to the car to see if they could help free the girl, they used a tire iron to pry the seat loose and free the little girl who had a very deep laceration on the side of her face.

The lady and gentlemen who stopped volunteered to drive the children to the hospital which was about 10 miles away, so they left with Mariska, Zoltan and Mickey Jr. About a half an hour later every police officer in the area was at the scene, it wasn’t until investigation of Jayne’s bag that they knew it was Jayne Mansfield lying on the side of the road, she was just 34 years old. API & UPI press as well as local newsman were called, and told that famous Hollywood Sex Symbol Jayne Mansfield had been killed in a horrible car accident. The county morgue car arrived and the bodies of Sam Brody & Ronnie Harrison were removed from the vehicle. An additional car was called to take them to the morgue. Both Ronnie & Sam’s heads were badly smashed into the dashboard, Jayne’s head injuries were much higher up on her head, almost as if she tried to duck out of the way.

Vera & Harry Peers, Mickey Hargitay and Matt Cimber were all called in the middle of the night to be told the horrible news. Mickey was told that all 3 children had been hurt and that they were going to fly Mariska by Helicopter to a better equipped hospital in New Orleans for emergency plastic surgery. Mickey dropped everything and immediately flew to New Orleans to be with the children. Harry & Vera Peers immediately headed for New Orleans as well. Matt Cimber headed to the Pink Palace immediately to take Tony, who thank god had not been in the car. Little Tony most likely would have been in the arms of Jayne. Two of the five dogs had survived and had been taken to the ASPCA.

The Next few days were chaos for all involved, There was a huge fight over Jayne’s body. Matt Cimber was legal widower but was being fought by Jayne’s parent’s and Mickey for custody of Jayne’s body. Matt told the Peer’s and Mickey that he wanted Jayne buried in California at Forest Lawn with all of the other big stars. Both the Peers and Mickey said that Jayne wanted to buried in the family plot, in Pen Argyl, PA. next to her grandparents and father.

A Louisiana judge ruled Mickey legal widower because Jayne & Mickey’s 1963 Mexican divorce & Matt & Jayne’s marriage was not recognized. A California Judge ruled Matt Cimber legal widower and heir. In the end The Peer’s and Mickey won and Jayne would be buried in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania. Jayne’s body was taken from the morgue and brought to Bultman’s Funeral home in New Orleans. Undertaker Jim Roberts spent about 8 hours reconstructing Jayne’s head with body clay, wigs and tons of make-up to have an open casket service. Vera Peers had picked out a lovely pink chiffon high neck ruffled trim dress with matching bow for her hair, for Jayne to be laid out in. Mickey was the only one allowed to see her.

The bronze casket picked out by Mickey was locked and taken to the Airport to be flown into JFK AIRPORT, and then driven to Pen Argyl by the Funeral home. The casket arrived at the Funeral home in Pen Aryl and Harry & Vera Peers & Mickey wanted to see her before anyone else. There was only one problem the casket had been locked in New Orleans and the key was gone. Vera Pleaded with Undertaker Nick Ruggiero to pry it open, but was talked out of it by Mickey. It was to be a small family service.

The National guard had to fly into Easton, PA to hold back the crowd of nearly 10,000 people lined up to see all the celebrities they thought would be there. It was never confirmed what celebrities did attend, it was rumored that Bob Hope and Zsa, Zsa Gabor attended but this could not be confirmed. Besides all of Jayne’s area cousins and Aunt’s & Uncle’s, the only immediately family members in attendance were Harry & Vera Peers, Mickey Hargitay, and the only one of Jayne’s children to attend was Jayne Marie Mansfield. The children who were in the car were in the hospital in New Orleans and Tony was with Matt Cimber who thought it was best, because of potential conflict not to attend.

It was a huge last farewell that Jayne would have loved, she was The Star attraction of the the Pennsylvania slate belt.