What happened to Jayne Mansfield? What was Her Cause of Death?
by Rubaditsha
Updated Apr 27, 2023
Who was Jayne Mansfield?
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress, singer, and Playboy Playmate, known for her well-publicized personal life and publicity stunts. She was born on April 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and died on June 29, 1967, in an automobile crash in New Orleans at the age of 34.
Her film career was short-lived, but she had several box-office successes and won a Theatre World Award and a Golden Globe Award. Mansfield was married three times, each marriage ending in divorce, and had five children. She was allegedly involved with numerous men, including Robert and John F. Kennedy, her attorney Samuel S. Brody, and Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli. Mansfield took her professional name from her first husband, public relations professional Paul Mansfield.
What Happened to Jayne Mansfield?
On June 29, 1967, the well-known actress and blonde bombshell, Jayne Mansfield, was killed in a car accident on U.S. Route 90 east of New Orleans, Louisiana. Mansfield, along with her lawyer and companion Samuel S. Brody and driver Ronald B. Harrison, were traveling in a 1966 Buick Electra owned by the Gus Stevens Dinner Club.
Mansfield was returning from a nightclub performance in Biloxi, Mississippi and was on her way to a television appearance scheduled for the following day in New Orleans. The car collided with a trailer-truck on a dark stretch of road, possibly due to the thick white fog emitted by a mosquito spraying machine, which may have obscured the truck from Harrison's view. The impact of the collision killed Mansfield, Harrison, and Brody.
Mansfield was born Vera Jayne Palmer in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and came to Hollywood in 1954 with the goal of becoming an actress. She was known for her curvaceous figure, platinum blonde hair, and stunning smile. Mansfield starred in a Broadway comedy, Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, and was famous for her portrayal of a dumb blonde movie star.
She famously appeared nude in the 1963 comedy Promises! Promises!, and stills from the set were featured in Playboy magazine. However, her most notable performance was in the 1957 film The Wayward Bus, based on the John Steinbeck novel, where she starred alongside Joan Collins. Although her screen career included around a dozen forgettable films, Mansfield's off-screen persona as a glamorous Hollywood starlet made her one of the most recognizable faces of her time.
What was Jayne Mansfield cause of death?
Jayne Mansfield died in 1967 in a car crash in Mississippi while traveling with her lawyer and companion Sam Brody, their driver Ronnie Harrison, and three of her children. The car crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed down for an approaching insecticide fog-spraying truck.
Mansfield suffered severe head trauma and died instantly. Contrary to rumors, she was not decapitated. Her funeral took place in Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, and she was buried beside her father. Two wrongful-death lawsuits were filed on behalf of her children. The car involved in the crash became a roadside attraction in Florida and is currently owned by Scott Michaels in Los Angeles.
Jayne Mansfield and Sophia Loren
Sophia Loren and Jayne Mansfield were attending a party in Beverly Hills in 1957 when a photo was taken of Mansfield looking at Loren's low-cut dress with what appears to be disapproval or envy. Loren confirmed in a recent interview that she was thinking exactly what it looks like she was thinking.
Although Loren was later seen smiling and having a good time with Mansfield, she admits that her mind was always on the dress. She also mentioned that she often gets asked to autograph the photo but refuses to do so out of respect for Mansfield, who has since passed away. Despite her initial reluctance to speak about her life in interviews, Loren has written a memoir called Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: My Life, which was published in 2012.
How old was Jayne Mansfield when she died?
Jayne Mansfield died at the age of 34. On June 29, 1967, she was traveling from Biloxi, Mississippi to New Orleans, Louisiana in a car along with her lawyer and boyfriend, Sam Brody, and their driver, Ronnie Harrison. The car collided with a tractor-trailer on a dark highway, and the three adults in the front seat were killed instantly.
Mansfield's three children, who were in the back seat, survived the accident with minor injuries. Mansfield was at the peak of her career when she died, having appeared in numerous films, television shows, and stage productions, as well as being a major sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s. Despite her relatively short life, she left a lasting impact on popular culture and remains a fascinating figure to this day.
Jayne Mansfield Children
Jayne Mansfield derived her stage name from her first husband, Paul Mansfield, who was a public relations professional. Throughout her lifetime, she married three times, and all of her marriages ended in divorce. She was a mother of five children.
It was rumored that she had numerous intimate relationships with several men, including Robert and John F. Kennedy, her attorney Samuel S. Brody, and Las Vegas entertainer Nelson Sardelli. Unfortunately, on June 29, 1967, she passed away at the young age of 34 in a car accident in New Orleans.
Her spouses were Paul Mansfield, whom she was married to from 1950 until 1958, followed by Mickey Hargitay, whom she married in 1958 but divorced in 1964, and Matt Cimber, whom she was married to from 1964 until 1966. Her partner from 1962 until 1964 was Enrico Bomba. Jayne Mansfield had five children, including Jayne Marie Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay.
What happened to Jayne Mansfield: FAQs
Jayne Mansfield was an American actress, singer, and Playboy Playmate.
Jayne Mansfield was born on April 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.
Jayne Mansfield was known for her well-publicized personal life and publicity stunts, as well as her curvaceous figure, platinum blonde hair, and stunning smile. She was also famous for her portrayal of a dumb blonde movie star.
Jayne Mansfield died in a car crash on June 29, 1967, on U.S. Route 90 east of New Orleans, Louisiana. She was traveling with her lawyer and companion Samuel S. Brody and driver Ronald B. Harrison when their car collided with a trailer-truck on a dark stretch of road. Mansfield, Brody, and Harrison were all killed instantly.