Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield (born Vera Jayne Palmer; April 19, 1933 – June 29, 1967) was an American actress, ''Playboy'' Playmate, and sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s. She was known for her numerous publicity stunts and open personal life. Her film career was short-lived, but she had several box-office successes and won a Theatre World Award and Golden Globe Award. She gained the nickname of Hollywood's "smartest dumb blonde."

Mansfield gained popularity after playing the role of fictional actress Rita Marlowe in ''Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?'' (1955–1956) on Broadway, which she reprised in the film adaptation in 1957. Her other film roles include the musical comedy ''The Girl Can't Help It'' (1956), the drama ''The Wayward Bus'' (1957), the neo-noir ''Too Hot to Handle'' (1960), and the sex comedy ''Promises! Promises!'' (1963); the last established Mansfield as one of the first major American actresses to perform in a nude scene in a post-silent era film.

Mansfield took her professional name from her first husband, public relations professional Paul Mansfield. She married three times, each marriage ending in divorce, and had five children. On June 29, 1967, she died in a traffic collision at age 34. Provided by Wikipedia