How do you define a Hollywood Sex Kitten? How about like this?
And how do you become Hollywood’s most notorious blonde bombshell? Well, it doesn’t hurt when you let it all hang out!
Thanks to NationalStereotype.com, which has their picture stamp on this…it’s a classic moment when an Actress becomes a star!
Introducing Iconic Sex Symbol Jayne Mansfield!
One of Hollywood’s great sex symbols has a fascinating story!
Jayne Mansfield was an actress,nightclub entertainer, singer, and one of the earliest Playboy Playmates – an eclectic career that ended tragically…
Jayne Mansfield was a major Hollywood sex symbol of the ’50s and early 1960s – known as a sexy alternative to Marilyn Monroe – in fact, she was known as the “Working Man’s Monroe”. Here is a publicity picture that shows a strong resemblance to Marilyn…
According to her biography on wikipedia, Mansfield was also known for “her well-publicized personal life and publicity stunts, such as wardrobe malfunctions.” Yes, she sure knew how to take a candid photo!
Mansfield is one of the most enduring sex kittens in Hollywood history. She was a huge star who had lots of big star friends. Here she is hanging out with John Lennon…
Mansfield starred in a number of popular films in the 50’s and won a Theatre World Award and a Golden Globe.
She starred in the 1957 smash hit “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?” Her other major movie performances were for “The Girl Can’t Help It” and “Too Hot to Handle”.
Mansfield also launched a nightclub act and toured the world. However, many remember her for a much more “candid” performance!
“Promises! Promises!”
In 1963, Mansfield starred in the sexploitation film “Promises! Promises!”
Mansfield was the first major American actress to have a nude starring role in a Hollywood motion picture. Here is a short scene from the film with Mansfield taking a sexy bubble bath!
Mansfield appeared nude in the June 1963 issue of Playboy, further cementing her reputation as Hollywood’s sexy movie star…
This was an era when posing nude – and appearing nude in a movie – was a shocking and controversial decision – but it only cemented her reputation as the world’s sexiest woman…
Mansfield was married several times during this period, and also had children…
Mariska Hargitay!
Mansfield was the mother of four children, including Actress Mariska Hargitay, who has had a big career of her own…
A Tragic End…
The Jayne Mansfield story has a tragic end. On June 29, 1967, Mansfield and her Attorney Sam Brody were driving home from a nightclub performance in Mississippi when they crashed into a semi-truck, instantly killing both of them. Jayne Mansfield was only 34 years old at the time of her death…
Hollywood Babylon!
As you can see, Mansfield’s legendary sex kitten pose was used as the cover to Kenneth Anger’s blockbuster book “Hollywood Babylon”, which looked at some of entertainment’s most scintillating stories…
Mansfield remains one of Hollywood’s most iconic sex symbols, and her tragic death has only made her life that much more fascinating…
There have been other sex symbols in Hollywood, and here are a few of the more accomplished Actresses…
Ann-Margret!
Yes, there have been some legendary sex kittens in Hollywood – and one of the greatest was Ann-Margret – read all about this amazing actress by clicking on my story here:
And if you want to see who else was America’s sex kitten in the 70’s, look no further than this:
Raquel Raquel!
Raquel Welch is also an amazing Actress, with a great body of work, and in the 70’s she was also the sexiest woman in the world!
Read all about her greatest achievements, including the legendary “C-C-C-Catfight” episode of “Seinfeld” by clicking on my story here:
I hope you check out some of this classic work from Hollywood’s past!
Categories: 70's Cinema, Academy Awards, Action Films, Awards, Bloopers, Books / Media, Cult Movies, Exploitation films, Golden Globes, Great Films, Grindhouse, Hollywood, Independent Cinema, Los Angeles, Memoirs, Movies, Movies About Movies, Obscure Movies, Revenge Movies, Sexploitation Movies, Talent/Celebrities, Uncategorized
Jayne has always been a favorite of mine. I have many movie posters for films that she was in (all of the way up to the SHAG designed MANSFIELD 66/67). I found her more / most fascinating when her celebrity began to fade. DOG EAT DOG is such a bizarre film. Once they arrive on the island, Jayne just seems to be in her own world. In SINGLE ROOM FURNISHED, she was actually quite good. Too bad she died before it was completed. PROMISES, PROMISES is okay…but her bubble bath scene is hilarious. Yes, she shows some T&A, but she’s singing her little song and sloshing around in the tub, spilling water out–WHO does that? Ha! My favorite film of hers was made entirely after her death, the loopy WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD. If you’ve never seen it, it’s a bizarre must. It is narrated by “Jayne” (Well, someone pretending to be Jayne, anyway.) It’s filled with news footage, home movies, film clips, etc. There are Jayne stand-ins, tons of nude filler (that has nothing to do with Jayne), and events that Jayne is supposedly at when she’s clearly not. And then, the camera suddenly acts like it is a car and goes careening towards…a tree (!?!) and Jayne’s death is covered along with a peek inside the Pink Palace. It’s a jaw-dropping, ballsy (literally taking cutting room scraps and making a movie “narrated by” a dead actress), exploitation flick extraordinaire!
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I bought the WILD WILD film at a recent sale but haven’t watched it yet!
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Well-done, John. (Surprised you didn’t run the famous and classic photo of Sophia Loren staring disapprovingly at Jayne cleavage stealing the spotlight while they were seated together.)
IMHO, Jayne had it all over Marilyn and most other sex kittens of the platinum blonde era, particularly the GREAT attitude about doing nudity and such, never mind how “taboo” it was at the time. I imagine some of that was the reason she was not given more A-list roles–by the same studio hypocrites who were drooling all over her at social events.
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Thanks for the note! My wife mentioned that picture as well, so I have to find it and add it to the story!
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