On June 29, 1967, actress Jayne Mansfield tragically died in a car accident at 34, leaving behind her young daughter, Mariska Hargitay. Mansfield rose to fame in the 1950s as a Hollywood sex symbol, known for her roles in films like ‘The Girl Can’t Help It.’ Despite her success, her life was marked by personal challenges, including three marriages and the loss of her life before witnessing her children’s growth. Mariska has since become an accomplished actress and reflected on her mother’s influence and the lasting effects of grief.
The Tragic Legacy of Jayne Mansfield
On the fateful night of June 29, 1967, a horrific car accident shook Louisiana, forever altering the lives of those involved. The vehicle driven by actress and Playmate Jayne Mansfield met with disaster, resulting in her untimely death at the age of 34. Among the passengers was her young daughter, Mariska Hargitay, who has since risen to fame as an accomplished actress but continues to grapple with the emotional impact of losing her mother at such a tender age.
Jayne Mansfield: A Star’s Rise and Fall
In the dazzling 1950s, Jayne Mansfield carved out a prominent place for herself in Hollywood. At just 21, she made her move to Tinseltown, quickly achieving success. She graced the cover of Playboy as Playmate of the Month in 1955 and subsequently stepped into the limelight on Broadway. Jayne became a cinematic sensation, appearing in memorable films like ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’ and ‘Too Hot to Handle,’ earning a reputation as a sex symbol akin to Marilyn Monroe.
As a fixture in Hollywood’s elite circles, Mansfield was often seen at high-profile events. Her meeting with Sophia Loren at a dinner in 1957 led to a famous moment that captured the attention of the media. Jayne’s personal life was equally captivating; she married three times, welcoming children from each union. Her first marriage to Paul Mansfield produced daughter Jayne Marie, while her second marriage to Hungarian bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay brought her three children: Miklós, Zoltan, and Mariska. She later married director Matt Cimber, with whom she had son Tony Cimber. Tragically, Jayne would not live to see her children grow up.
On that tragic night in June, Jayne was traveling with her boyfriend Samuel Brody and three of her children when their Buick collided with the back of a tractor-trailer. The crash was catastrophic, stripping away the roof of the car. Jayne, Sam, and the chauffeur Ron Harrison lost their lives at the scene, while the three children miraculously survived with minor injuries. Despite the passage of time, Mariska Hargitay continues to carry the emotional scars of her mother’s sudden loss.
Mariska Hargitay’s Journey of Healing
Following in her mother’s footsteps, Mariska Hargitay has made a name for herself in acting, most notably as Olivia Benson in the acclaimed series ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ since 1999. Although she seldom discusses her mother’s death publicly, she opened up at the end of 2024 when she was honored with the Hope Award for Depression Advocacy. At the event, Mariska reflected on her childhood loss and its lasting impact.
“I lost my mother when I was 3 years old. I grew up in a house where many people dealt with the tragedy in their own way,” she shared, highlighting the complexities of grief within her family. Mariska emphasized the lack of resources available at the time to process trauma, which made navigating her emotions even more challenging.
Now a mother herself, Mariska Hargitay, married to Peter Hermann since 2004, has worked through her past traumas. When reminiscing about her mother, she notes that the overwhelming grief has transformed into a celebration of Jayne’s vibrant spirit. In a 2018 interview with ‘People,’ Mariska said, “She was just so ahead of her time. She was an inspiration; she had this appetite for life. I believe I share that with her.”