Before Mariska Hargitay, there was her late mother, Jayne Mansfield, who became a Hollywood icon in the 1950s as an actress, a model and a sex symbol. Previously called the industry’s “smartest dumb blonde,” Jayne proved to be much more than that derogatory stereotype. Though, in 2025, her daughter Mariska gave the public an inside look at their family and Jayne’s complicated life. With multiple marriages, affairs and several children, the late Too Hot to Handle star’s personal details were unpacked in Mariska’s 2025 doc, My Mom Jayne.
Below, Hollywood Life delves into Jayne’s life as a mother, her tragic death in 1967 and more.
How Many Kids Did Jayne Mansfield Have With Mickey Hargitay?
Jayne shared two biological children with Mickey: their sons, Miklós “Mickey” Hargitay, Jr. and Zoltán Hargitay. The ex-spouses were also parents to Jayne’s daughter Mariska, but Mickey was not her biological father — Nelson Sardelli was, Mariska revealed later in life. Jayne and Nelson had an affair before she divorced Mickey.
How Many Children Did Jayne Mansfield Have in Total?
Jayne was a mother to five children in total: Jayne Marie, Miklós “Mickey” Jr., Zoltán, Mariska and Antonio “Tony” Cimber. She shared Jayne Marie with her first husband, publicist Paul Mansfield, and Tony with her third husband, Italian movie director Matt Cimber.
How Did Jayne Mansfield Die?
Jayne died in a car accident in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the early morning hours on June 28, 1967. She was in the vehicle with her attorney and partner at the time, Sam Brody, three of her kids, her four dogs and the driver, 19-year-old Ronald B. Harrison. The car crashed into a tractor-trailer from behind when the trailer slowed down because of an approaching truck spraying mosquito insecticide fog that was flashing a red light.
All three adults — Jayne, the driver and Sam — died in the front seat along with two of the dogs, but Jayne’s children survived. The sustained minor injuries, though.
What Happened to Jayne Mansfield’s Children After Her Death?
Jayne’s daughter Mariska became the most famous name from her family. Best known for playing Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Mariska is an actress, producer and philanthropist. She has earned multiple accolades, including Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award, and she got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2013.
Like her half-sister Mariska, Jayne Marie went on to be an actress, and also a model. Following in her late mother’s footsteps, Jayne Marie appeared in Playboy, becoming the first model of a Playmate to be featured as a model in the magazine.
Most of Jayne’s other children have stayed out of the spotlight.
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