|Jayne Mansfield|Links|Magazine Covers|Message Board|News|Organizations|SVU|TV Appearances|Updates|
(Mariska's Mommy)
Jayne and Byron carefully devised a plan for Jayne to make an appearance at Howard Hughes press junket for the Jane Russell film Underwater. Miss Russell was not at this event, and the press was certainly prowling for something to shoot. Enter Jayne, in a skintight red lame one piece suit (incorrectly depicted in The Jayne Mansfield Story starring Loni Anderson), sunbathing by the pool fell into the pool, breaking her suit strap (a carefully devised plan). The blonde "came up bouncing" and the press scrambled for the best angle. This "splash" showed up in Variety on January 12, 1955, and proved her to be "worth her weight in cheesecake". This Underwater appearance also became a breakthrough for her, as the blonde was deluged with phone calls within the next couple of days.
A bidding war broke out between Howard Hughes and and Hal Willis of Warner Brothers. Jayne broke the war with a contract signed to Warner's. It was a less than lucrative deal, however, she made it, and she proved a very important lesson, publicity does pay off.
Also because of Jayne's big plunge, organizations all across the country were falling off their chairs to bestow her with beauty titles. Byron and Mansfield were more than happy to oblige them, and used these awards as her stepping stone throughout 1955. Some of the titles Jayne held:
Miss Negligee
Miss Nylon Sweater
Miss Freeway
Miss Electric Switch
Miss Geiger Counter
Miss 100% Pure Maple Syrup
Miss 4th of July
Miss Fire Prevention
Miss Tomato
This is only a short portion of the list of her "titles".