Kriti Mehrotra
Jayne Mansfield came into this world on April 19, 1933, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, as Vera Jayne Palmer, the only child of Vera Jeffrey Palmer and Herbert William Palmer. However, as explored in HBO Max’s ‘My Mom Jayne: A Film by Mariska Hargitay,’ she spent her formative years in New Jersey, where her attorney father sadly passed away when she was just 3 years old. Therefore, when she developed an interest in the entertainment industry, which soon grew into a determination for a career in the same, she did so with the unconscious intention of making her father proud.
How Did Jayne Mansfield Earn Her Money?
While it’s true that Jayne Mansfield lost her father to a heart attack in 1936, a father figure did enter into her life just 3 years later in the form of sales engineer Harry Lawrence Peers. Harry and Vera actually tied the knot that year before relocating the family to Dallas, Texas, for good, which is where the young girl found herself starting to dream about being a big Hollywood star one day. Little did she know she’d get unwavering support from her parents, with them even deciding to enroll her into ballroom dance lessons, violin lessons, and piano lessons to help her develop unique skills.
Jayne actually loved being on stage as a musician, so both violin and piano are something she never really stopped playing, even as she graduated from high school and got married in 1950. She was merely a 17-year-old polyglot (spoke several languages) when she tied the knot with Paul Mansfield on May 6, 1950, and 5 months later, they welcomed their first child into this world. Nevertheless, resolved not to let circumstances or society dictate her situation, she decided to continue pursuing her dreams by enrolling at Southern Methodist University (SMU) to study acting.
Less than a year later, in 1951, Jayne spent the summer in Los Angeles, California, to attend a semester at UCLA, just for her husband to not really be comfortable with the path she was on. Yet, although she withdrew her name from the Miss California contest and later moved to Austin, Texas, at his behest, she continued doing her best to make a name for herself in the industry. In fact, realizing that all she needed was a step in the door, she not only took up dramatics at the University of Texas at Austin but also started working as a nude art model, dance studio receptionist, and print model.
Things did change when Paul served in the Army Reserve during the Korean War, as Jayne suddenly found herself living in Georgia, but once everything was said and done, she moved to California in 1954. Her husband and their daughter were by her side initially, yet when the former realized that she was really serious about becoming an actress, he moved back to his hometown without her. Little did the single mother know she’d soon catch the eye of an agent – she did so while dabbling several jobs, including selling popcorn at the Stanley Warner Theatre, teaching dance at a local studio, selling candy at a movie theater, as well as modeling under the banner of Blue Book Model Agency.
Jayne soon colored her hair lighter and started wearing more fitted clothes because that’s what the demand was at the time, unaware it would land her a spot at Playboy Magazine. Her curvy figure, which was once deemed rather undesirable, suddenly became the most desired, and by 1955, she had landed her debut movie and a 7-year contract with Warner Bros. With this, combined with the kind of ditzy roles she was getting, her willingness to make public appearances for fans, and her open personal life, she became an unwavering sex symbol of the 1950s and early 1960s.
Jayne was also deemed the “smartest dumb blonde” because while she played the stereotypical role in several films, her public standing made it clear she was incredibly smart because she knew how to keep attention. As the years passed, though, her desire to become a serious actress started taking over, only for her rebrand to not be as successful as she had desired. Thus, the breakout star from Broadway’s ‘Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?’ started doing independent gigs to show off her amiability, real acting skills, and musical talents while also still taking up neo-noir sex comedy films.
Jayne Mansfield’s Earnings and Net Worth
When Jayne Mansfield tragically passed away in a horrific car accident at age 34 on June 29, 1967, she already had over 35 acting credits, 2 studio albums, and countless public appearances under her belt. This makes it clear that she had undeniably managed to not only establish a significant name for herself in the entertainment industry but also accumulate significant wealth for herself and her family. In fact, from what we can tell, although her initial Playboy as well as commercial appearances paid her a total of just around $300, things changed once she secured the Warner Bros. contract.
Jayne’s debut film was a low-budget drama called Female Jungle in early 1955, in which she had a small supporting role and was reportedly compensated $150. When she signed with Warner Bros., she was initially salaried at only $250 per week, yet as she grew in demand among fans and fellow studios alike, her earnings rose to $2,000 per week. By 1958, though, she was reportedly bagging $20,000–$25,000 either per week for her independent performances in clubs and private events or per episode for her television roles.
The same year, in 1958, Jayne also inherited more than $90,000 from her maternal grandfather and over $36,000 from her maternal grandmother, which only pushed her career further. In fact, from what we can tell, by the early 1960s, she was being paid $10,000 for a small public appearance, around $50,000 per week for independent work, and much more per episode for television as well as film roles. At the peak of her fame, she was also touring internationally and making regular appearances in Europe, expanding her income beyond Hollywood.
However, it’s imperative to note that the actress was also reportedly in debt owing to her extravagant, jet-setting lifestyle and alleged substance abuse issues, which dwindled a lot of her wealth. She was known for spending heavily on custom décor for her 40-room “Pink Palace” mansion on Sunset Boulevard, which became iconic but also a financial burden. So, taking into account all these aspects, along with the fact that she was a mother of 5, had two studio albums showcasing her musical abilities, owned a massive mansion with several personalized renovations, and more, her net worth at the time of her death was close to $20,000, which is around $200,000 in today’s money.
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