What happened to Jayne Mansfield's husband Mickey Hargitay? All about Mariska Hargitay’s parents

Jayne Mansfield, the 1950s and '60s Hollywood actress, is famous for being one of Hollywood's most famous sex symbols. But among all of her more notable relationships was with her second husband, Mickey Hargitay, a Hungarian bodybuilder, actor, and Mr. Universe winner.

Born Miklós Hargitay in Budapest in 1926, Mickey came from a sporting family. His father was an acrobat, and Mickey himself was good at soccer and speed skating. Following World War II, he emigrated to the US, working as a plumber and carpenter while bodybuilding.

He became Mr. Universe in 1955, attracting the attention of Mae West, who hired him for her risqué Las Vegas revue. It was there that he encountered Jayne Mansfield, who reportedly remarked after laying eyes on him, saying:

"I'll have a steak and the man on the left."

According to Grunge, they had chemistry from the get-go, and they got married in 1958 to become one of the most celebrated Hollywood couples. Mickey and Jayne lived in a Beverly Hills palace known as "The Pink Palace," equipped with a heart-shaped pool.

Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield appeared on the big screen in films like Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957) and Promises! Promises! (1963). The couple also had three children, Miklós Jr., Zoltan, and Mariska.

Mickey Hargitay passed away on September 14, 2006, due to multiple myeloma at the age of 80.

Mickey Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield’s divorce and their daughter, Mariska Hargitay’s statements about her parents

The couple’s marriage was strained by Jayne Mansfield's career pressures, reports of infidelity, and conflicts with Hollywood studios. They split up in 1964, but according to a report by Grunge, Mickey was a loyal friend to Jayne until the time of her death in a 1967 car accident.

After their divorce, Mickey Hargitay continued working as an actor, primarily in Italian horror movies such as Bloody Pit of Horror (1965). Later, he ventured into real estate and married for the third time in 1967, remaining with his third wife, Ellen Siano, until his death.

Mariska, born in 1964, was only three when her mother passed away. Adopted by Mickey and his wife, she went on to become an Emmy-winning actress, best known for playing Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU.

She frequently gives credit to her father for her strength and work ethic, deeming her father her. In an interview with Closer Weekly, she opened up about her dad's influence while growing up and said:

"The message I got from my father was that life is hard, but you just don’t quit... I’d get an audition and he’d say, 'How hard are you going to work for it?'"

Mariska Hargitay has recently discussed her lack of feelings and connection towards her mom, Jayne Mansfield since she lost her at a very young age.

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"This movie is a labor of love and longing. It’s a search for the mother I never knew, an integration of a part of myself I’d never owned, and a reclaiming of my mother’s story and my own truth," she stated.

Mariska is set to release a documentary titled My Mom Jayne on HBO in the month of June 2025. The documentary will supposedly explore Mansfield's public and private life through several unseen footage and interviews.

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