Jayne Mansfield struggled to gain fame
Image credit: Too Hot To Handle
Jayne Mansfield had to claw her way to the top. Her very first attempts to launch an acting career were unsuccessful. She had disastrous auditions for both Paramount and Warner Bros. and was forced to work at a movie theater in order to make ends meet. In the 1950s, her inherent sexiness and bombshell figure was considered “too sexy” for audiences and her modeling career was stifled. She eventually landed a small part in three 1955 films: Pete Kelly’s Blues, Hell on Frisco Bay and Illegal, and signed a contract with Warner Bros.
She also caused quite a stir for a few wardrobe mishaps, including one where her top fell off while swimming in a pool surrounded by paparazzi and journalists. Whoops!
