Jayne Mansfield: The Lady in Waiting

Seaviewer

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
9
 
Awards
20
Are you sure?
Checked Wikipedia. Apparently it's Diana Dors. I know the Beatles did love Jayne's film The Girl Can't Help It. I must have put 2 and 2 together and got 5. :bump:
 

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
Checked Wikipedia. Apparently it's Diana Dors. I know the Beatles did love Jayne's film The Girl Can't Help It. I must have put 2 and 2 together and got 5. :bump:
Yeah, I checked Wikipedia and they're saying it's Diana Dors. Funnily enough, it doesn't look like Jayne or Diana.
 

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
Time stamp: 2:45 -- 13:37

Air date: April 19, 1962

Jayne (on her 29th birthday) and Mickey Hargitay appear on an episode of TELL IT TO GROUCHO, a gimmicky game show-talk show-type thing that I'm sure I've heard of before. Jayne's early-60s bouffant is actually quite flattering to her here, where in some pictures and TV appearances it was not.

Jayne and Mickey come to tell Groucho about their home, their children, and their almost zoo-level amount of animals. The money the two win from a little game they play with Groucho was donated to the American Cancer Society.

There are a few references made towards Jayne's figure, an attribute cemented into her public image well before 1962. Groucho makes a joke about having enough room to stand in Jayne's presence (probably a tiny nod to their bit together at the end of 1957's WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER?). Groucho asks Mickey his measurements, and based on his reply, Groucho responds, "Who do you think you are, Jayne Mansfield?"

There is a nod mentioned towards the February 1962 tragedy Jayne and Micky experienced down in the Bahamas, I believe. The boat the two were on capsized and for like two days, Jayne and Mickey were feared for death. Some dismissed the incident as a publicity stunt, while some, such as TV's Hy Gardner, came to their defense.

On TELL IT TO GROUCHO, Marx makes a joke about the incident, saying, "Jayne, I knew you wouldn't drown," an obvious innuendo to her breasts saving her like a life jacket.

Anyway, here you are for you enjoyment.

 

Seaviewer

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
9
 
Awards
20
Yeah, I checked Wikipedia and they're saying it's Diana Dors. Funnily enough, it doesn't look like Jayne or Diana.
It's actually a waxwork bust. The rest of the figure must have been added by an artist.
TELL IT TO GROUCHO, a gimmicky game show-talk show-type thing that I'm sure I've heard of before.
I'm a bit of a Marx aficionado but I haven't heard of it either. It looks like an attempt to capitalise on the chat segments of You Bet Your Life.
 

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
I re-watched THE WAYWARD BUS (1957) today, after having seen it once before many moons ago. There is currently quite a crisp print available on YouTube, especially for a movie that has been tied up in legal chaos for the past sixty years. Wasn't there a Twilight Time Blu-ray release put out one time?

First, I want to say that I've always liked movies with multiple intertwining characters and storylines, so THE WAYWARD BUS is right up my alley. Jayne plays Camille Oakes, a hard-bitten call girl fleeing California for San Juan, Mexico. I'd say this film offers one of Jayne's finest dramatic performances, especially from the peak of her career. She was touted for this movie when she first signed with Fox in May 1956, even before she made THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT. Jayne's performance received good reviews in 1957, and she won a Golden Globe Award for "New Star of the Year", beating Natalie Wood and Carroll Baker.

THE WAYWARD BUS is a steamy melodrama, chopped full of juicy storylines – well, for 1957 standards. Alice and Johnny Chicoy (Joan Collins and Rick Jason) own a bus stop, but they have a tumultuous relationship, which isn't helped by Alice's drinking and Johnny's roaming eye. I think Joan Collins is completely miscast as a pushing-forty-something-year-old alcoholic. The role would've been better filled had Fox went with Linda Darnell, a big star for the studio in the 1940s, who tested a few different times for the part. Joan is just simply too young and frankly too British to effectively play the character. On the flipside, I think Rick Jason is much better cast as the long-suffering husband who is hopelessly in love with his wife, even if he is growing tired of her behavior. I don't understand why Jason didn't do more as an actor—he was handsome, young, and talented and seems as if he could've found his place among the actors spinning around Hollywood in the late 1950s.

Also, in the ongoing story is traveling salesman Ernest Horton (Dan Dailey), who has an eye for Mansfield's Camille. I've always enjoyed Dan Dailey in the movies I've seen him in, even if I fall short of calling myself a true fan of him. The Pritchard family is also there for ride—Elliott (Larry Keating), the tired father, Bernice (Kathryn Givney), the fussy mother, and Mildred (Dolores Michaels), their man-crazy daughter, who has an eye for Johnny Chicoy. Everybody's got an eye for somebody else in this movie. Dolores Michaels has been said to have "the sexiest scene in the movie" by many critics, but I won't spoil that scene for people that have not scene the movie yet. Apparently, the scene as written wasn't approved by the censors, so director Victor Vicas shot two different versions of it. Other characters include Norma (Betty Lou Keim), a waitress, Pimples (Dee Pollock), Johnny's hired hand, and businessman Van Brunt (Will Wright).

But this is a Jayne Mansfield thread. You cannot call her the star of THE WAYWARD BUS because that just isn't how this story is structured, but she does have significant screen time. The script and her role certainly require more of her than most of her movies would throughout her career. I think it was good for Fox to push her into a more dramatic part after THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT publicized her "dumb blonde" image. The only issue was, despite her performance and good notices, Fox, or any other studio for that matter, just didn't see Jayne Mansfield as the type to carry dramatic parts. Her other four movies for Fox were comedies and played right into her light-headed sex symbol persona. But, in THE WAYWARD BUS, you don't hear any breathy talk (well, maybe just a little) and there aren't any high-pitched squeals or giggling.

Outside of Mansfield, I'd say THE WAYWARD BUS is an enjoyable little movie. It is exactly what I like, even though I can realize that it won't be to everyone's liking. But what movies are?

Go and watch it. Let me know what you think.

1719602284541.png

 

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
THE WILD, WILD WORLD OF JAYNE MANSFIELD (1968) is a tacky, almost uncomfortable documentary. Mansfield started filming it in 1964, and production continued sporadically until her death in June 1967. "Jayne" dubs the footage, but it's actually a voice actress because the real Jayne had already died by the time the editing began on this film.

PS: this isn't the complete documentary.

 

Snarky Oracle!

Telly Talk Supreme
LV
8
 
Awards
21
Tony Randall once said that Mansfield's "entire career was based on spoofing Marilyn Monroe", adding that "she didn't take herself too seriously, and she was out for laughs".

Tony Randall (who looked at me once and smiled as I was coming out of the subway at Rockefeller Center -- yes, Randall was headed down to the subway) was probably generous in his comments about Mansfield partly because he was very critically dismissive of Marilyn's "unprofessionalism" and her chronic lateness.

1265dd8f73c4e6372db1a9616c2bd705.jpg
 
Last edited:

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
Tony Randall (who looked at me once and smiled as I was coming out of the subway at Rockefeller Center -- yes, Randall was headed down to the subway) was probably generous in his comments about Mansfield partly because he was very critically dismissive of Marilyn's "unprofessionalism" and her chronic lateness.

1265dd8f73c4e6372db1a9616c2bd705.jpg
You know, I don't believe I've ever heard Tony Randall say anything about his experience of working with Marilyn. But I'm sure I just haven't seen the right documentary or interview. I've only seen Randall in the A&E "Loves & Kisses" biography on Mansfield.
 

Crimson

Telly Talk Enthusiast
LV
2
 
Awards
9
Last night, I watched the HBO doc MY MOM, JAYNE by Mariska Hargitay. Although well known that Mariska is Jayne's daughter, something I hadn't noticed: she rarely ever spoke publicly about her mom beyond maybe some vague pleasantries. In the doc, she admits to have no memories of Jayne -- she was only 3 when Jayne died -- and also to having grown up embarrassed by Jayne's public image and the sordidness of Jayne's later years. The doc is an investigation to better understand Jayne's life and career, including interviews with all of her other children and some associates. I was pretty well versed on the details of Jayne's life, but this added a lot of context. Surprising revelations and family secrets abound! The doc only alludes to some of the seedier elements of Jayne's last years and only fleeting references to her heavy drinking, but one can hardly expect her daughter to want to dwell on those things.

 

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
Last night, I watched the HBO doc MY MOM, JAYNE by Mariska Hargitay. Although well known that Mariska is Jayne's daughter, something I hadn't noticed: she rarely ever spoke publicly about her mom beyond maybe some vague pleasantries. In the doc, she admits to have no memories of Jayne -- she was only 3 when Jayne died -- and also to having grown up embarrassed by Jayne's public image and the sordidness of Jayne's later years. The doc is an investigation to better understand Jayne's life and career, including interviews with all of her other children and some associates. I was pretty well versed on the details of Jayne's life, but this added a lot of context. Surprising revelations and family secrets abound! The doc only alludes to some of the seedier elements of Jayne's last years and only fleeting references to her heavy drinking, but one can hardly expect her daughter to want to dwell on those things.

I want to watch this.
 

ClassyCo

Telly Talk Warrior
LV
5
 
Awards
11
Last night, I watched the HBO doc MY MOM, JAYNE by Mariska Hargitay. Although well known that Mariska is Jayne's daughter, something I hadn't noticed: she rarely ever spoke publicly about her mom beyond maybe some vague pleasantries. In the doc, she admits to have no memories of Jayne -- she was only 3 when Jayne died -- and also to having grown up embarrassed by Jayne's public image and the sordidness of Jayne's later years. The doc is an investigation to better understand Jayne's life and career, including interviews with all of her other children and some associates. I was pretty well versed on the details of Jayne's life, but this added a lot of context. Surprising revelations and family secrets abound! The doc only alludes to some of the seedier elements of Jayne's last years and only fleeting references to her heavy drinking, but one can hardly expect her daughter to want to dwell on those things.

I finally watched this!

I thought it was a very well-made documentary, I enjoyed Mariska's insights, and I liked the interviews with her other siblings. I've seen interviews with Jayne Marie before, but it was good to see ones with Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, too. I can't remember, was their youngest brother, Antonio, interviewed as well? I'm wanting to say no.

There were family secrets I enjoyed hearing, but I won't spoil them for people that want to watch the documentary blind to the revelations.

I've done a lot of reading about Jayne over the years, but I will say this documentary gave me some new information that I wasn't expected to get.

Y'all go watch it!
 

rayray

Telly Talk Active Member
LV
1
 
Awards
5
I finally watched this!

I thought it was a very well-made documentary, I enjoyed Mariska's insights, and I liked the interviews with her other siblings. I've seen interviews with Jayne Marie before, but it was good to see ones with Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, too. I can't remember, was their youngest brother, Antonio, interviewed as well? I'm wanting to say no.

There were family secrets I enjoyed hearing, but I won't spoil them for people that want to watch the documentary blind to the revelations.

I've done a lot of reading about Jayne over the years, but I will say this documentary gave me some new information that I wasn't expected to get.

Y'all go watch it!
I also thought it a well-made tribute to her mother. After reading every bio I could over the decades, this documentary definitely gave ,e a view of Jayne from her children's perspective which was substantive, complex and loving.
 
Top