Zoom

Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn't Help It

Name: Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn't Help It
Brand: University Press of Kentucky
SKU: 9780813180953
Price: 25.99 USD
Availability: InStock

$25.99 $34.95

Discount: $8.96 (26%)

Hurry Up! Only 4 Left in Stock!

Out of stock >

Guarantee safe & Secure checkout

Availability: Only few left!

Contributors:

Eve Golden

Publisher:

University Press of Kentucky

Binding:

Hardcover

Book Category:

Biography & Autobiography, Performing Arts

Book Subcategory:

Entertainment & Performing Arts, Film, Comedy

Series:

Screen Classics

Shipping & Return +

The product is eligible for a complimentary return within 30 days from the date of purchase. Furthermore, individual items are shipped within 24 hours of receiving the order.

Rating and Reviews +

Specifications +

Release Date:

2021-06-29

ISBN 13:

9780813180953

Weight:

1.94 lbs

Size:

9.37 x 6.46 x 1.65 inches

Pages:

502

Mint Condition +

product description

Description

Jayne Mansfield (1933-1967) was driven not just to be an actress but to be a star. One of the most influential sex symbols of her time, she was known for her platinum blonde hair, hourglass figure, outrageously low necklines, and flamboyant lifestyle. Hardworking and ambitious, Mansfield proved early in her career that she was adept in both comic and dramatic roles, but her tenacious search for the spotlight and her risqu promotional stunts caused her to be increasingly snubbed in Hollywood.

In the first definitive biography of Mansfield, Eve Golden offers a joyful account of the star Andy Warhol called "the poet of publicity," revealing the smart, determined woman behind the persona. While she always had her sights set on the silver screen, Mansfield got her start as Rita Marlowe in the Broadway show Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?. She made her film debut in the low-budget drama Female Jungle (1955) before landing the starring role in The Girl Can't Help It (1956). Mansfield followed this success with a dramatic role in The Wayward Bus (1957), winning a Golden Globe for New Star of the Year, and starred alongside Cary Grant in Kiss Them for Me (1957). Despite her popularity, her appearance as the first celebrity in Playboy and her nude scene in Promises Promises (1963) cemented her reputation as an outsider.

By the 1960s, Mansfield's film career had declined, but she remained very popular with the public. She capitalized on that popularity through in-person and TV appearances, nightclub appearances, and stage productions. Her larger-than-life life ended sadly when she passed away at age thirty-four in a car accident.

Golden looks beyond Mansfield's flashy public image and tragic death to fully explore her life and legacy. She discusses Mansfield's childhood, her many loves -- including her famous on-again, off-again relationship with Mikl s "Mickey" Hargitay -- her struggles with alcohol, and her sometimes tumultuous family relationships. She also considers Mansfield's enduring contributions to American popular culture and celebrity culture. This funny, engaging biography offers a nuanced portrait of a fascinating woman who loved every minute of life and lived each one to the fullest.

About the Author

Eve Golden is the author of numerous theater and film biographies, including Anna Held and the Birth of Ziegfeld's Broadway, The Brief, Madcap Life of Kay Kendall, and John Gilbert: The Last of the Silent Film Stars.

Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn't Help It

Description

Helen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziegfeld's Last Star

Helen Morgan: The Original Torch Singer and Ziegfeld's Last Star

The Warner Brothers

The Warner Brothers

The Magic Hours: The Films and Hidden Life of Terrence Malick

The Magic Hours: The Films and Hidden Life of Terrence Malick

Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood's Real-Life Tough Guy

Lawrence Tierney: Hollywood's Real-Life Tough Guy

A Front Row Seat: An Intimate Look at Broadway, Hollywood, and the Age of Glamour

A Front Row Seat: An Intimate Look at Broadway, Hollywood, and the Age of Glamour

Recently Viewed Products

Recently viewed products

Secure Payment

Online Offers

Quick Refunds

Curated Items