Jan. 14, 1965 - Today may well go down in history as one of the memorable in our time. Today was the day Jayne Mansfield shunned publicity.
And because the blonde tried to slip away, she touched off an energetic skirmish between ex-husband Mickey Hargitay (left) and current husband Matt Cimber (right), who, before he took that name professionally as an off-Broadway director, was known as Thomas Ottaviano.
Mansfield staged her walkaway on Fifth Ave. near 72nd St.
The events leading up to a near-brawl started in the morning when Mickey, staying at the Hotel Drake, called Jayne at her apartment on E. 69th St. He asked to see his two sons, Zoltan, 4, and Mickey Jr., 6. A rendezvous was set up for 2:30 p.m. at 72nd St. and Fifth.
Jayne said that when she, Matt, and the youngsters got there, the intersection was crawling with photographers. The new, self-effacing Jayne said she didn’t want any pictures. What’s more, she didn’t want to help publicize Mickey’s new career as a European film actor. So, she took a walk — with her husband and sons.
Mickey, she said, grabbed Zoltan. Matt stepped in, and punches were thrown but not landed.
Said Matt: “I’m not scared of that muscleman. I come from Brooklyn. I can knock his capped teeth off. He belongs in a tree.”
Said Mickey: “Zoltan jumped in my arms, and Cimber swung at me. I told him: ‘If I swing at you, you’ll be sorry.’ A friend of mine told me to forget it, and I walked away. If I had punched him, he’d have sued me for attempted murder. Jayne’s a wonderful girl, but he’s impossible. She’s made of gold; her husband is equal to zero.”
Said Jayne: “Mickey’s not so tough. My male secretary beat him up once.”
Jayne had a few more words about her once idyllic mate.
“I have been receiving love letters from this fellow even though I’m happily married. He’s made many phone calls to me. Of course, I’ve shown the love letters to my husband.
“I paid $10,000 as a settlement for this big muscleman. I also paid up all his debts.”
She said she hoped he’d get himself a new girl “so he wouldn’t bother me anymore.”
Jayne and Cimber slipped away to Baja California, Mexico, last fall and were married. About her new marriage she said later: “I’ve never been so happy. I always dreamed about falling in love. I didn’t think love existed, but I was wrong. I never knew it was possible to be so happy.”

Support this project at patreon.com/realtime1960s
댓글