Posted on 09/18/2006 7:50:16 PM PDT by Borges
LOS ANGELES - Mickey Hargitay, the actor and world champion bodybuilder who was married to 1950s sex siren Jayne Mansfield and whose daughter is Emmy-winning winning actress Mariska Hargitay, has died. He was 80.
Hargitay died Thursday in Los Angeles, according to a family statement issued Monday through publicist Gary Mantoosh. The cause of death was not released.
"Words cannot express how saddened we are by the loss of Mickey," the statement said. "At the same time, we are so grateful for who he was and is to all of us, and for the love he gave us in our lives. He will continue to be our source of inspiration and strength."
Born Miklos Hargitay in 1926, he emigrated from his native Hungary to the United States after World War II. He became interested in bodybuilding in the 1950s and was named Mr. Universe, Mr. America and Mr. Olympia in 1955.
"My dad's a bit of a superhero," Mariska Hargitay told the National Public Radio show "Fresh Air" last year.
He parlayed his perfect physique into a performing career when Mae West tapped him to be one of the musclemen in her stage show.
It was there that Hargitay met Mansfield, whom he married in 1957. That same year, he made his big-screen debut in "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue." He went on to star opposite his wife in three films: "The Loves of Hercules," "Promises! Promises!" and "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?"
The couple had three children together, including Mariska, before divorcing in 1964. Mansfield died in a car crash in 1967.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Hargitay in the 1982 TV movie "The Jayne Mansfield Story," offered his condolences and called Hargitay "a magnificent individual."
"Mickey was such an inspiration and always had such a positive attitude," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "He was a role model of mine for being a successful immigrant who came to this country and pursued his dreams."
Hargitay's career continued after his divorce with appearances in a half-dozen Italian films and horror flicks. He even guest-starred in a 2003 episode of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," the show in which his daughter Mariska plays a leading role.
When she won an Emmy for her work last month, Mariska tearfully thanked her father, "because he is the reason I'm standing here today."
Besides Mariska, survivors include his wife, Ellen, sons Mickey Jr. and Zoltan, and another daughter, Tina.
As DJ said torn down:
10100 Sunset Blvd. Beverly Hills. Jayne Mansfield Pink Palace. This pink mansion now owned by singer Englebert Humperdinck , was originally painted pink by 60's Sex Symbol Jayne Mansfield. This pink mansion has now become one of Sunset Boulevard's best known sights. Demolished in November 2002.
Thanks for the link
I recently moved back to the midwest from Brentwood. WHAAAAAAAA I'm homesick now for LA.
Sorry I missed this thread yesterday and didn't know about Mickey Hargitay's death until I saw it on TV just now.
Didn't know much about him "back in the day" but remember Jayne Mansfield well and have been a big fan of Mariska's since the first time I watched her on SVU. My condolences to the Hargitay family.
Oh, I had forgotten Mariska was on ER before L&O. Her character was such an airhead, not like Olivia on SVU. Was Clooney still on ER then? She was somebody's girlfriend.
Mark Greene's girlfriend. And yes, (C)looney was still on the show. Season 4, as I recall. Out on DVD now.
Thanks. I loved the other nurse - can't think of her name on the show - Juliana Margolies? I think I mangled that. Anyway, Mariska was *not* in her element on that one, IMO.
Carol Hathaway, played by Juliana Margullies...an absolutely adorable drop dead gorgeous woman...and right about my age, I think. She used to be the girlfriend of Ron Eldard, who played fireman "Shep" on the show, around Season 2.
Like I said previously - before the show turned into an in-kind contribution to the DNC, I used to watch the show every week. Many of the characters that I liked (Sherry Stringfield's Susan Lewis, Gloria Reuben's Jeannie Boulet, Anthony Edwards' Mark Greene, et.al) are gone. Sharif Atkins (Dr. Gallant) was KIA in Iraq late last season, which provided the perfect opportunity to throw in another gratuitous slam on the Iraq war, and it's just hard to keep interested, as a conservative, with any show that has both Danny Glover AND John Leguizamo on at the same time.
Why not bring in Michael Moore as a patient for bariatric surgery? Barbra Streisand as a singer in need of fixing her broken nose? Robin Williams seeking that wonder drug that all the druggies seem to want for free? May as well go all the way...
Like I keep telling the kids- the 70's didn't look like "That 70's Show" LOL
For a Hollywood star's home, it's actually rather tasteful.
I haven't watched it in 4-5 years, at least. Or however long CSI and Without a Trace have been on Thu nights, lol.
I thought so too. It had been built for Rudy Vallee in an ostentatious age of Hollywood.
I do the same when riding my bike down Hwy 90 through the Rigolets and Chef Pass going to Mississippi. Beautiful ride.
I'm not sure about the other two movies, but it was Tony Randall (best known as Felix in the tv series, The Odd couple) who starred opposite Mansfield in Rock Hunter. In fact, Randall played the title role of Rock Hunter. Mickey was in the movie, but all for a few minutes, and not even in a scene with Mansfield. He played her movie star boyfriend who was being interviewed on tv.
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