Mickey Hargitay & Jayne Mansfield

Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay's relationship began with a legendary quip by the blonde actor. As the story goes, in 1955, it was "Sextette" star Mae West who discovered Hargitay after spotting him on Strength and Health magazine's cover. She quickly asked him to become one of the "musclemen" for her nightclub act, to which he agreed.on May 13, 1956, Mansfield happened to be in New York (where West's act was located) and came to watch the show. When a server came to her table to ask what she would like, the star allegedly declared, "I'll have a steak and the man on the left." It turned out that the attraction was mutual. "It was difficult to miss her," recalled Hargitay."She was drinking a milkshake, which impressed me, too." The pair immediately clicked. "It's like a fairy tale," gushed Hargitay), and the rest, as they say, was history.

Mansfield never forgot about her lover back home while she was away. By the time she returned home, Hargitay was at the airport waiting for her, alongside her daughter, Jayne Marie (from Mansfield's first marriage). "I saw the man I love and I guess I just went crazy," recalled Mansfield .

Her affection was clearly enough for her bodybuilding beau, too, as in the car ride immediately after, he popped the question. As Mansfield explained, as the pair gushed over one another, Hargitay "casually" reached into his pocket, cheekily mentioning, "I've got a little something for you." The ring, according to W magazine, was "a 10 carat round diamond" valued at $25,000 at the time. "When I opened the package, I couldn't believe my eyes," recalled Mansfield. "I'm the happiest girl in the world!".

After Mickey Hargitay's November 1957 proposal, he and Jayne Mansfield began planning their A-list wedding. In January 1958, the pair began holding press events, declaring that their union would be "quiet" and that it's "the one time" that Mansfield wanted minimal publicity.The pair picked January 13, 1958, as their wedding date. According to Mansfield, it was because the couple initially met on the 13th, and also due to Hargitay's Mr. Universe win and American citizenship — both events which also happened to involve the number. The A-listers allegedly invited 100 guests (sent out on pink invites, Mansfield's trademark color, of course), many of which included celebrities. Hargitay bemoaned the idea of 100 guests but went with it, anyway.

After marrying Mickey Hargitay in 1958, the happy couple bought their first home together.Hargitay and Mansfield snagged a mansion at 10100 Sunset Boulevard in Holmby Hills for a cool $76,500. Although they lived in it for a mere five years, the A-listers transformed it from a Mediterranean-style abode to their "House of Love," better known as "The Pink Palace."

The Pink Palace captured Mansfield's brand perfectly. Per Architectural Digest, the home was repainted in pink and quartz grains, while "hearts and cupids became the prevailing motifs in the house." To top it off, Hargitay himself built his lady a heart-shaped swimming pool, spelling "I love you Jaynie" in gold mosaic at the bottom. "The Pink Palace became Mickey's expression of his love for Jayne,"

The happy couple didn't waste time after their 1958 honeymoon, making their on-stage debut at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas, earning $25,000 a week for four weeks."I was fortunate I was trained as an acrobat," explained Hargitay

He told Mansfield trained with him until she became "accomplished," as well. But talent wasn't enough for Mansfield.She also went to scope out her competitors. She just so happened to watch Marlene Dietrich's act at the Sahara Hotel and was mesmerized by the icon's stunning gown, which was covered in diamonds. As a result, Mansfield decided to "out-gown" Dietrich, demanding her own, which reportedly cost "between $25,000 and $30,000." Weighing a whopping 15 pounds, the dressmaker told the star to avoid letting Hargitay toss her around on stage. Of course, the pair ignored these instructions, resulting in $250 repairs each night.Nevertheless, "Tropicana Holiday," as it was called, was a hit, with the two stars returning to Vegas the following year for another show, this time at the Dunes Hotel. The establishment was also a step up for the A-listers, as it featured other big-name acts such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Judy Garland.

Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay had three children together, yet it's their daughter, Mariska Hargitay, who has seen the most comparable success as her parents today.

Sadly, Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay's relationship didn't last. As the years went on, the star traveled across the pond for more films — and more affairs. In 1962, during the production of the 1964's flick "Panic Button," the star embarked on a "passionate" romance with production manager Enrico Bomba, although at this point, she had filed for divorce from Hargitay, which came as a shock to him.The pair reconciled in 1963, but things didn't get better.In 1964, Mansfield filed for divorce again, announcing it to the public — and Hargitay, who was standing right next to her, unaware. She ultimately left her husband for director Matt Cimber.

While Mickey Hargitay's marriage to Jayne Mansfield heartbreakingly disintegrated, it doesn't mean the pair was on completely sour terms. "If you love a girl, you love her forever," Hargitay once mused.The same year the pair divorced, in 1964, Mansfield married director Matt Cimber, a marriage which lasted a mere two years.It turns out that Hargitay was there for his ex-wife as she struggled with her new marriage.During this time, Mickey was there always ... from the beginning to the end.

After Mansfield's life came to a tragic end with her untimely death in fatal car crash 1967, Hargitay still remembers his time with the blonde legend fondly. "It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.She was one of the greatest ladies in my life."Just a few hours before she dead, Mansfield called Hargitay while the travelers stopped at a gas station, yet an "angry voice" quickly got her off the phone (presumably Brody). " It was the last he had heard from her."As Hargitay further recalled through tears, later that evening, he had a visit from the state marshal at his door, who informed him that Mansfield had died. She was 34.

A few months before Mansfield's passing in June, Hargitay himself remarried Ellen Siano, whom he stayed with for 38 years until he died in 2006 at the age of 80.

Some movies they filmed together: Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (1957), The Loves of Hercules (1960), Promises! Promises! (1963).