I am, of course, speaking about the misunderstood condition of Jayne's body after the automobile accident that claimed her life. ... Police photos of Jayne at the scene of her death clearly illustrate this rumor to be false, The New York Times even contacted Jayne's undertaker, James Roberts, and published his denouncement of this vicious rumor. Yet, even today it persists in publications such as Details magazine (March 1999 'Mondo Hollywood' issue) and David Cronenberg's movie, Crash, which cannot be respected for perpetuating this hearsay.

Jayne Mansfield was romantically linked to Anton LaVey and was a member of the Church of Satan.

This issue is never addressed at any Jayne sites, so I've decided to approach it myself because I'm sure inquiring minds want to know. Tidbits of info are avialable here and there, but nothing very concise. This leads one to believe that perhaps there was a connection between the two but, in the interest of Jayne's public image, it is swept under the carpet. However, I do not believe that is the case. The version of the story which is most plausible is as follows. It has been asserted by both camps, Mansfield's and LaVey's (by his daughter Zeena).

A meeting was arranged between Mansfield and LaVey as part of a publicity stunt, ("The biggest backfire of a press stunt that she ever pulled." According to Jayne's press agent, Ray Strait.) Anton LaVey was apparently smitten with the actress, but chances that the feeling was mutual seem slim. In a 1967 interview Jayne said, "He had fallen in love with me and wanted to join my life with his. It was a laugh." And LaVey's publicist, Edward Webber, has even said that Mansfield ridiculed Anton by calling him on the phone and seductively teasing him while her friends listened in on the conversation.
So, it appears that her involvement with the Church of Satan was no more than a photo-shoot. It's also interesting to note that LaVey's public claims of an affair with Mansfield apparently began only after her death.

The Kennedy connection

This is an excerpt from the book, The Kennedys in Hollywood, by Lawrence J. Quirk. It portrays Jayne in a much different light than the other information I've provided. However, since I cannot confirm nor deny the legitimacy of the article, I have elected to post it at my site.