Jayne Mansfield, the Hollywood bombshell who died in an infamous car crash in 1967, may be best known for her stage and screen work, as well as her time as a Playboy playmate. But a newly uncovered clip from The Ed Sullivan Show highlights another of Mansfield’s myriad talents: classical violin.
Now available to view on YouTube, the May 26, 1957 performance was Mansfield’s violin television debut. Sporting her trademark blonde pincurls and form-fitting evening gown, Mansfield performed Vivaldi‘s “Concerto No. 6 in A Minor” with the accompaniment of a few backing musicians.
The rare video captures Mansfield near the peak of her career. After playing fictional film star Rita Marlowe on Broadway in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, Mansfield reprised her role in a film adaptation; that same year, she won her first Golden Globe, for New Star of the Year – Actress. The recognition paved the way for parts in 1960’s Too Hot to Handle and 1963’s Promises! Promises!, the latter of which made Mansfield the first high-profile American actress to do a nude scene in the era of so-called “talkies.”
Throughout the 1960’s, a slot on The Ed Sullivan Show‘s Sunday night showcase was one of the most coveted gigs in music, and had the potential to transform an artists career. Regular performers included The Temptations, The Supremes, and even The Beatles.
Earlier this year, The Ed Sullivan Show‘s official YouTube channel released another archival video highlighting a major star’s undersung talent: Lloyd Bridges. A video appeared on the channel in June depicting the stage and screen actor performing a medley of music from Guys and Dolls, including “I’ll Know” and “My Time of Day.” Bridges was best known outside his Broadway career for films like Sea Hunt, The Loner, Joe Forrester, and Paper Dolls.
Watch Jayne Mansfield play violin on The Ed Sullivan Show.
