Mickey Hargitay was an actor/bodybuilder who won the Mr. Universe bodybuilding title in 1955, and is often credited with popularizing the sport of bodybuilding. He was married to 1950s blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield, who died in a horrific auto accident in 1967.

Mickey was originally hired by Mae West to appear in her nightclub act, but his acting career really got off the ground with appearances in the films Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, Promises! Promises!, Lady Frankenstein and The Loves of Hercules. Additionally, he guest-starred on TV's The Wild, Wild West and his daughter's series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The story of his life with wife Jayne Mansfield, was told in the 1980 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Loni Anderson TV-movie The Jayne Mansfield Story. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called him an "inspirational force." "Mickey was such an inspiration and always had such a positive attitude." "When I came to this country in 1968, he was one of the first people I wanted to meet," recalled the actor-turned-politician who portrayed Mickey early is his acting career. "He was a role model of mine for being a successful immigrant who came to this country and pursued his dreams."

Following his career in entertainment, Mickey became a successful Southern California contractor and real estate investor.

He lived to see his daughter Mariska Hargitay win a Golden Globe in 2005, and an Emmy Award for her work on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. He was in the very same hospital (Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, in Los Angeles), being treated for cancer at the same time Mariska was there giving birth to his grandson, August Miklos Friedrich Hermann, June 28th, 2006. Mickey Hargitay died less than three months later, on September 14th, 2006.

Full or original name at birth: Miklós Hargitay

Date and place of birth: January 6, 1926, Budapest, Hungary*

Date, place and cause of death: September 14, 2006, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. (Multiple myeloma)

Note: Multiple myeloma is a form of cancer.

Marriage #1
Spouse: Mary Birge (divorced September 6, 1956)

Marriage #2
Spouse: Jayne Mansfield (m. January 13, 1958 - August 26, 1964) (divorced)
Wedding took place at the Wayfarer's Chapel, 5755 Palos Verdes Drive South, Palos Verdes, California, U.S.A.

Marriage #3
Spouse: Ellen Siano (m. 1967 - September 14, 2006) (his death)

Children
Sons: Miklos Jeffrey Hargitay (known as Mickey Hargitay, Jr.) (b. December 21, 1958, at 5:00 a.m., St. John's Hospital, Santa Monica, California)
Zoltan Anthony Hargitay (b. August 1, 1960, St. John's Hospital, Santa Monica, California)

Daughters: Tina Hargitay (b. 1949) (his daughter with first wife Mary)
Mariska Hargitay (b. January 23, 1964, St. John's Hospital, Santa Monica, California) (his daughter with Jayne Mansfield)

* A couple of sources report October 9th as Mickey's date of birth, but we've found no evidence to substantiate that claim.