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The True Story Behind The Infamous Sophia Loren And Jayne Mansfield Photo From 1957

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The True Story Behind The Infamous Sophia Loren And Jayne Mansfield Photo From 1957

“She knew everyone was watching. She sat down. And now, she was barely… Listen.”

A photo from 1957 has become an internet sensation after it was recently recreated & shared on Facebook. It’s popular for multiple reasons, including Sophia Loren’s glance at Jayne Mansfield’s cleavage. The duo at the time achieved considerable success, which gave them an edge to attend events such as a dinner party at Romanoff’s restaurant in Beverly Hills.

via Facebook

In the photo, Mansfield, who sat between Loren & her dinner companion Clifton Webb rocked a satin dress with a plunging neckline. 

via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis

She was photographed at the table amid the dinner as Loren looked on at her revealing dress. Mansfield’s outfit was worn without a bra, and it appeared to expose one of her nipples in some photos. Perhaps, it was evident Loren was uncomfortable, especially as she was captured in images staring at Mansfield’s breasts.

via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis
via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis

More than one photographer, including Delmar Watson and Joe Shere, caught Loren glancing at Mansfield’s bust from the corners of her eyes.

via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis

Shere had shared the images hiding Mansfield’s exposed bosom, but II Giornale d’Italia printed them uncensored. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Loren described the incident: “Paramount had organized a party for me. All of the cinema was there, it was incredible. And then comes in Jayne Mansfield, the last one to come. For me, that was when it got amazing. She came right for my table.”

via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis
via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis
via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis

“She knew everyone was watching. She sat down. And now, she was barely… Listen. Look at the picture. Where are my eyes? I’m staring at her nipples because I am afraid they are about to come onto my plate.”

via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis
via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis

“In my face, you can see the fear. I’m so frightened that everything in her dress is going to blow—BOOM!—and spill all over the table.” While Loren is often asked to autograph a copy of the photograph, she admitted to refusing it as she prefers to separate herself from the incident. “I don’t want to have anything to do with that. And also out of respect for Jayne Mansfield because she’s not with us anymore.”

via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis
via Life Magazine / Joe Shere / Getty Images / Corbis

However, Loren, who attained success in Europe as an actress, was the most photographed actress at the 1995 Cannes Film Festival.

In the same year, 20th Century Fox had started to market Mansfield as the studio’s blonde bombshell successor to Marilyn Monroe after the success of the 1956 film The Girl Can’t Help It. Mansfield had also appeared in Playboy Magazine as the Playmate of the Month and was widely known for staging publicity stunts, such as when her top fell off in a pool when surrounded by journalists. 

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