Hungarian bodybuilder and actor Mickey Hargitay, dead at 80

By Stone Martindale Sep 19, 2006, 2:19 GMT

LOS ANGELES - Hungarian born Mickey Hargitay, the actor and world champion bodybuilder who was married to 1950s blonde star Jayne Mansfield and whose daughter is Emmy-winning actress Mariska Hargitay, has died. He was 80 years old. The cause of death was not released.

Hargitay died Thursday in Los Angeles, according to a family statement issued Monday through publicist Gary Mantoosh.

"Words cannot express how saddened we are by the loss of Mickey," the statement said. "At the same time, we are so grateful for who he was and is to all of us, and for the love he gave us in our lives. He will continue to be our source of inspiration and strength."

Born Miklos Hargitay in 1926, he emigrated from his native Hungary to the United States after World War II. He became interested in bodybuilding in the 1950s and was named Mr. Universe, Mr. America and Mr. Olympia in 1955.

"My dad's a bit of a superhero," Mariska Hargitay told the National Public Radio show "Fresh Air" last year.

Hargitay and Mansfield had three children together before divorcing in 1964. Mansfield died in a car crash in 1967.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Hargitay in the 1982 TV movie "The Jayne Mansfield Story," offered his condolences and called Hargitay "a magnificent individual."

"Mickey was such an inspiration and always had such a positive attitude," Schwarzenegger said in a statement. "He was a role model of mine for being a successful immigrant who came to this country and pursued his dreams."

When Mariska Hargitay won an Emmy for her work last month, she was overwhelmed with emotion and tearfully thanked her father, "because he is the reason I'm standing here today."

She paid similar tribute to him at last year's Golden Globes, saying: "You are my hero. You've taught me not only by your word but by your example, Dad, and I love you."