A wildly weird photo documentation of the stranger-than-fiction relationship between buxom blond glamour goddess Jayne Mansfield and the devilishly handsome High Priest of Satanism Anton LaVey.
ABOUT THE ARTIST: Walter Fischer was a German paparazzo and freelance photographer, based in Hollywood from 1957 to the 1970s, whose campy photos captured Jayne Mansfield and Satanist Anton LaVey.
Kenneth Anger's participation amplifies the "Hollywood Babylon" aspects of the book: scandal, notoriety, gossip, and the dark side of Hollywood. Both Hollywood Babylon (1975) and LeVey's occult bestseller, Satanic Bible (1976) are still in print and each has sold well over 500,000 copies.
PRESS & PROMO: A new documentary called Mansfield 66/67 released in early 2017 (from Room 237 director) and will draw attention to the relationship between Mansfield and LaVey (with Kenneth Anger, John Waters and others).
TRAPART BOOKS
California Infernal: Anton LaVey & Jayne Mansfield
As Portrayed by Walter Fischer
Foreword by Carl Abrahamsson, Alf Wahlgren. Introduction by Kenneth Anger.
Satanism and the silver screen: the bizarre friendship of Anton LaVey and Jayne Mansfield
Movie star Jayne Mansfield and notorious Satanist Anton LaVey met in 1966. Both were publicity conscious and made the most of the meetings, which evolved into a friendship. Almost always present was German paparazzo Walter Fischer, stationed in Hollywood and catering to image- and scandal-hungry photo magazines all over the world.
Fischer’s unique collection of photos takes us straight into the ritual chamber of the Church of Satan in LaVey’s infamous “black house” in San Francisco, as well as into Mansfield’s Hollywood “pink palace.” We also get to follow LaVey on excursions to his friend Forrest “Famous Monsters of Filmland” Ackerman, to Marilyn Monroe’s grave, to TV studios and back, to Satanic weddings and Zeena’s baptism at the Church of Satan HQ.
These were wild and narcissistic times in America. Few understood the power of media exposure better than Jayne Mansfield and Anton LaVey. Captured alone or together by master paparazzo Fischer, this devilishly handsome couple made headlines that still resonate today. The book contains an introduction by legendary filmmaker Kenneth Anger, and forewords by writer Carl Abrahamsson and collector Alf Wahlgren.
Featured image is reproduced from 'California Infernal: Anton LaVey & Jayne Mansfield.'
PRAISE AND REVIEWS
The Reprobate
David Flint
Fans of 1960s kitsch Satanism and cult movie icons (they don’t come much more iconic than Mansfield) will find this irresistible.
Bookforum
Albert Mobilio
...the images give off a gemutlich, familyalbum vibe despite the nudity, pentagrams, and skulls.
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Featured photograph—of Church of Satan founder Anton LaVey and 50s B-movie sex-pot/acolyte Jayne Mansfield at her over-the-top Mediterranean-style Hollywood mansion, the Pink Palace, in 1966 (the year they met) or 1967 (the year she died in one of the most notorious celebrity car crashes of all time)—is reproduced from California Infernal, Trapart’s Halloween staff favorite. According to LaVey, Mansfield thought the Church of Satan was “the greatest thing going.” He gave her instructions, made her a priestess and tutored her especially in witchcraft and love charms. According to paparazzi photographer Walter Fischer, whose photographs are collected here, Mansfield thought LaVey was a genius, but considered herself a Catholic to the end, telling him, “I am not a member of the black circle.” continue to blog
PROCLAMATION: At 9:00 PM on Tuesday, May 23, 1967 (the second year of our Satanic Lord) sorcerer and High Priest of the First Church of Satan, Anton Szandor LaVey, will perform the first Satanic baptism in history. The ceremony will take place in the ritual chamber of the First Church of Satan at 6114 California Street, San Francisco.
The baby girl, named Gloria Lilith Bach, a relative of the composer, was conceived in good old fashioned lust, and was ‘fathered by the Devil’. The baby was born on May 1, 1967 following the Satanic fertility rites celebrating Walpurgisnacht (Eve of May).
The mother, who is a priestess of the church, will serve as the nude altar for the ritual in which her child will be baptized by fire, earth, air, and water.
The purpose in the Satanic baptism is to instill earthly pleasure in the infant rather than cleanse her of the ‘Original Sin” which is the purpose of the truly blasphemous Christian baptism. There are millions of wonderful little children being born of healthy lust. The kids have been condemned as ‘sinful’ by the Christian Chruch for too long. It’s time they got a fair shake and a little ceremony for being as free and honest as only they can be.
Magical music for the ceremony will include ‘The Hymn to Satan,’ and will be provided by the organist of one of the largest cathedrals in San Francisco, who will be hooded to maintain his anonymity.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE SATANIC CHURCH – SK. 2-3583 continue to blog
FORMAT: Hbk, 8.25 x 9.75 in. / 152 pgs / 12 color / 130 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $39.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $53.95 GBP £35.00 ISBN: 9789198324310 PUBLISHER: Trapart Books AVAILABLE: 9/26/2017 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: WORLD
California Infernal: Anton LaVey & Jayne Mansfield As Portrayed by Walter Fischer
Published by Trapart Books. Foreword by Carl Abrahamsson, Alf Wahlgren. Introduction by Kenneth Anger.
Satanism and the silver screen: the bizarre friendship of Anton LaVey and Jayne Mansfield
Movie star Jayne Mansfield and notorious Satanist Anton LaVey met in 1966. Both were publicity conscious and made the most of the meetings, which evolved into a friendship. Almost always present was German paparazzo Walter Fischer, stationed in Hollywood and catering to image- and scandal-hungry photo magazines all over the world.
Fischer’s unique collection of photos takes us straight into the ritual chamber of the Church of Satan in LaVey’s infamous “black house” in San Francisco, as well as into Mansfield’s Hollywood “pink palace.” We also get to follow LaVey on excursions to his friend Forrest “Famous Monsters of Filmland” Ackerman, to Marilyn Monroe’s grave, to TV studios and back, to Satanic weddings and Zeena’s baptism at the Church of Satan HQ.
These were wild and narcissistic times in America. Few understood the power of media exposure better than Jayne Mansfield and Anton LaVey. Captured alone or together by master paparazzo Fischer, this devilishly handsome couple made headlines that still resonate today. The book contains an introduction by legendary filmmaker Kenneth Anger, and forewords by writer Carl Abrahamsson and collector Alf Wahlgren.
