Tate Family History & Genealogy

Sharon Tate Born January 24, 1943 in Dallas, Texas, USA Died August 9, 1969 in Benedict Canyon, Beverly Crest, Los Angeles, California, USA (homicide) Birth Name Sharon Marie Tate Height 5' 6" (1.68 m) Sharon's early life was one of constant moving as her father served in the military. When she lived in Italy, she was voted "Homecoming Queen" of her high school. After being an extra in a few Italian films, Sharon headed to Hollywood where she would again start as an extra. Her first big break came when she was cast as the shapely bank secretary, "Janet Trego", in the television series The Beverly Hillbillies (1962) (1963-1965). In 1967, she would meet her future husband, director Roman Polanski, on the set of the English film The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967). Sharon's big role would be that same year when she was the starlet in Valley of the Dolls (1967). With her marriage to Roman, her life became one of parties, travel and meeting influential movie people. She would appear as a red-haired beauty in the spy spoof The Wrecking Crew (1969) working with Dean Martin and the equally beautiful Elke Sommer. Sharon was 2 months pregnant with her first child while filming in Italy and France in a funny Italian comedy movie "Una su Tredici" (Twelve Plus One (1969)) in February 1969. Sharon Tate won the first of many beauty contests before her first birthday. Her looks, charm, and grace would be her passport into the acting world, initially as an extra in movie shot on location in Italy, where her army officer father was posted in the early 1960s. Commercials and modeling assignments followed, although it was unclear whether she had any acting talent. Even so, Filmways thought she had potential and signed her to a seven-year deal. As part of the grooming process, Tate appeared in the popular TV comedy show The Beverly Hillbillies (1962), sporting a dark wig to avoid too much attention. By 1966 Filmways decided it was time to launch her movie career, and she traveled to Europe to play, fittingly, a bewitching young girl in the occult thriller Eye of the Devil (1966). Director J. Lee Thompson said she had "star projection." More horror followed in the shape of The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), this time with tongue firmly in cheek. Romance blossomed between Sharon and the movie's writer-director Roman Polanski, with the actress cutting her ties with former love, celebrity hair stylist Jay Sebring. It was amicable parting, and Sebring remained a close friend. Tate and Polanski married in England in January 1968. By then she had added the comedy beach farce Don't Make Waves (1967) and an adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls (1967). Shortly after in 1969 she discovered that she was pregnant with a baby boy. She went to Italy and France to make a funny Italian comedy movie "Una su Tredici" (Twelve Plus One (1969)) and returned in July; Polanski had business in London. On August 9, 1969 Sharon, Jay Sebring, and 2 other house guests dined together at El Coyote. Later that evening a pregnant Sharon Tate, her three guests and another person were murdered by Charles Mansons followers Charles Watson, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel. Today Manson is dead and his living followers remain behind bars. Spouse (1) Roman Polanski (20 January 1968 - 9 August 1969) ( her death) Trade Mark (2) Soft, lilting voice Large, distinctive brown eyes Trivia (36) Had enormous brown eyes and a dazzling smile. At the time of her death, she was known as one of the most beautiful women in Hollywood. Buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California. Drove a 1967 red Ferrari with tags # VMP659. In high school, she was a cheerleader, baton twirler, star basketball player, and played Juliet in the school production of "Romeo and Juliet." She was also voted Homecoming Queen and Senior Prom Queen. She was also on Student Council. The house at 10050 Cielo Drive, rented by Tate and Roman Polanski at the time of the murders, was demolished in 1994. Was crowned Sophomore Princess at Columbia High School in 1958. Lived in Richland, Washington from the 1955 to the fall of 1959 and attended Chief Joseph Junior High School (now Chief Joseph Middle School) from September of 1955 to June of 1958, and Columbia High School (now Richland High School) from September of 1958 to October of 1959. Was very close to her younger sisters Debra Tate, born November 6, 1952, and Patricia Tate, born October 30, 1957, and died June 3, 2000. Her parents' names are Paul James Tate and Doris Gwendolyn Willett. They were married on January 25, 1942. Her mother was born on January 19, 1924 and died on July 10, 1992. Her favorite lip makeup was vaseline. She kept little jars of it in her car. Spent her junior year of high school in three different schools: Columbia High School in Richland, Washington, from September to late fall 1959; Irvin High School in El Paso, Texas, from late fall 1959 to April 1960; and Vicenza American High School in Vicenza, Italy, from April to June 1960. She graduated from Vicenza American High School in 1961. Born at 5:47 pm-CST on a Sunday. In 1959 she was the winner of 5 different beauty pageants: Miss Frontier Days, Miss Richland, Miss Tri-Cities, Miss Water Follies, and Miss Auto-Rama. Lived in Pasadena, Texas from 1948 to 1955 and attended St. Pius V Catholic School and South Shaver Elementary School. When the house was demolished in 1994, Trent Reznor having used the house to record his 8th Halo album 'The Downward Spiral (1994)' alledgedly took the 'Pig' door and used it for his studio in Louisiana. Was a distant cousin of Bo Brinkman, Dakota Brinkman, Dennis Quaid, and Randy Quaid. Auditioned for the role of Liesl in The Sound of Music (1965) that went to Charmian Carr. Sharon became close friends with her Valley of the Dolls (1967) costars, Patty Duke and Barbara Parkins. Parkins later served as Sharon's Maid of Honor when she married Roman Polanski in 1968. Last book she read was Thomas Hardy's "Tess of the d'Urbervilles" which she convinced Roman Polanski would make a great film one day. Polanski's film Tess (1979) is dedicated simply "For Sharon". Her character, 'Freya Carlson', in The Wrecking Crew (1969) was the inspiration for 'Felicity Shagwell' in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999). Was originally cast in the role of "Billie Jo" on Petticoat Junction (1963), but she walked away from the show on advice from her manager (Martin Ransohoff). He didn't feel it was a good launching pad for her career. A January 25, 1965, brief in Daily Variety announced that she would play the lead, on loan from Filmways, in producer Sy Weintraub's Tarzan and the Valley of Gold (1966). The role eventually went to Nancy Kovack. Her friend Christopher Jones was emotionally devastated by her August 9th, 1969 murder by the acolytes of Charles Manson. Jones suffered what he described as a "nervous breakdown" and abandoned his acting career. A fixture on Hollywood's social scene, cohorts included Ava Roosevelt, Carrie White, Terry Melcher, Mia Farrow, John Phillips, Michelle Phillips, Barbara Parkins, Julie Christie, Laurence Harvey, Jacqueline Bisset, Gene Gutowski, Bruce Lee, Joan Collins, Patty Duke, Richard Sylbert, Jane Fonda, Warren Beatty, Jim Morrison, Wende Wagner, Elke Sommer, Ingrid Pitt, Sheilah Wells, Iain Quarrier, Candice Bergen, Suzanna Leigh, Peter Sellers, Joanna Pettet, Steve McQueen, Jack Nicholson, Roddy McDowall and Cass Elliot. Received "introducing" designation in the credits of two films. Internationally with Eye of the Devil (1966) and domestically in Don't Make Waves (1967), both produced by her mentor, Martin Ransohoff. Spoke fluent Italian. She was 5'6" tall, wore a size 6 dress in 1960's sizing and a size 6B shoe. Personal Quotes (8) My whole life has been decided by fate. I've never planned anything that's happened to me. Sexiness is all in the eye of the beholder. I think it should be. Absolutely. My sex appeal, whatever it might be, isn't obvious . . . at least to me. My definition of love is being full. Complete. It makes everything lighter. Beauty is something you see. Love is something you feel. Everything that's realistic has some sort of ugliness in it. Even a flower is ugly when it wilts, a bird when it seeks its prey, the ocean when it becomes violent. I'm very unpredictable. Very, very impulsive. Extremely. Absolutely! Sometimes I don't know what I want to do from one day to the next. I can't enjoy anything premeditated; I just do it as I feel it. But whatever I do is motivated by honesty. I'm one of those mad, irrational characters who simply loves men. I love them because they're men. Women, ...I don't like to compete against them or play games. It's a waste of time. [on her husband, Roman Polanski] Roman is such a beautiful, mad human being. Sometimes things are difficult, sometimes good. But it makes life twice as interesting. I honestly don't understand the big fuss made over nudity and sex in films. It's silly. On TV, the children can watch people murdering each other, which is a very unnatural thing, but they can't watch two people in the very natural process of making love. Now, really, that doesn't make any sense, does it?

Opal Lorene (Tate) Hood was born on February 17th, 1927 in Crosbyton, Texas, to Lewis Young Tate (1899 - 1982) and Vie Bacon (1904 - 1928). Her father was born in Texas and her mother was born in Oklahoma. Opal had three siblings: J.L., born 1921, Velma, born 1923, and Mary Margurette, born 1925. She also had three half siblings, including Lillian Mae Tate, born 1932. Opal Tate married Leamon Floyd Hood (1921 - 2003) on August 22nd, 1942 in Hood, Texas. They had two children: one son, Ricky, born 1954, and one daughter, Dyane. Opal died at the age of 66 on Tuesday, May 28th, at home in Lake Worth, Texas. She was survived by her husband, son, daughter, two sisters, Tricia and LIllian, five grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She was buried in Laurel Land Memorial Park in Fort Worth, Texas. See Opal L Hood: Obituary.

Herta Tate was born to Earl Tate, who was born in Mississippi in 1929 and passed away in 2022. Unfortunately, Herta died at the age of 29 due to the actions of her estranged husband, Peter Ray Caraway, who was 40 years old at the time. Peter was convicted of stabbing Herta to death. Their relationship had only lasted for 2 years, with approximately 1 and a half years of marriage. Peter had a long history of mental illness and a criminal record, and was sentenced to 48 years in prison for second-degree murder and a crime of violence. Fortunately, Herta's 9-month-old baby boy was with her parents at the time of the murder, but it is unknown who the father of the child is. Herta's murder was featured on an episode of "Homicide Hunter" in 2015 and is periodically shown on the Investigation Discovery (ID) television channel. The Caraway case included troubling system interventions prior to Herta's murder, as Peter had an extensive criminal history and had attempted suicide twice. He had also been involved in domestic violence incidents in past relationships. His first wife had him arrested in Washington State for domestic assault, and she was also a chronic schizophrenic. Additionally, a woman he had dated and had sex with reported a brutal incident involving him. They had gone out together and drank heavily, and she had passed out while fully clothed in his home. The next morning, she noticed marks on her breasts and arms that looked like injection sites, and her breasts were extremely sore. Two years later, doctors discovered seven needles in her left breast and one in her right breast. She reported the incident to the police, but the officer told her that the statute of limitations had expired and there was nothing she could do. For an official account of Herta's murder and the circumstances surrounding it, please refer to the Offical report about Herta's murder at Offical report about Herta's murder:.

Mark Richard Tate was born to Richard Donald Tate (1940 - 1980) and Kathleen Mary Hudella (born 1948). His father was born in Minnesota. He had four siblings: one sister and three brothers. When he was only 16 years old, Mark was driving a car with three teen-age passengers: two fourteen year old girls and a 15 year old boy. Trying to negotiate a curve at 90 miles per hour, the car crashed, killing Mark and the two girls. The 15 year old boy was seriously injured and remained in the hospital for two months. See Hastings students grieve for classmates for a contemporaneous article about the crash and its effect on the community. Later, another 16-year-old boy was charged with furnishing alcohol to minors. Although Mark was under the legal limit, he had been drinking. See Boy to appear in court on alcohol charges for the complete story.

Dolly Ruby Ellen (Lindorff) Tate of Strathmerton, Moira Shire County, VIC Australia was born on June 9, 1915 in Lismore, Corangamite Shire County to Theodore Julius Peter Lindorff and Edith Garrett Lindorff. She had siblings Lavina Evelyn Lindorff, Herbert Albert Lindorff, and Bertha Alice Lindorff. Dolly Tate died at age 88 years old on April 29, 2004 in Strathmerton, Moira Shire County.

Grace Mae (Tate) Yeaman was born on September 22, 1910 in Sutherlin, Virginia United States, and died at age 86 years old on December 15, 1996. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Grace Mae (Tate) Yeaman .

Josiah Tate of Scotland United Kingdom was born in 1760 in Dumfries, Dumfries and Galloway County, and was the father of Sarah (Tate) Dowey. Josiah Tate died at age 75 years old in 1835.

Sarah (Tate) Dowey of Romsey, Macedon Ranges Shire County, VIC Australia was born in 1798 in Northern Ireland United Kingdom to Josiah Tate. She married Henry Dowey on August 11, 1831 in Aghalee, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon County, and they were married until Henry's death on November 12, 1883. She had children Catherine (Dowey) Johnstone, Joseph Dowey, and Sarah Jane (Dowey) Wilson. Sarah Dowey died at age 97 years old on July 26, 1896 in Macedon Ranges Shire County, VIC Australia, and was buried at Lancefield Cemetery in Lancefield.

Iris Wilson (Henderson) Tate was born on June 4, 1927 in Caswell County, North Carolina United States to Pendleton Pope Henderson and Lucy Ann (Breeden) Henderson, and had siblings Virginia Lee Henderson Pruitt, Lee Thomas Henderson, Mary Howard Henderson Watlington, Berkley Eveard Henderson, Doris Anne Henderson Warren, and Bertha Lee Henderson Ward Skeen. Iris Tate died at age 90 years old on February 9, 2018 in Chatham, VA. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Iris Wilson Henderson Tate.

Jafus Tate of West Point, Clay County, Mississippi was born on June 12, 1907, and died at age 71 years old in May 1979.

Phillip Tate Jr was born on April 3, 1987, and died at age 19 years old on January 7, 2007. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Phillip Tate Jr.

Ralph Tate Jr was born on May 19, 1931, and died at age 32 years old on March 22, 1964. Ralph Tate was buried at Memphis National Cemetery Section E Site 364 3568 Townes Avenue, in Memphis, Tn. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Ralph Tate Jr.

Grady Tate was born on January 14, 1932 in Durham, NC États-Unis, and died at age 85 years old on October 8, 2017 in New York, NY. Grady Tate was buried in Calverton, Comté de Suffolk County. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Grady Tate.

Marguerite Virginia (Murphy) Tate was born on May 25, 1921 to Edwin Murphy and Caroline (Roux) Murphy, and had siblings Evelyn (Murphy) McClelland, Allie (Murphy) Henry, Guy Murphy Sr, Tavia (Murphy) Burton, Arnold E. Murphy Sr., and Opal (Murphy) Styron. Marguerite Tate died at age 78 years old on May 11, 2000. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Marguerite Virginia (Murphy) Tate.

Melinda G Tate of TX was born circa 1962. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Melinda G. (Brawner) Tate.

Larry G Tate of Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida was born on December 22, 1948, and died at age 61 years old on April 18, 2010.

James Henry Tate of Australia was born on January 2, 1880 in Brisbane, QLD. James Tate was married to Mary Maud (Wallace) Tate in 1902 in Subiaco, Western Australia, and died at age 91 years old on July 11, 1971 in Perth, WA.

Mary Maud (Wallace) Tate of Richmond Australia was born on April 30, 1884 in Richmond, City of Yarra County, VIC to Henry Wallace and Elizabeth (Clifton) Wallace. She had siblings Elizabeth Frances Jane (Wallace) Gundill, Fanny Eva Catherine (Wallace), Harriet Ethel May (Wallace) Sears, Thomas Harvey Wallace, John Cooper Wallace, Henry Angus Wallace, and William "Jack" Wallace. Mary Tate married James Henry Tate in 1902 in Subiaco, Western Australia, and died at age 81 years old on January 17, 1966 in Perth, WA.

Brian C Tate was born on February 28, 1976, and died at age 23 years old on October 31, 1999. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Brian C Tate.

Robert E Tate Jr. was born on February 6, 1947, and died at age 53 years old on November 12, 2000. Family, friend, or fan, this family history biography is for you to remember Robert E Tate Jr. .