Sharon Tate

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?