- Born
- DiedAugust 9, 1969 · Benedict Canyon, Beverly Crest, Los Angeles, California, USA (murdered by stabbing)
- Birth nameSharon Marie Tate
- Height5′ 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 (1968) working with Dean Martin and the equally beautiful Elke Sommer. Sharon was 2 months pregnant of her first child while filming in Italy and France a funny Italian comedy movie 12 + 1 (1969) in February 1969. On August 9, 1969 Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring, Steve Parent, and Voytek Frykowski were murdered by 3 of Charles Manson's followers: Charles 'Tex' Watson, Susan Atkins (died in prison in 2009), and Patricia Krenwinkel. Manson died in prison in 2017. Watson and Krenwinkel are still in prison.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Tony Fontana < tony.fontana@spacebbs.com>
- 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 too 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. She went to Italy and France to make a funny Italian comedy movie "Una su Tredici" (12 + 1 (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 the pregnant Sharon Tate, her three guests, and another person were murdered by Charles Manson's followers Charles 'Tex' Watson, Susan Atkins (who died in prison in 2009), and Patricia Krenwinkel. Manson died in prison in 2017; Watson and Krenwinkel remain behind bars.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Cameron Nickerson
- SpouseRoman Polanski(January 20, 1968 - August 9, 1969) (her death)
- ChildrenPaul Richard Polanski
- Parents
- RelativesPatricia Tate(Sibling)Debra Tate(Sibling)Bo Brinkman(Cousin)
- Soft, lilting voice
- Large, distinctive brown eyes
- The Barbie Doll "Malibu Barbie" was created based on Sharon Tate's character in Don't Make Waves (1967).
- Tate's never-born son was to be named Paul Richard Polanski, after her father. Sharon's tombstone bears both Paul's name and her own.
- 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.
- The house at 10050 Cielo Drive, rented by Tate and Roman Polanski at the time of the murders, was demolished in 1994. An Italian-style mansion has been erected in its place and the street address has been changed. The new mansion was originally priced at $12.5 million in an attempt to cash in on the locations notoriety but no sale was made. Recently, the price was reduced to $7.7 million but the house still remains vacant.
- 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.
- 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.
- 12 + 1 (1970) - 150,000 USD
- The Wrecking Crew (1968) - $125,000
- Don't Make Waves (1967) - $750 per week
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