Sharon Tate

Sharon Marie Tate (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress. During the 1960s she played small roles in television, before starting her film career. She appeared in several films that utilised her physical beauty, and after receiving positive reviews as a light comedienne was hailed as one of Hollywood's promising newcomers. Tate's celebrity status and role as a style icon of the "Swinging Sixties" increased after fashion magazines began featuring her as a model and cover girl. Married to the film director Roman Polanski, Tate was eight months pregnant when she, along with four others, was murdered in her Benedict Canyon home by followers of Charles Manson.

Marriage to Roman Polanski

In late 1967, Tate and Polanski returned to London, and were frequent subjects of newspaper and magazine articles. Tate was depicted as being untraditional and modern, with her assertion that couples should live together before they marry being quoted. They were married in London on January 20, 1968 with considerable publicity. The photographer Peter Evans later described them as "The imperfect couple. They were the Douglas Fairbanks/Mary Pickford of our time... Cool, nomadic, talented and nicely shocking."{{mn|GregKing|1}}

Related Topics:
1967 - January 20 - 1968 - Douglas Fairbanks - Mary Pickford

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While Tate reportedly wanted a traditional marriage, Polanski remained somewhat promiscuous and described Tate's attitude to his infidelity as "Sharon's big hang-up". He reminded Tate that she had promised that she would not try to change him. {{mn|GregKing|1}} Tate accepted Polanski's actions, though confided to friends that she hoped he would change. Peter Evans quoted Tate as saying "We have a good arrangement. Roman lies to me and I pretend to believe him." {{mn|Times|19}}

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Polanski encouraged Tate to end her association with Martin Ransohoff, and Tate began to place less importance on her career, until being told by Polanski that he wanted to be married to "a hippie, not a housewife". The couple returned to Los Angeles, and quickly became part of a social group that included some of the most successful young people in the film industry, including Steve McQueen, Warren Beatty, Mia Farrow, Peter Sellers, Jacqueline Bisset, Leslie Caron, Joan Collins, Peter Fonda and Jane Fonda, older members of the Hollywood community such as Henry Fonda, Kirk Douglas, Yul Brynner and Danny Kaye, musicians such as Jim Morrison and the four members of the Mamas and the Papas, and the record producer Terry Melcher and his girlfriend Candice Bergen. Jay Sebring remained one of Tate's and Polanski's most frequent companions. Polanski's circle of friends included people he had known since his youth in Poland and included Wojciech Frykowski, and his girlfriend, the coffee heiress, Abigail Folger. The Polanski residence was often filled with strangers, and Tate regarded the casual atmosphere as part of the "free spirit" of the times, saying that she didn't mind who came into her home as her motto was "live and let live". Her close friend, Leslie Caron, later commented that the Polanskis were too trusting, "to the point of recklessness" and that she had been alarmed by it. {{mn|EllisAmbur|7}}

Related Topics:
Hippie - Steve McQueen - Warren Beatty - Mia Farrow - Peter Sellers - Jacqueline Bisset - Leslie Caron - Joan Collins - Peter Fonda - Jane Fonda - Henry Fonda - Kirk Douglas - Yul Brynner - Danny Kaye - Jim Morrison - Mamas and the Papas - Record producer - Terry Melcher - Candice Bergen - Poland - Wojciech Frykowski - Abigail Folger

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Tate's next film was The Wrecking Crew (1968), a comedy in which she played Freya Carlson, an accident prone spy, who was also a romantic interest for the star Dean Martin, as Matt Helm. She performed her own stunts and was taught martial arts by Bruce Lee. The film was successful and brought Tate strong reviews, with many reviewers praising her comedic performance. Vincent Canby writing for the New York Times criticised the film but wrote "The only nice thing is Sharon Tate, a tall, really great-looking girl". {{mn|NewYorkTimesWreckingCrew|8}} Martin commented that he intended to make another "Matt Helm" film, and that he wanted Tate to reprise her role.

Related Topics:
The Wrecking Crew - Dean Martin - Matt Helm - Bruce Lee - Vincent Canby - New York Times

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Around this time Tate began to receive acknowledgement as a promising newcomer. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as "New Star of the Year - Actress" for her Valley of the Dolls performance, losing to Katharine Ross for The Graduate. {{mn|GoldenGlobe|9}} She placed fourth behind Mia Farrow, Judy Geeson and Katharine Houghton for a "Golden Laurel" award as the year's "Most Promising Newcomer" with the results published in the Motion Picture Exhibitor magazine. {{mn|IMDBGoldenLaurel|10}} She was also runner-up to Lynn Redgrave in the Motion Picture Heralds poll for "The Star of Tomorrow", in which box-office drawing power was the main criteria for inclusion on the list. {{mn|SharonTateofficialsite|11}} These results indicated that her career was beginning to accelerate and for her next film, Tate negotiated a fee of $150,000. {{mn|GregKing|1}}

Related Topics:
Golden Globe Award - Katharine Ross - The Graduate - Mia Farrow - Judy Geeson - Katharine Houghton - Lynn Redgrave

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Tate became pregnant near the end of 1968, and in February 1969 she and Polanski moved to 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon. The house had previously been occupied by their friends, Terry Melcher and Candice Bergen. Tate and Polanski had visited it several times, and Tate was thrilled to learn it was available, referring to it as her "love house".

Related Topics:
10050 Cielo Drive - Benedict Canyon

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Encouraged by the positive reviews her previous comedic performances had received, Tate deliberately chose another comedy, The Thirteen Chairs, as her next project, but she also explained that her decision was based largely on the fact that she would co-star with Orson Welles. In March, 1969 she travelled to Italy to commence filming, while Polanski travelled to London to begin working on The Day of the Dolphin. Frykowski and Folger moved into the Cielo Drive house.

Related Topics:
The Thirteen Chairs - Orson Welles - The Day of the Dolphin

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After completing The Thirteen Chairs, Tate joined Polanski in London. She posed for the photographer Terry O'Neill in their apartment in casual domestic scenes in which she was seen opening baby gifts, and she also completed a series of glamour photographs for the British magazine Queen. Interviewed by a journalist in late July, Tate was asked if she believed in fate, and replied, "Certainly. My whole life has been decided by fate. I think something more powerful than we are decides our fates for us. I know one thing – I've never planned anything that ever happened to me." {{mn|GregKing|1}}

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She returned from London to Los Angeles, on July 20, 1969, traveling alone on the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2. Polanski was due to return on August 12 in time for the birth, and he asked Frykowski and Folger to stay in the house with Tate until then.

Related Topics:
Los Angeles - July 20 - 1969 - RMS ''Queen Elizabeth 2'' - August 12

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