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.

Murder

On August 8, 1969, Tate was two weeks away from giving birth. She entertained two friends for lunch at her home, confiding in them her despair at Polanski's delay in returning from London. In the afternoon Polanski phoned her. Her younger sister Debra also called to ask if she and their sister Patti could spend the night with Tate. Tate explained that she was tired and refused. In the evening she went to a restaurant with Sebring, Frykowski and Folger, returning at approximately 10.30 pm. {{mn|GregKing|1}}

Related Topics:
August 8 - 1969

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During the night they were murdered by members of Charles Manson's "Family" and their bodies discovered the following morning by Tate's housekeeper, Winifred Chapman. Police arrived at the scene to find the body of a young man, later identified as Steven Parent, shot to death in his car, which was in the driveway. Inside the house, the bodies of Tate and Sebring were found in the living room; a long rope tied around each of their necks connected them. On the front lawn lay the bodies of Frykowski and Folger. All of the victims, except Parent, had been stabbed numerous times. The coroner's report for Tate noted that she had been stabbed sixteen times, and that "five of the wounds were in and of themselves fatal". {{mn|VincentBugliosi|12}}

Related Topics:
Charles Manson - Steven Parent - Coroner

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Police took the only survivor at the address, the caretaker William Garretson, for questioning. Garretson lived in the guesthouse which was located on the property, but a short distance from the house, and not immediately visible. As the first suspect, he was questioned and submitted to a polygraph test. He said that Parent had visited him at approximately 11.30 pm and left after a few minutes. Garretson said he had no involvement in the murders, and did not know anything that could help the investigation. Police accepted his explanation and he was allowed to leave.

Related Topics:
William Garretson - Polygraph test

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Polanski had been informed of the murders and returned to Los Angeles, where police, unable to determine a motive, questioned him about his wife and friends. The funerals for each of the five victims were held on Wednesday August 14. Sharon Tate was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, with her son, Paul Richard Polanski, in her arms. The funerals of Tate and Sebring were separated by several hours to allow mourners to attend both.

Related Topics:
August 14 - Holy Cross Cemetery - Culver City, California

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Life Magazine devoted a lengthy article to the murders and featured photographs of the crime scenes. Polanski was interviewed for the article and allowed himself to be photographed in the living room where Tate and Sebring had died, Tate's dried blood clearly visible on the floor in front of him. Widely criticised for his actions, he argued that he wanted to know who was responsible and was willing to shock the magazine's readers in the hope that someone would come forward with information. {{mn|RomanPolanski|2}}

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Curiosity about the victims led to Tate's films being released again, and they achieved greater popularity than they had in their initial screenings. Some newspapers began to speculate on the motives for the murders. One published photographs of Tate, allegedly taken at a Satanic ritual, but which were later proven to have been production photographs from Eye of the Devil. Friends spoke out against the portrayal of Tate by some elements of the media. Mia Farrow said she was as "sweet and pure a human being as I have ever known", while Patty Duke remembered her as "a gentle, gentle creature. I was crazy about her, and I don't know anyone who wasn't". Polanski berated a crowd of journalists at a press conference, saying that many times they had written that Tate "was beautiful. Maybe the most beautiful woman in the world. But did you ever write how good she was?".{{mn|GregKing|1}} Peter Evans later quoted the actor Laurence Harvey, who commented on Polanski immediately after the murders, "This could destroy Roman. Marriage vows mean nothing to him but few men have adored a woman as much as he adored Sharon." {{mn|Times|19}}

Related Topics:
Press conference - Laurence Harvey

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Polanski later admitted that in the months following the murders he suspected various of his friends and associates, and his paranoia only subsided when the killers were arrested. Newspapers reported that many Hollywood stars were moving out of the city, while others were reported to have installed security systems in their homes. The writer Dominick Dunne later recalled the tension, writing "The shock waves that went through the town were beyond anything I had ever seen before. People were convinced that the rich and famous of the community were in peril. Children were sent out of town. Ours went to my mother-in-law's. Guards were hired. Steve McQueen packed a gun when he went to Jay Sebring's funeral." {{mn|DominickDunne|13}}

Related Topics:
Dominick Dunne - Steve McQueen

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