Sharon Tate Age, Death, Husband, Boyfriend, Family, Biography & More
Some Lesser Known Facts About Sharon Tate
- Did Sharon Tate smoke?: Yes
- Did Sharon Tate drink alcohol?: Yes
- She was born a day before the first wedding anniversary of her parents Colonel Paul James and Doris Tate.
- By the time Tate was 6-months old she had won her first beauty contest- Miss Tiny Tot of Dallas Texas.
- Being a United States Army officer, her father was promoted and transferred several times due to which, Tate faced difficulties in making friends; as, by the age of 16, she had lived in six different cities.
- In her teenage, Tate was described by his family as shy and lacking in self-confidence.
- While growing up, Tate was started getting noticed by the people for her beauty, and, on the recommendation of some of her family and friends, she started participating in beauty pageants and won the title of “Miss Richland” in Washington in 1959.
- While still in her teenage, Tate desired to study Psychiatry and also wanted to compete in the “Miss Washington” pageant in 1960. However, she couldn’t do either as her father was transferred to Italy, and she was relocated to the city of Verona in Italy.
- While in Italy, Tate had become a local celebrity after she was featured in a swimsuit on the cover of the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.
- It was there in Italy that she had begun to form lasting friendships while attending the American school in nearby Vicenza; after knowing that there were other students who had similar backgrounds and feelings of separation just like her.
- While studying in Italy’s American school, Tate and friends obtained parts as film extras during the filming of the 1962 American adventure film Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man.
- During the filming of Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man, Richard Beymer (an American actor and filmmaker), noticed Tate in the crowd and after introducing himself to Tate, the duo started dating each other. It was Beymer who had encouraged Tate to pursue a film career.
- Thereafter, Pat Boone (an American singer and composer) employed Tate in 1960, and the duo appeared in an episode of the television series ‘The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom,’ which was filmed in Venice.
- In the same year, Tate made a small appearance in the 1961 religious epic film ‘Barabbas.’ Although her role was small, it had impressed the actor Jack Palance who went on to arrange a screen test for her, but Tate decided to return the United States alone on the pretext of further studies. However, after her return to the United States, she started trying to find film work.
- Soon after her return to the United States, Tate’s father suffered a nervous breakdown, and Tate had to return to Italy again.
- In 1962, Tate and her family returned to the United States and in search of work, she moved to Los Angeles where she met Richard Beymer’s agent, Harold Gefsky, who promised her to secure work for her in television and magazine advertisements.
- In 1963, Tate met a French actor Philippe Forquet and started dating him. They also got engaged but frequent quarrels and career pressures drove them apart and they broke up in 1964.
- After her break up with Philippe Forquet, Tate met a popular hairstylist in Hollywood at that time- Jay Sebring. However, when he proposed to her, she declined.
- After experiencing several unsuccessful screen tests, Tate finally got her first major role in the 1966 British film ‘Eye of the Devil.’ Tate’s role in the film earned laurels for her.
- After the filming of ‘Eye of the Devil,’ Tate remained in London where she became a regular face in the fashion world and nightclubs.
- Around this time, Tate met Roman Polanski. Later, in an interview, both agreed that neither of them had impressed each other in their first meeting.
- Thereafter, Polanski took her in his 1967 horror comedy film The Fearless Vampire Killers. In an interview, Polanski revealed that initially, he was not confident over Tate’s skills, as one scene had required 70 takes before his satisfaction, but as the filming of The Fearless Vampire Killers progressed, he became impressed with Tate’s performance. Soon, they began a relationship.
- After the filming of The Fearless Vampire Killers, Tate moved into Polanski’s London apartment.
- Thereafter, she did an American film ‘Don’t Make Waves’ in 1967. In the film, she was mostly seen in a bikini. She was so disappointed with her portrayal in the film that she began referring to herself sarcastically as-
“sexy little me”
- In 1967, she was signed to play a major role in the film version of Valley of the Dolls. When asked on her nude scene in the film, Tate replied,
I have no qualms about it at all. I don’t see any difference between being stark naked or fully dressed — if it’s part of the job and it’s done with meaning and intention. 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?”
- In 1967, Tate and Polanski returned to London where they got married to each other January 20, 1968, in Chelsea, London.
- Near the end of 1968, she became pregnant and on February 15, 1969, Tate and Polanski moved to 10050 Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon.
- In March 1969, Tate moved to Italy for the filming of the comedy film ‘Twelve Plus One.”
- On July 20, 1969, Tate returned to Los Angeles alone, traveling on Queen Elizabeth 2.
- On August 8, 1969, Sharon Tate had dinner at her favorite restaurant, El Coyote Cafe, with Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski, and Abigail Folger. After the dinner, she returned to her home at 10:30 p.m. Shortly after midnight, they were murdered by members of Charles Manson’s “family.” All of the victims had been stabbed numerous times. Reportedly, Tate had been stabbed sixteen times, and that “five of the wounds were in and of themselves fatal.”
- When Tate was killed, she was pregnant, and her due date was just two weeks later.
- Since her murder, Sharon Tate has been portrayed by many actresses in various films like by Katie Cassidy in the 2016 horror film Wolves at the Door, by Rachel Roberts in the seventh season of American Horror Story, by Margot Robbie in Quentin Tarantino’s ninth film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and more.
- Tate was touted as one of Hollywood’s most promising newcomers and was even called “New Marilyn Monroe” by some European papers.
- In her leisure time, Tate loved to cook.
- Sharon Tate also loved to ride a bicycle in her leisure time.
One Response
Hard to believe that Sharon Tate has been gone for 50 years.
Sharon had so much to offer the world and she was looking forward to her future as a mother and more.
What a shame it all ended like it did.
George Vreeland Hill