Biography

Sharon Marie Tate was the first child of parents Paul and Doris Tate, born on January 24, 1943, in Dallas, Texas. By the time Sharon was 6 months old, she had won Miss Tiny Tot of Dallas. Her father's position in the army caused the family to move around across the United States and Europe. Sharon was an only child up until 1952 when her sister Debra was born, followed by Patti in 1957. Sharon began modeling in her teens, and appeared on the cover of the American military newspaper 'Stars and Stripes' in 1960. She also appeared in a tv special where she was serenaded by Pat Boone.

In 1962, the Tate family moved to Italy, and Sharon began attending Vicenza American High School, where she was a cheerleader, basketball player, and baton twirler. Sharon was also involved in the drama group and played Juliet in the school's production of Romeo and Juliet, and she was voted both Homecoming Queen and Senior Prom Queen. It was in Italy where Sharon began to form her taste for acting, appearing as an extra in films like Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man and Barrabas. Sharon met actor Richard Beymer (best known as Tony from West Side Story) on the set of Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man, and Beymer encouraged her to pursue acting, and gave her a card for his agent Hal Gefsky. Once the family moved back to the United States, Sharon wasted no time and hitchhiked to Hollywood and into Hal Gefsky's office. Almost immediately, she began booking commercials for Santa Fe Cigarettes and Chevrolet automobiles. She also modeled, and was photographed by some of the biggest photographers of the 1960's.

Sharon was eventually introduced to Martin Ransohoff, who signed her immediately, and he gave her the part of secretary Janet Trego in the popular tv show "The Beverly Hillbillies." She was on the show for two seasons. Sharon also appeared in shows like "Mr. Ed" and "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." Sharon was cast in the show "Petticoat Junction," but pulled out at the insistence of Ransohoff, who didn't think the show would be a good launching pad for Sharon's career. Ransohoff spent over a million dollars in training and preparation on Sharon, and she became known as the "Million Dollar Baby," one of the last of studio stars. However Sharon became insistent on more work, and Ransohoff eventually gave in, and cast her as Odile in Eye of the Devil. By this time, Sharon had began dating celebrity hair stylist Jay Sebring. Sharon wasn't keen on leaving him to film in France, but she was anxious to get her career started, and joined the rest of the cast and crew for filming. Director Jay Lee Thomas admitted he was afraid Sharon may not be able to pull off the part of Odile due to her inexperience. However he was impressed with Sharon and her performance, and Ransohoff looked for more roles for Sharon.

In 1966, Ransohoff became involved as a producer with a new film to be directed by acclaimed Polish director Roman Polanski, called The Fearless Vampire Killers. Ransohoff suggested Sharon for the lead female role of Sarah Shagall. Roman already had actress Jillian St. John in mind for the role, but agreed to meet with Sharon. Roman thought Sharon was beautiful, but not right for the part. Upon the insistence of Ransohoff, Roman agreed to do a screen test with Sharon, and she showed up wearing a red wig and tested with him. Roman began to see the formation of Sarah, and cast her in the role. On the set, Sharon posed for the Christmas issue of Vogue and Roman photographed her semi-nude for Playboy, both in character as Sarah to promote the film. Sharon and Roman became closer during filming, and eventually Sharon broke up with Jay Sebring. Jay requested to meet Roman to make sure Sharon was doing the right thing, and over dinner, Jay and Roman got to know each other. Jay would remain a close family friend.

Immediately after filming The Fearless Vampire Killers, Ransohoff cast Sharon as Malibu in the comedy Don't Make Waves. Sharon became the center of promotion for the film, becoming the spokeswoman for Coppertone suntan lotion and doing a radio ad with Army Archerd. Sharon didn't enjoy filming, however, and longed to prove herself. She was afraid she would be stuck in the role of "blonde sex goddess" and wasn't happy that she had to be away from Roman for so long during filming. She began to refer to herself, tongue in cheek, as "Sexy little me," and told Roman he was the "better half" in the industry.

Afterwards, Sharon was cast as Jennifer North in Valley of the Dolls, based on the best-selling novel by Jacqueline Susann. Although she didn't think much of the book or movie, Sharon was willing to do the film, in hopes of opening the door for better roles. However by the time filming had finished, Sharon and her fellow stars, Patty Duke and Barbara Parkins, felt the movie was unsalvageable. The movie was first screened on the docked cruise liner The Italia in Venice, Italy, on November 14, 1967. Their worst fears confirmed, the movie had unintentionally become a comedy. Sharon was a trooper and met with the press after, while some of her other co-stars avoided them.

While filming Valley of the Dolls, Roman was in New York filming Rosemary's Baby. Roman had originally wanted Sharon for the lead role, but felt it would be too presumptuous to suggest her himself, and the part went to actress Mia Farrow. Sharon often visited on set and became fast friends with Mia. Sharon and Roman often accompanied Mia and then-husband Frank Sinatra to dinner, and it was during filming that Sinatra served Mia with divorce papers. Mia fondly remembers that Sharon and Roman took her in and involved her in their group of friends. During one of her visits to New York, Roman photographed Sharon for the December 1967 issue of Esquire, which generated a great deal of publicity. At the end of 1967, Sharon's first four films had been released. Playboy declared 1967 as the "year Sharon Tate happens."

Roman proposed to Sharon in January 1968 in London, and the couple were promptly married in London on January 20, 1968. The couple had a mod wedding and were both dressed in high fashion for the times, commonly referred to as "rich hippie." The couple's wedding received international coverage.

Sharon asked Ransohoff to let her out of their exclusive contract, which he agreed to with the provision that she give him 25% of her earnings for the next four years. Feeling this was the only way she would be able to find roles herself, Sharon agreed. Her first choice was The Wrecking Crew, the fourth installment in a series of Helm special agent films. Sharon played Freya Carlson, a comedic role. Martial arts expert Bruce Lee was hired to assist Sharon in her stunts for the film, and the two became fast friends. Sharon even brought Bruce to her and Roman's home, so Bruce could teach Roman as well. Sharon's co-star, Dean Martin, was so impressed with her that he decided he would do another film in the series with Sharon co-starring.

Sharon became interested in Robert F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, and attended fundraising dinners in support of the campaign. On June 3, 1968, Sharon attended a dinner at John Frankenheimer's home, in which both Kennedy and his wife Ethel were also at. Sharon was enthralled by Kennedy and was convinced he would be a great president. However, Kennedy was assassinated the next day, and Sharon was devastated by the loss.

Sharon was cast as the lead female role of Pat in the film 12 + 1, or 13 Chairs, alongside Orson Wells and Vittorio Gassman. Sharon found out in late 1968 that she was pregnant, and was due to leave for Italy for filming in March 1969. Sharon and Roman looked for a new house to live with the baby, and the couple ended up moving into 10050 Cielo Drive in February 1969. The home, which Sharon referred to as her "love house," had formally belonged to Terry Melcher (the son of Doris Day) and Candice Bergen. Roman was concerned about Sharon filming during her pregnancy, but Sharon reassured him filming would be finished by the time she was too pregnant to continue. Roman and Sharon flew to London in March 1969, and Sharon continued to Italy a week later to begin filming.

During filming, Sharon was often sick and her pregnancy made it difficult to film the action scenes in the movie. In between takes, Sharon would sit down in her chair on set and relax. However she never requested special treatment and didn't complain. Once filming ended, Sharon joined Roman in London where he was doing work for Day of the Dolphin. While in London, Sharon was photographed in a series of photos by Terry O'Neill, all in excitement over her pregnancy and the new baby to come. Sharon's last publicity photo was made in London for the cover of Queen magazine to promote 12 + 1. Sharon then boarded the Queen Elizabeth II and sailed back to the United States (she was too far along in her pregnancy to go by airplane). Roman was to join her in a few weeks for the birth of their child, after finishing work on Day of the Dolphin.

On August 8, 1969, Sharon and three friends, Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, and Wojtek Frykowski, went for a quick meal at Sharon's favorite restaraunt, El Coyote. They arrived back at 10050 Cielo Drive at around 10 pm. That night, Sharon was one of five who were brutally murdered by followers of Charles Manson's cult. Sharon's unborn baby, a boy later named Paul Richard Polanski, died along with her. The two were laid to rest in Holy Cross Memorial Park in Culver City, California, and the funeral was attended by over 200 people. Sharon was 26 years old.

Following the murders, Sharon's mother Doris fell into a deep depression, and Sharon's father Paul would dress as a hippie and made his way around all the hot spots, hoping to find any information about his daughter's murder. Linda Kasabian, a Manson follower who was a witness but not a participant to the crimes, was given full immunity for her testimony, which helped land the murderers behind bars. Sharon's killers - Charles "Tex" Watson, Susan Atkins, and Leslie Van Houten - and their mastermind, Charles Manson, were sentenced to death for the murders, and following the 1972 abolishment of the death penalty in California, they are now serving life sentences with the eligibility of parole every five years. None of them have been granted parole as of yet.

After Sharon's death, her mother Doris Tate began to fight for victims' rights. Attending the parole hearings for Sharon's killers, Doris became the first ever member of a victim's family to speak out at a parole hearing, and she campaigned to see a victim's impact statement law be picked up in California. The law was picked up by all states. Doris spoke to prisoners she felt could be rehabilitated, and hoped to deter criminals from committing more crimes after release. In 1992, President George H.W. Bush recognized Doris as one of his "thousand points of light" for her volunteer work on behalf of victims' rights. By this time, Doris had been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and her health and strength were failing; her meeting with Bush marked her final public appearance. When she died later that year on July 10th, her youngest daughter Patti continued her work. The Doris Tate Crime Victims Bureau was formed in 1993, and helps to serve victims and their families. Patti passed away on June 3, 2000, from breast cancer at the age of 42. The middle and last remaning Tate child, Debra, has continued the fight for Sharon and for other victims around the world.

Thanks to Sharon's official website and Debra for information.