Life Story Of Sharon Tate, The Hollywood Starlet Who Was Murdered In California

Sharon Tate was a rising star of Hollywood in the 1960s. She was often referred to as someone who resembled Marilyn Monroe. She was born in Dallas and was murdered by the Manson family in California. Here is a look at the Valley of the Dolls starlet. 

Sharon was born in Dallas, Texas, on January 24 1943, to Paul James Tate and Doris Tate. She was the eldest of her three siblings. She was a beauty by birth and won a beauty contest when she was just a baby. She grew up in a military family, with her father serving as an officer in the United States Army. Because of his job, the family moved often, and by the age of 16, she had lived in six different cities. These constant changes shaped her early life and experiences.

Early works of Sharon Tate, entry into Hollywood and marriage 

As a teenager, she found early attention through beauty pageants and won several titles. This helped her begin working as a model and slowly step into the world of glamour and public life. Her confidence and presence stood out from a young age. In 1962, her father was posted to Verona, Italy, and she attended an American high school in nearby Vicenza.

There, she became popular among her peers and was crowned both prom queen and homecoming queen. During her time in Italy, she appeared as an extra in a few local films, marking her first exposure to cinema. It was also in Italy that she met an American actor who encouraged her to take acting seriously.

With his support and guidance, she was given the contact of an agent, a moment that played an important role in pushing her toward a future in acting. Upon meeting with Gefsky, she made quite the impression with a soft voice, big, bold, hazel eyes, and quickly landed roles in commercials and as an extra in films.

She started appearing in small roles like that in The Beverly Hillbillies, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and more. Her career took off with a minor role in Eye of the Devil, and she got a breakthrough through her pivotal role in Don’t Make Waves in 1967.

While working in the film, Eye of the Devil, which was shot in Europe, she met Roman Polanski, whom she later married in 1968, with all their friends from the entertainment industry. She appeared as a red-haired beauty in the spy spoof The Wrecking Crew, starring Dean Martin, and was pregnant while filming 12 + 1 in Italy and France in early 1969.

What happened the night she was murdered?

In the summer of 1969, the couple rented a house at 10050 Cielo Drive in the Benedict Canyon neighbourhood of Los Angeles. On the fateful night of August 8, 1969, Roman was in Europe, and his friend, Wojciech Frykowski and his girlfriend were staying with Sharon, along with Sebring.

That night, cult leader Charles Manson ordered Charles Watson, also known as Tex, his follower, to go over to the house and kill everyone living there in the most gruesome way he could. He was familiar with the house because its previous resident was going to give Manson the place, but then he did not. 

After midnight, four members of the group arrived at the property and first came across Steven Parent, an 18-year-old who had been visiting the caretaker in the guesthouse. He was shot and killed shortly after they encountered him. The group then entered the main house, where four people were present.

Inside, the victims were taken into the living room. Tate and Sebring were tied together around their necks. Sebring was then shot and stabbed to death. Frykowski and Folger managed to run from the house, but they were also killed. Tate, who was more than eight months pregnant at the time, was attacked in the last. Her blood was later used to write a word on the front door. She was buried with her unborn son, who was named Paul Richard Polanski, in a family plot in Culver City.

The trial and conviction of the accused

By the end of the year, all those responsible had been arrested. The trial of Manson and his followers in 1970 drew widespread national attention. In 1971, Manson and four others were sentenced to death. However, after California abolished the death penalty in 1972, these sentences were changed to life in prison. Although they later became eligible for parole, each request was denied.

Sharon Tate’s beauty, her blonde look and her character in Don’t Make Waves inspired Mattel to make the famous Malibu Barbie Doll. The intensity of her murder led to the creation of Macbeth by Polanski. His film Tess was also crafted as a means to honour his wife, and it was she who recognised the novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles potential for the big screen. 

Her name is once again in the media because 50 years after her death, when Margot Robbie played her character in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, Jennifer Lawrence recalled how she was considered not pretty enough to play Sharon Tate. 

Sharon Tate's death has been one of the darkest days in Hollywood. It led to many films being based on her life, her work, and some were based on her murder.

Also Read: Why Did Sean Penn Breakup With Ex-GF, Olga Korotyayeva Before Dating 35-Years-Younger Valeria Nicov?

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