Sharon Tate Biography Quotes 9 Report mistakes

Early Life
Sharon Marie Tate was born on January 24, 1943, in Dallas, Texas, the eldest daughter of U.S. Army officer Paul James Tate and Doris Gwendolyn Tate. Because of her father's military career, her childhood unfolded in a series of relocations across the United States and Europe, an experience that shaped her adaptability and poise. The family eventually spent several years in Italy, where Sharon attended the American high school in Vicenza and developed an interest in performance and modeling. From a young age she was noticed for her photogenic presence, and she participated in local pageants and school activities that fostered her confidence in front of audiences. Friends and classmates later recalled her as gracious and unassuming despite her striking appearance. She was also the protective older sister to Debra and Patti Tate, a role that remained important to her as the family moved from post to post.

Beginnings in Entertainment
While living in Italy, Tate observed movie productions on location and appeared as an extra in films shooting there, including Barabbas and Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man. After the family returned stateside, she pursued acting more directly, signing a contract with producer Martin Ransohoff at Filmways in the early 1960s. Under studio tutelage, she studied acting and movement and took on early television work. Among her first recognizable credits was a recurring part on The Beverly Hillbillies, where she appeared as Janet Trego. The blend of comedic television and small film parts helped her develop a screen persona that combined approachability with a luminous, camera-ready presence. Off set she built a circle of colleagues and friends who supported her ambitions at a time when studio contracts could be both protective and limiting.

Breakthrough Roles
Tate's film breakthrough came with Eye of the Devil (1966), a moody thriller shot in Europe in which she starred alongside David Niven and Deborah Kerr. The role showcased her ethereal intensity and marked her transition from television to serious cinema. In The Fearless Vampire Killers (1967), directed by Roman Polanski, she played the innkeeper's daughter; the film's mix of horror and dark comedy gave her the chance to be playful and magnetic on screen. That year also brought Valley of the Dolls (1967), where she portrayed Jennifer North with a vulnerability that audiences embraced; she earned a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year (Actress). She demonstrated comic timing in Don't Make Waves (1967) with Tony Curtis and then co-starred with Dean Martin in the spy caper The Wrecking Crew (1968), training for her stunts with Bruce Lee. Her final completed project, released after her death as 12+1 (also known as The Thirteen Chairs), further indicated her growing range and international appeal.

Personal Life and Collaborations
Tate's personal life intertwined with her work and friendships in late-1960s Hollywood. Before meeting Roman Polanski, she had a close relationship with hairstylist Jay Sebring, a pioneering figure in men's grooming; the two remained devoted friends after they amicably parted as a couple. While making The Fearless Vampire Killers, Tate and Polanski's on-set rapport developed into a partnership. They married in January 1968 and became part of a creative milieu that included fellow actors, photographers, and musicians. Tate's circle reflected the open, experimental spirit of the era: she worked with Dean Martin and Nancy Kwan, shared the screen with Patty Duke and Barbara Parkins, and trained with Bruce Lee. Those who knew her spoke of her wit, kindness, and professionalism, qualities that balanced her status as a fashion and pop-culture figurehead of the decade.

Home on Cielo Drive
In 1969, Tate and Polanski rented the house at 10050 Cielo Drive in the Benedict Canyon area of Los Angeles, a property owned by talent manager Rudi Altobelli. The residence was known in entertainment circles; it had previously been home to record producer Terry Melcher and actress Candice Bergen. By that summer, Polanski was working in Europe while Tate, pregnant with their first child, remained in Los Angeles, supported by friends including Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, and Wojciech (Voytek) Frykowski. The house became a hub for their close-knit group, with visitors and colleagues coming and going as the couple anticipated the baby's arrival. In the final months of her pregnancy, Tate maintained a full social and professional calendar, balancing optimism for motherhood with plans to deepen her career beyond ingenue roles.

The Murders of August 1969
On the night of August 8, 9, 1969, Sharon Tate and four others were brutally murdered at the Cielo Drive home by members of the group later known as the Manson Family. The victims were Tate; her friend and former partner Jay Sebring; Abigail Folger, a philanthropist and coffee heiress; Wojciech Frykowski, a Polish writer; and Steven Parent, a teenager visiting the property's caretaker. The assailants, directed by Charles Manson but acting under the immediate command of Charles "Tex" Watson, included Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel; Linda Kasabian was present outside and later cooperated with authorities. The crime shocked the United States and swiftly came to symbolize the dark turn at the close of the 1960s. Polanski, overseas at the time, returned to a devastated community and a bewildered family. The magnitude of the loss resonated far beyond Hollywood, amplified by the visibility of those involved and the senselessness of the violence.

Investigation and Trials
The Los Angeles Police Department's investigation initially struggled to find a coherent motive, reflecting the disorienting nature of the crimes. As leads developed, authorities connected the Cielo Drive murders to the Manson group, and prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi eventually built a case that situated the killings within Manson's manipulative control over his followers. The trials that followed culminated in convictions of Manson, Watson, Atkins, and Krenwinkel in 1971. They were sentenced to death, sentences that were later commuted to life imprisonment after California temporarily invalidated the death penalty in the early 1970s. Linda Kasabian's testimony proved pivotal in reconstructing the events of that night. Throughout the proceedings, the names and lives of the victims, particularly Sharon Tate given her public profile, remained a focal point of an anguished public reckoning.

Family Advocacy and Public Memory
In the years following the murders, Sharon Tate's family sought to honor her memory while striving to protect other victims. Her mother, Doris Tate, became a prominent victims' rights advocate in California, working to ensure that survivors and families could be heard at parole hearings and that the justice system would recognize their ongoing losses. Debra and Patti Tate also devoted themselves to advocacy, attending parole proceedings and helping to keep the victims' experiences central to public discussions of the case. The family's efforts contributed to broader awareness of victims' rights and influenced policy reforms, while also preserving a narrative of Sharon Tate as more than a symbol of tragedy. Their advocacy underscored her roles as daughter, sister, friend, wife, and expectant mother.

Legacy
Sharon Tate's legacy is twofold: she remains a cultural emblem of 1960s style and emerging Hollywood talent, and she stands as a poignant reminder of lives interrupted by violence. Critics and colleagues have revisited her performances in Eye of the Devil, Valley of the Dolls, The Fearless Vampire Killers, and The Wrecking Crew, noting the sensitivity, comic agility, and screen presence that suggested a significant career ahead. Her work with artists like Roman Polanski, Dean Martin, Tony Curtis, and Bruce Lee, and her camaraderie with peers such as Patty Duke and Barbara Parkins, highlight a creative network that shaped her craft. In popular culture, retellings of that period continue to evoke her image, but the deeper appreciation focuses on her kindness, discipline, and the warmth she brought to sets and friendships. The tragedy of August 1969 cannot be separated from her story, yet it does not define the totality of her life; the recollections of those who knew her reinforce a portrait of a young woman whose promise was matched by generosity of spirit. Across decades, the work she left behind and the advocacy carried forward by her family continue to ensure that Sharon Tate is remembered with both sorrow and respect, as an actress of real potential and as a person profoundly cherished by those around her.

Our collection contains 9 quotes who is written by Sharon, under the main topics: Ethics & Morality - Wisdom - Free Will & Fate - Optimism - Movie.

Other people realated to Sharon: Charles Manson (Criminal), Quentin Tarantino (Director), Vincent Bugliosi (Author), Jacqueline Susann (Author), Emile Hirsch (Actor), J. Lee Thompson (Director)