In the middle of Texas, on January 24, 1943, Sharon Marie Tate’s story started.
Her fascinating character was shaped by her upbringing as the eldest of three daughters in a military family that moved from city to city.
Sharon radiated elegance and beauty even as a little girl, qualities that would come to characterize her professional life.
She hinted at her future fame by earning her first title, “Miss Richland,” when she was 16 years old.
Aspirations in Hollywood
Sharon didn’t just hop from one thing to another on her way to Hollywood; she methodically planned her entire trip. She took small parts in TV shows including “The Beverly Hillbillies” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” after relocating to Los Angeles in 1961. Her personality and talent were on full display in the 1967 picture “Valley of the Dolls,” though.
Her otherworldly attractiveness and charisma on screen won over audiences. Roman Polanski’s (her future husband) direction of “The Fearless Vampire Killers” and her own work on “Don’t Make Waves” cemented her position in Hollywood.
Roman Polanski’s Marriage and Glamour
Hollywood glitz and personal charisma came together in Sharon Tate’s life. In 1964, while filming “The Fearless Vampire Killers,” she crossed paths with Roman Polanski. They wed on January 20, 1968, in a beautiful ceremony in London, after an instant bond.
Often portrayed as a contemporary fairytale set in the glitter of Hollywood, their romance was a tornado of passion, imagination, and mutual adoration. Legend has it that Sharon had a thing for short, stocky men. Some believe she acted like way so her lovers would worship her.
Unforgettable Hollywood Horror
But the fairytale was sadly cut short. The horrific murder of Sharon Tate shocked the globe on August 9, 1969. Sharon was eight months along in her pregnancy when she and four others were murdered in her Los Angeles home by members of the Manson Family. Not only did this tragic act of violence take her life, but it also represented a somber period in Hollywood’s past.
Because the house’s former tenant, a record producer, had rejected Charles Manson, Sharon became a target for the Manson Family, headed by the insane Charles Manson. The tragic incident broke the tranquility of the 1960s and left a lasting impression on the national psyche.
People in Hollywood thought she would become even more famous than Marilyn Monroe and her contemporaries. She was a talented young actress with great potential, and her untimely death has left us all bereft.
A Legacy That Will Last
Despite its sad shortness, Sharon Tate’s life has left an indelible mark on popular culture. Her performances, especially in “Valley of the Dolls,” have cemented her legacy as a representation of skill and beauty that was tragically cut short.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019, Quentin Tarantino) reintroduced Sharon to the public eye. Margot Robbie played the role of Sharon Tate, who the film sought to show as more than simply a victim of the Manson Family’s atrocities.
Tarantino aimed to portray her as an optimistic, lovely person whose life was full of potential and happiness. After being exposed to a new generation through the critically acclaimed film, Sharon’s reputation as an adored actress and a representation of unfulfilled potential will live on.
