Sharon Tate facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sharon Tate
|
|
|---|---|
Publicity photo of Tate in Valley of the Dolls, 1967.
|
|
| Born |
Sharon Marie Tate
January 24, 1943 |
| Died | August 9, 1969 (aged 26) |
| Cause of death | Murder |
| Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery |
| Occupation | Actress, model |
| Years active | 1961–1969 |
| Spouse(s) | Roman Polanski (m. 1968–1969, her death) |
| Parent(s) | Colonel Paul James Tate Doris Gwendolyn Willett |
Sharon Tate (born January 23, 1943 – died August 9, 1969) was a talented American actress and model. She was known for her roles in movies and for being married to the famous film director Roman Polanski.
During the 1960s, Sharon Tate started her career with small roles on television. Soon, she began appearing in films. She was also a popular model and was often featured on the covers of fashion magazines. People praised her acting, saying she was great at both funny and serious roles. Many in Hollywood thought she was one of the most promising new stars.
Her first movie was Barabbas in 1961, where she acted alongside Anthony Quinn. Later, she appeared in the 1966 film Eye of the Devil. One of her most famous roles was as Jennifer North in the classic 1967 movie, Valley of the Dolls. This role even earned her a nomination for a Golden Globe Award. Sharon Tate's last movie, 12+1, was released after she passed away in 1969.
Contents
Sharon Tate's Early Life and Career
Sharon Marie Tate was born on January 24, 1943, in Dallas, Texas. She was the oldest of three daughters. Her father, Paul James Tate, was an officer in the United States Army. Her mother was Doris Gwendolyn Willett. Her family had roots in England, Switzerland, and France.
When she was just six months old, Sharon won a local beauty contest called "Miss Tiny Tot of Dallas Pageant." However, her parents did not plan for her to become an actress. Because her father was in the army, the family moved many times. By the time she was 16, Sharon had lived in six different cities. She found it hard to keep friends because of all the moves.
Her family described her as a shy person who sometimes lacked confidence. As an adult, Sharon said that people often thought she was unfriendly because of her shyness, until they got to know her better.
Sharon attended several schools as her family moved. She went to South Shaver Elementary in Pasadena, Texas, and Chief Joseph Junior High School in Washington. She also attended Columbia High School in Richland, Washington. Later, she went to Irvin High School in El Paso, Texas, and Vicenza American High School in Vicenza, Italy. She graduated from high school in Vicenza in 1961.
As she grew older, Sharon started entering beauty pageants. In 1959, she won the title of "Miss Richland" in Washington. She once said she wanted to study psychiatry. She also planned to compete in the "Miss Washington" pageant in 1960. However, her father was stationed in Italy before she could do either.
While in Italy, Sharon became interested in a movie being filmed nearby. It was called Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man, starring Paul Newman. She got a small part as a film extra. One of the actors, Richard Beymer, noticed her and they started dating. He encouraged her to try acting as a career.
Later that year, another movie, Barabbas, was being filmed near Verona. Sharon was hired as an extra again. The actor Jack Palance was impressed by how she looked and acted, even though her role was very small.
Moving to Hollywood and First Big Roles
In 1962, Sharon's family returned to the United States. Sharon then moved to Los Angeles. There, she got in touch with Richard Beymer's agent, Harold Gefsky. He agreed to represent her and helped her find work in television and magazine ads. In 1963, she met Martin Ransohoff, who was a director at Filmways, Inc.. He signed her to a seven-year contract.
In late 1965, Martin Ransohoff gave Sharon her first important movie role. It was in the film Eye of the Devil. She acted alongside famous stars like David Niven and Deborah Kerr.
In the movie, Sharon played Odile, a witch who had a mysterious power. Even though she didn't have many lines, her performance was very important to the story. David Niven called her a "great discovery." Deborah Kerr believed that Sharon would become a big success. After filming, Sharon stayed in London, where she met Roman Polanski.
When Sharon and Roman Polanski first met, neither of them was very impressed with the other. Polanski was planning his next movie, The Fearless Vampire Killers. He wanted a different actress for the main female role. But Ransohoff insisted that Polanski cast Sharon Tate. After meeting her, Polanski agreed, but only if she wore a red wig for the movie.
The film crew traveled to Italy for filming. Sharon's ability to speak Italian well was very helpful in talking with the local crew. Polanski was a perfectionist and didn't have much patience with Sharon, who was still new to acting. He once said that one scene needed 70 takes before he was happy. Besides directing, Polanski also played one of the main characters in the movie. As filming went on, Polanski praised Sharon's acting, and her confidence grew. They started a relationship, and Sharon moved into Polanski's apartment in London after the movie was finished.
In late 1967, Sharon and Polanski returned to London. They were often in newspapers and magazines. They got married in Chelsea, London, on January 20, 1968. Their wedding received a lot of attention. Polanski wore old-fashioned clothes, and Sharon wore a white minidress. The couple moved into Polanski's house in Belgravia, London.
In the summer of 1968, Sharon began working on The Wrecking Crew. This was a comedy where she played Freya Carlson, a spy who was a bit clumsy. She was also a love interest for the star, Dean Martin. Sharon did her own stunts in the movie. She was even taught martial arts by the famous Bruce Lee. The film was successful, and Sharon received great reviews. Many critics praised her funny performance.
Sharon Tate's Legacy
.jpg)
Sharon Tate passed away at a young age on August 9, 1969.
Since her passing, people have looked at her acting work again. Film writers and critics, like Leonard Maltin, have talked about her great potential as a comedian.
In 2019, a film by Quentin Tarantino called Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was released. This movie partly showed the life of Sharon Tate, with actress Margot Robbie playing her role.
Images for kids
-
Tate with Jack Palance during the filming of Barabbas (1961).
-
Tate (right, wearing a dark wig) in the 1964 "Giant Jackrabbit" episode of The Beverly Hillbillies with Max Baer, Jr. and Nancy Kulp.
-
Tate in a publicity photograph for Eye of the Devil (1966)
-
Sharon Tate in Valley of the Dolls (1967)
-
Tate in 1967
-
The Tate family burial plot located at Holy Cross Cemetery, Culver City, California, in which Tate, her unborn son Paul, mother Doris, and sister Patti are buried.
-
Tate with Vittorio Gassman in a publicity photograph for The Thirteen Chairs (1969).
-
Tate in the poster for The Thirteen Chairs, also known as 12 + 1 (1969).
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Sharon Tate para niños
