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Sharon Marie Tate (January 24, 1943–August
9, 1969) was an United States|American
actor|actress.   During the 1960s she played small
roles in television, before starting her
cinema|film career.   She appeared in several
films that utilised her physical beauty, and after
receiving positive reviews as a light
comedian|comedienne was hailed as one of
Hollywood's promising newcomers.  Tate's celebrity
status and role as a style icon of the "Swinging
Sixties" increased after fashion magazines began
featuring her as a model (person)|model and cover
girl.  Married to the film director Roman
Polanski, Tate was eight months pregnant when she,
along with four others, was murdered in her
Benedict Canyon home by followers of Charles
Manson. 

A decade after the murders, her mother Doris Tate,
appalled at the growing cult figure|cult status of
the killers and the possibility that any of them
might be granted parole, joined a campaign to
ensure they remained in prison.  Her determination
to raise public awareness of the shortcomings in
the state Corrections|corrections system, and her
criticism of it,  was part of the catalyst which
led to amendments to California criminal law in
1982.  These amendments allowed crime victims and
their families to make victim impact statements
during the sentencing of convicts and at their
subsequent parole hearings.  She became the first
person to make such an impact statement under the
new law, when she spoke at the parole hearing of
one of her daughter's killers, Charles 'Tex'
Watson. She later said that she believed the
changes in the law had afforded her daughter
dignity which had been denied her before, and that
she had been able to "help transform Sharon's
legacy from murder victim to a symbol of victim's
rights". mn|GregKing|1

==Early life and becoming an actress==
Sharon Tate was born in Dallas, Texas, the first
of three daughters, to Paul Tate, a United States
Army officer and his wife, Doris. At six months of
age, Sharon Tate won the "Miss Tiny Tot of Dallas
Pageant", but the Tates did not hold any
showbusiness ambitions for their daughter.   Paul
Tate's military career progressed, and he was
promoted and transferred several times.  By the
age of 16, Sharon Tate had lived in six different
American cities, and because of the frequent moves
and unsettled lifestyle, had found it difficult to
maintain friendships.  Her family described her as
shy and lacking in self-confidence as a result,
and as an adult Sharon Tate commented that people
often misinterpreted her shyness and considered
her to be aloof until they came to know her
better.  mn|GregKing|1

As she matured, people commented on her beauty;
she began entering beauty pageants, winning the
title of "Miss Richland, Washington" in 1959.  She
spoke of her ambition to study psychiatry, and
also stated her intention to compete in the "Miss
Washington State" pageant in 1960, but before she
could follow either course of action, Paul Tate
was transferred to Italy, taking his family with
him. 

Upon her arrival in Verona, Italy, Sharon Tate
learned that she had become a local celebrity due
to the publication of a photograph of her in a
bathing suit, which appeared on the cover of the
military newspaper, Stars and Stripes.  She
discovered a kinship with other students at the
American school she attended, recognising that
their backgrounds and feelings of separation were
similar to her own, and for the first time in her
life began to form lasting friendships.  Tate and
her friends became interested in the filming of
Adventures of a Young Man, which was being made
nearby with Paul Newman, Susan Strasberg and
Richard Beymer, and they obtained parts as
extra|film extras.  Beymer noticed Tate in the
crowd and introduced himself, and the two dated
during the production of the film, with Beymer
offering Tate encouragement to pursue a film
career.  In 1961, Tate was employed by the singer
Pat Boone, and appeared with him in a television
special he made in
Venice, Italy|Venice.  

Later in the year, when Barabbas (movie)|Barabbas
was being filmed near Verona, once again Tate was
cast as an extra.  The actor Jack Palance was
impressed with her appearance and her attitude,
although her role was too small to judge whether
she had talent.  He arranged a screen test for her
in Rome, Italy|Rome, but this did not lead to
further work.  Tate returned to the United States
alone, saying she wanted to further her studies,
but tried to find film work.  After a few months,
Doris Tate, who feared for her daughter's safety,
suffered a nervous breakdown and Sharon Tate
returned to Italy.  

The Tate family returned to the United States in
1962, and Sharon Tate moved to Los Angeles,
California, where she contacted Richard Beymer's
agent, Harold Gefsky. After their first meeting
Gefsky agreed to represent her, and secured work
for her in television and magazine advertisements.
 In 1963 he introduced her to  Martin Ransohoff,
director of Filmways, Inc., who signed her to a
seven year contract.  Tate was considered for one
of the lead roles in the Petticoat Junction
television series, but Ransohoff realized that she
lacked the experience to handle an important role.
 He gave her small parts in Mr. Ed, and The
Beverly Hillbillies to allow her to gain
experience.
 
During this time Tate met the France|French actor
Phillippe Forquet, and began a relationship with
him.  They became engaged, but the relationship
was volatile and they frequently quarrelled. 
After a violent confrontation with Forquet, Tate
required hospital treatment for her injuries, and
subsequently ended the relationship. 

In 1964, she met Jay Sebring, a former sailor who
had established himself as a leading hair stylist
in Hollywood.  Tate later said that Sebring's
nature was especially gentle, but when he proposed
marriage she would not accept.  She said that she
would retire from acting as soon as she married,
and at this time she intended to focus on her
career.mn|GregKing|1

== Movie career ==
Tate continued to ask Ransohoff to cast her in a
film; by 1965 she had been under contract for two
years, and had only some minor television
appearances to her credit.  After she auditioned
unsuccessfully for role of Liesl in the film
version of The Sound of Music,  Ransohoff allowed
her to appear in the film Eye of the Devil (known
during production by the title Thirteen)
co-starring with  David Niven, Deborah Kerr,
Donald Pleasance and David Hemmings.  Tate and
Sebring travelled to London, England to begin
preparation for the filming.  As part of
Ransohoff's promotion of Tate, he organised for a
short documentary to be produced which would be
released at the same time as Eye of the Devil. 
Titled All Eyes on Sharon Tate it included an
interview with Eye of the Devil director J. Lee
Thompson, who expressed his initial doubts about
Tate's potential with the comment "We even agreed
that if after the first two weeks Sharon was not
quite making it, that we would put her back in
cold storage", but added that he soon realized
Tate was "tremendously exciting". mn|GregKing|1

She played the part of Odile, a witch who exerts a
mysterious power over a landowner, played by
Niven, and his wife, Kerr.  Although she did not
have as many lines as the other actors, Tate's
performance was considered crucial to the film,
and she was required more than the other cast
members, to set an ethereal tone.   Niven
described her as a "great discovery", and Kerr
said that with "a reasonable amount of luck", Tate
would be a great success. mn|GregKing|1  In
interviews, Tate commented on her good fortune in
working with such professionals in her first film,
and said that she had learned a lot about acting
simply by watching Kerr at work.   Much of the
filming took place in France and  Sebring returned
to Los Angeles to fulfil his business obligations.
 After filming completed Tate remained in London
where she immersed herself in the fashion and
nightclubs; it was in one of these nightclubs that
she met Roman Polanski.


Tate and Polanski later agreed that neither of
them had been impressed by the other when they
first met.  Polanski was planning The Fearless
Vampire Killers, which was being co-produced by
Ransohoff, and had decided that he wanted the
red-headed actress Jill St. John for the female
lead.  Ransohoff insisted that Polanski cast Tate,
and after meeting with her, he agreed that she
would be suitable on the condition that she wore a
red wig during filming.  The company travelled to
Italy for filming where Tate's fluent Italian
proved useful in communicating with the local
crewmembers.  A perfectionist, Polanski had little
patience with the inexperienced Tate, and said in
an interview that one scene had required seventy
"takes" before he was satisfied.  In addition to
directing, Polanski also acted in the film,
playing one of the main characters, a guileless
young man, who is intrigued by Tate's character
and begins a romance with her.  As filming
progressed, Polanski began to offer encouragement
for her performance and her confidence grew.  They
began a relationship, and Tate moved into
Polanski's London apartment after filming
completed.  Jay Sebring flew to London where he
insisted on meeting Polanski.  Although his
friends later said he was devastated, he
befriended Polanski and remained Tate's closest
confidante.  Polanski later commented that Sebring
was a lonely and isolated person, who viewed Tate
and Polanski as his family.  mn|RomanPolanski|2

Tate returned to the United States to film Don't
Make Waves with Tony Curtis, leaving Polanski in
London.   The film was intended to capitalize on
the popularity of "beach" movies and the music of
such artists as the Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. 
Tate's character, billed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
publicity as "Malibu, Queen of the Surf", wore
little more than a bikini for most of the film. 
Disappointed with the film, she began referring to
herself sarcastically as "sexy little me".  Before
the film's release, a major publicity campaign
resulted in photographs and life sized cardboard
figures of Sharon Tate being displayed in cinema
foyers throughout the United States, and a
concurrent advertising campaign by Coppertone
featured Tate.  The film opened to poor reviews
and mediocre ticket sales and Tate was quoted as
confiding to a reporter, "It's a terrible movie",
before adding, "sometimes I say things I
shouldn't.  I guess I'm too outspoken". 
mn|GregKing|1

Polanski returned to the United States, and was
contracted to direct the film version of Ira
Levin's novel Rosemary's Baby.  He later admitted
that he had wanted Tate for the title role, and
had hoped that someone would suggest her, as he
felt it inappropriate to make the suggestion
himself.   The producers did not suggest Tate, and
Mia Farrow was cast.  Tate provided ideas for some
of the key scenes, including the scene in which
the protagonist, Rosemary, is impregnated.  She
also appeared, uncredited, as a guest during a
party scene. A frequent visitor to the set, she
was photographed there by Esquire
(magazine)|Esquire magazine and the resulting
photographs generated considerable publicity for
both Tate and the film.

A March 1967 article about Tate in Playboy
Magazine commenced with, "This is the year that
Sharon Tate happens..." and in addition to an
article about Tate, included six nude and
partially nude photographs taken by Roman Polanski
during filming of The Fearless Vampire Killers.
mn|GregKing|1 Tate was optimistic – Eye of
the Devil and The Fearless Vampire Killers were
each due for release, and she had been signed to
play a major role in the film version of Valley of
the Dolls.  One of the all-time literary
bestsellers, the film version was highly
publicised and anticipated, and while Tate stated
that she could not believe her luck, she confided
to Polanski that she did not like either the book
or the script.  


Patty Duke, Barbara Parkins and Judy Garland were
cast in the other major roles.  Susan Hayward
replaced Garland a few weeks later when Garland
was dismissed. The film director|director Mark
Robson was highly critical of the three principal
actresses but according to Duke, directed most of
his criticism at Tate.  Duke later said Robson
"continually treated Tate like an imbecile, which
she definitely was not, and she was very attuned
and sensitive to this treatment." mn|GregKing|1 
Polanski later quoted Robson as saying to him
"That's a great girl you're living with.  Few
actresses have her kind of vulnerability. She's
got a great future". mn|RomanPolanski|2

In interviews during production, Tate expressed an
affinity for her character, Jennifer North, an
aspiring actress who was admired only for her
body.  Some magazines commented that Tate was
viewed similarly and Look Magazine published an
unfavourable article about the three lead
actresses, describing Tate as "a hopelessly stupid
and vain starlet". mn|GregKing|1  Tate, Duke and
Parkins developed a close friendship which
continued after the completion of the film, and
despite the difficulties she had endured,  Tate
promoted the film enthusiastically.  She
frequently commented on her admiration for Lee
Grant, with whom she had played several dramatic
scenes.

A journalist asked Tate to comment on her nude
scene, and she replied, "I have no qualms about it
at all.  I don't see any difference between being
stark naked or fully dressed – if it's part
of the job and it's done with meaning and
intention. I honestly don't understand the big
fuss made over nudity and sex in films. It's
silly.  On TV, the children can watch people
murdering each other, which is a very unnatural
thing, but they can't watch two people in the very
natural process of making love. Now, really, that
doesn't make any sense, does it?" mn|GregKing|1

An edited version of The Fearless Vampire Killers
was released, and Polanski expressed disgust at
Ransohoff for "butchering" his film.  Newsweek
called it "a witless travesty", and it was not
profitable.  Tate's performance was largely
ignored in reviews, and when she was mentioned, it
was usually in relation to her nude scenes.   Eye
of the Devil was released shortly after, and
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer attempted to build interest in
Tate with its press release describing her as 
"one of the screen's most exciting new
personalities".  The film failed to find an
audience, and most reviews were indifferent,
neither praising nor condemning it.  The New York
Times wrote that one of the few highlights was
Tate's "chillingly beautiful but expressionless
performance". mn|GregKing|1

The All Eyes on Sharon Tate documentary was used
to publicize the film.  Its fourteen minutes
consisted of a number of scenes depicting Tate
filming Eye of the Devil, dancing in nightclubs
and sightseeing around London, and also contained
a brief interview with her.  Asked about her
acting ambitions she replied, "I don't fool
myself.  I can't see myself doing William
Shakespeare|Shakespeare".  She spoke of her hopes
of finding a niche in comedy, and in other
interviews she expressed her desire to become "a
light comedienne in the Carole Lombard style".
mn|GregKing|1 She discussed the type of
contemporary actress she wanted to emulate and
explained that there were two in particular that
she was influenced by, Faye Dunaway and Catherine
Deneuve.  Of the latter, she said "I’d like to
be an American Catherine Deneuve. She plays
beautiful, sensitive, deep parts with a little bit
of intelligence behind them." mn|PhotoScreen|3

Later in the year, Valley of the Dolls opened to
almost uniformly negative reviews.  Bosley
Crowther for The New York Times said that "all a
fairly respectful admirer of movies can do is
laugh at it and turn away". 
mn|NewYorkTimesValleyoftheDolls|4  Newsweek wrote
that the film "has no more sense of its own
ludicrousness than a village idiot stumbling in
manure", but in a later article about rising
actresses wrote "Astoundingly photogenic,
infinitely curvaceous, Sharon Tate is one of the
most smashing young things to hit Hollywood in a
long time".mn|NewsweekValleyoftheDolls|5   The
three lead actresses were castigated in numerous
publications, including The Saturday Review, which
wrote,  "Ten years ago.. Parkins, Duke and Tate
would more likely have been playing the hat check
girls than movie-queens; they are totally lacking
in style, authority or charm". mn|GregKing|1  The
Hollywood Reporter provided Tate with some
positive comments, and wrote "Sharon Tate emerges
as the film's most sympathetic character...
William H. Daniels|William Daniels' photographic
caress of her faultless face and enormous
absorbent eyes is stunning". mn|GregKing|1  Roger
Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times described Tate as
"a wonder to behold", but after describing the
script of one of her scenes as "the most offensive
and appalling vulgarity ever thrown up by any
civilization", concluded that as a result, "I will
be unable to take her any more seriously as a sex
symbol than Raquel Welch".
mn|RogerEbertValleyoftheDolls|6

==Marriage to Roman Polanski==

In late 1967, Tate and Polanski returned to
London, and were frequent subjects of newspaper
and magazine articles.  Tate was depicted as being
untraditional and modern, with her assertion that
couples should live together before they marry
being quoted.  They were married in London on
January 20, 1968 with considerable publicity.  The
photographer Peter Evans later described them as 
"The imperfect couple. They were the Douglas
Fairbanks/Mary Pickford of our time... Cool,
nomadic, talented and nicely
shocking."mn|GregKing|1

While Tate reportedly wanted a traditional
marriage, Polanski remained somewhat promiscuous
and described Tate's attitude to his  infidelity
as "Sharon's big hang-up".  He reminded Tate that
she had promised that she would not try to change
him. mn|GregKing|1 Tate accepted Polanski's
actions, though confided to friends that she hoped
he would change.  Peter Evans quoted Tate as
saying "We have a good arrangement. Roman lies to
me and I pretend to believe him." mn|Times|19
 
Polanski encouraged Tate to end her association
with Martin Ransohoff, and Tate began to place
less importance on her career, until being told by
Polanski that he wanted to be married to "a
hippie, not a housewife".   The couple returned to
Los Angeles, and quickly became part of a social
group that included some of the most successful
young people in the film industry, including Steve
McQueen, Warren Beatty, Mia Farrow, Peter Sellers,
Jacqueline Bisset, Leslie Caron, Joan Collins,
Peter Fonda and Jane Fonda, older members of the
Hollywood community such as Henry Fonda, Kirk
Douglas, Yul Brynner and Danny Kaye, musicians
such as Jim Morrison and the four members of the
Mamas and the Papas, and the record producer Terry
Melcher and his girlfriend Candice Bergen.  Jay
Sebring remained one of Tate's and Polanski's most
frequent companions.  Polanski's circle of friends
included people he had known since his youth in
Poland and included  Wojciech Frykowski, and his
girlfriend, the coffee heiress, Abigail Folger. 
The Polanski residence was often filled with
strangers, and Tate regarded the casual atmosphere
as part of the "free spirit" of the times, saying
that she didn't mind who came into her home as her
motto was "live and let live".   Her close friend,
Leslie Caron, later commented that the Polanskis
were too trusting, "to the point of recklessness"
and that she had been alarmed by it.
mn|EllisAmbur|7

Tate's next film was The Wrecking Crew (1968), a
comedy in which she played Freya Carlson, an
accident prone spy, who was also a romantic
interest for the star Dean Martin, as
Matt_Helm|Matt Helm.  She performed her own stunts
and was taught martial arts by Bruce Lee.  The
film was successful and brought Tate strong
reviews, with many reviewers praising her comedic
performance.  Vincent Canby writing for the New
York Times criticised the film but wrote "The only
nice thing is Sharon Tate, a tall, really
great-looking girl". mn|NewYorkTimesWreckingCrew|8
Martin commented that he intended to make another
"Matt Helm" film, and that he wanted Tate to
reprise her role.  

Around this time Tate began to receive
acknowledgement as a promising newcomer. She was
nominated for a Golden Globe Award as "New Star of
the Year - Actress" for her Valley of the Dolls
performance, losing to Katharine Ross for The
Graduate.  mn|GoldenGlobe|9 She placed fourth 
behind Mia Farrow, Judy Geeson and Katharine
Houghton for a "Golden Laurel" award as the year's
"Most Promising Newcomer" with the results
published in the Motion Picture Exhibitor
magazine. mn|IMDBGoldenLaurel|10  She was also
runner-up to Lynn Redgrave in the Motion Picture
Heralds poll for "The Star of Tomorrow", in which
box-office drawing power was the main criteria for
inclusion on the list. 
mn|SharonTateofficialsite|11 These results
indicated that her career was beginning to
accelerate and for her next film, Tate negotiated
a fee of $150,000.  mn|GregKing|1

Tate became pregnant near the end of 1968, and in
February 1969 she and Polanski moved to 10050
Cielo Drive in Benedict Canyon. The house had
previously been occupied by their friends, Terry
Melcher and Candice Bergen.  Tate and Polanski had
visited it several times, and Tate was thrilled to
learn it was available, referring to it as her
"love house". 

Encouraged by the positive reviews her previous
comedic performances had received, Tate
deliberately chose another comedy, The Thirteen
Chairs, as her next project, but she also
explained that her decision was based largely on
the fact that she would co-star with Orson Welles.
 In March, 1969 she travelled to Italy to commence
filming, while Polanski travelled to London to
begin working on The Day of the Dolphin. 
Frykowski and Folger moved into the Cielo Drive
house.  

After completing The Thirteen Chairs, Tate joined
Polanski in London.  She posed for the
photographer Terry O'Neill in their apartment in
casual domestic scenes in which she was seen
opening baby gifts, and she also completed a
series of glamour photographs for the British
magazine Queen.  Interviewed by a journalist in
late July, Tate was asked if she believed in fate,
and replied, "Certainly.  My whole life has been
decided by fate. I think something more powerful
than we are decides our fates for us.  I know one
thing – I've never planned anything that
ever happened to me." mn|GregKing|1

She returned from London to Los Angeles,
California|Los Angeles, on July 20, 1969,
traveling alone on the RMS Queen Elizabeth 2|RMS
Queen Elizabeth 2.  Polanski was due to return on
August 12 in time for the birth, and he asked
Frykowski and Folger to stay in the house with
Tate until then.

== Murder ==


On August 8, 1969, Tate was two weeks away from
giving birth.  She entertained two friends for
lunch at her home, confiding in them her despair
at Polanski's delay in returning from London.  In
the afternoon Polanski phoned her.  Her younger
sister Debra also called to ask if she and their
sister Patti could spend the night with Tate. 
Tate explained that she was tired and refused.  In
the evening she went to a restaurant with Sebring,
Frykowski and Folger, returning at approximately
10.30 pm.  mn|GregKing|1

During the night they were murdered by members of
Charles Manson's "Family" and their bodies
discovered the following morning by Tate's
housekeeper, Winifred Chapman. Police arrived at
the scene to find the body of a young man, later
identified as Steven Parent, shot to death in his
car, which was in the driveway.  Inside the house,
the bodies of Tate and Sebring were found in the
living room; a long rope tied around each of their
necks connected them.  On the front lawn lay the
bodies of Frykowski and Folger.  All of the
victims, except Parent, had been stabbed numerous
times.  The coroner's report for Tate noted that
she had been stabbed sixteen times, and that "five
of the wounds were in and of themselves fatal".
mn|VincentBugliosi|12

Police took the only survivor at the address, the
caretaker William Garretson, for questioning. 
Garretson lived in the guesthouse which was
located on the property, but a short distance from
the house, and not immediately visible.  As the
first suspect, he was questioned and submitted to
a polygraph test.  He said that Parent had visited
him at approximately 11.30 pm and left after a few
minutes. Garretson said he had no involvement in
the murders, and did not know anything that could
help the investigation.  Police accepted his
explanation and he was allowed to leave. 

Polanski had been informed of the murders and
returned to Los Angeles, where police, unable to
determine a motive, questioned him about his wife
and friends.   The funerals for each of the five
victims were held on Wednesday August 14. Sharon
Tate was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery,
Culver City, California, with her son, Paul
Richard Polanski, in her arms.  The funerals of
Tate and Sebring were separated by several hours
to allow mourners to attend both.  

Life Magazine devoted a lengthy article to the
murders and featured photographs of the crime
scenes.  Polanski was interviewed for the article
and allowed himself to be photographed in the
living room where Tate and Sebring had died,
Tate's dried blood clearly visible on the floor in
front of him.  Widely criticised for his actions,
he argued that he wanted to know  who was
responsible and was willing to shock the
magazine's readers in the hope that someone would
come forward with information. mn|RomanPolanski|2

Curiosity about the victims led to Tate's films
being released again, and they achieved greater
popularity than they had in their initial
screenings. Some newspapers began to speculate on
the motives for the murders.  One published
photographs of Tate, allegedly taken at a Satanic
ritual, but which were later proven to have been
production photographs from Eye of the Devil. 
Friends spoke out against the portrayal of Tate by
some elements of the media.   Mia Farrow said she
was as "sweet and pure a human being as I have
ever known", while Patty Duke remembered her as "a
gentle, gentle creature.  I was crazy about her,
and I don't know anyone who wasn't".  Polanski
berated a crowd of journalists at a press
conference, saying that many times they had
written that Tate "was beautiful.  Maybe the most
beautiful woman in the world.  But did you ever
write how good she was?".mn|GregKing|1  Peter
Evans later quoted the actor Laurence Harvey, who
commented on Polanski immediately after the
murders, "This could destroy Roman. Marriage vows
mean nothing to him but few men have adored a
woman as much as he adored Sharon." mn|Times|19

Polanski later admitted that in the months
following the murders he suspected various of his
friends and associates, and his paranoia only
subsided when the killers were arrested. 
Newspapers reported that many Hollywood stars were
moving out of the city, while others were reported
to have installed security systems in their homes.
 The writer Dominick Dunne later recalled the
tension, writing "The shock waves that went
through the town were beyond anything I had ever
seen before.  People were convinced that the rich
and famous of the community were in peril. 
Children were sent out of town.  Ours went to my
mother-in-law's.  Guards were hired.  Steve
McQueen packed a gun when he went to Jay Sebring's
funeral." mn|DominickDunne|13

==Arrest and trial of the Manson Family==

In November 1969, while in prison in connection
with a car theft, Susan Atkins boasted to an
inmate that she was responsible for the murder of
Sharon Tate.   This led to her arrest, along with
the accomplices she named, Charles Manson, Charles
'Tex' Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel and Linda
Kasabian.  Atkins also revealed that the murders
of Leno LaBianca|Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in Los
Feliz, California|Los Feliz, Los Angeles, on the
night after the Tate murders, were also committed
by "Family" members, and she incriminated Leslie
Van Houten as a participant in the second murder. 

Offered immunity from prosecution for testifying
before a Grand Jury, Atkins presented her version
of events, and candidly stated that she had
stabbed Tate because she was "sick of listening to
her, pleading and begging, begging and pleading". 
When she refused to cooperate further, the offer
of immunity was withdrawn and made to Kasabian
instead.  As Kasabian had not taken part in any of
the murders, and by several accounts had
challenged Manson over the killings, the offer of
immunity to her was seen as more acceptable,
particularly by the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi,
who commented that he was relieved the offer was
withdrawn from Atkins. mn|VincentBugliosi|2 

On June 15, 1970, Manson, Atkins, Krenwinkel and
Van Houten were sent to trial while Watson
remained in Texas fighting attempts to extradite
him.  The details of the trial were reported
throughout the world. Kasabian proved to be a
reliable and consistent witness.  She told of a
hippie group and its leader Charles Manson, a
thwarted musician who believed a race war was
imminent. He believed the music of The Beatles
warned of the coming holocaust, which he referred
to as Helter Skelter, after The Beatles' song, and
also believed that only the "chosen", his
"family",  would survive. Briefly associated with
Terry Melcher, Manson had believed Melcher would
foster his musical aspirations but when this
failed to happen he was infuriated and felt
betrayed. Manson felt that he would bring about
the race war by having his followers slaughter
wealthy people in their homes and cast suspicion
on black militant groups such as the Black
Panthers.  He had been to the Cielo Drive address,
and although he knew Melcher had moved, the house
represented his rejection by the showbusiness
establishment.   He instructed Watson, Atkins,
Krenwinkel and Kasabian to go to the house "and
kill everyone there". mn|VincentBugliosi|2

The testimony of Kasabian, combined with Atkins'
Grand Jury testimony provided a detailed
explanation of the events, many of which were made
public for the first time. When the group entered
the grounds of the property, they were seen by
Steven Parent, who was leaving in his car.  Watson
shot Parent several times, before ordering
Kasabian to remain outside and keep watch while
the others entered the house.   The four occupants
of the house were tied together at gun point, and
when Sebring urged the intruders to consider
Tate's pregnancy and not harm her, Watson shot
him.  Frykowski and Folger each escaped, running
in different directions onto the front lawn, where
each of them was overtaken and killed.   Tate
begged for the life of her child, even suggesting
that the group take her away with them and allow
her to give birth before murdering her.  As they
rejected her suggestion, she pleaded with them to
cut the baby from her body before they killed her.
 Atkins had testified before the Grand Jury that
she replied to Tate, "Look bitch, I have no mercy
for you.  You're going to die and you'd better get
used to it".   Atkins and Watson then stabbed her
to death.  Atkins took a towel and mopped up some
of Tate's blood, and used the towel to write the
word "PIG" on the front door. mn|VincentBugliosi|2

The defendants were found guilty and sentenced to
death on March 29, 1971. Watson was tried
separately after extradition from Texas. 
Psychiatrists testified that he appeared to be
feigning insanity, and while he admitted his role
in all of the killings, he refused to acknowledge
his responsibility, and was widely quoted by the
press when he blandly stated that he had not
noticed that Sharon Tate was pregnant.  He was
found guilty and sentenced to death on October 21,
1971. The death penalty|death sentences were later
automatically commuted to life in prison after the
California Supreme Court's People v. Anderson
decision resulted in the invalidation of all death
sentences imposed in California prior to 1972.  
As of 2005, Manson, Watson, Atkins, Krenwinkel and
Van Houten remain incarcerated, each having failed
to obtain parole more than a dozen times since
becoming eligible. mn|GregKing|1

==Legacy== 

In the early 1980s, Stephen Kay, who had worked on
the murder trial, became alarmed that Leslie Van
Houten had gathered 900 signatures on a petition
which supported her parole.  He contacted Doris
Tate who said she was sure she could do better,
and the two mounted a publicity campaign that led
to the collection of more than 350,000 signatures
supporting the view that parole should be denied.
mn|GregKing|1  Van Houten had been considered as
the most likely of the killers to achieve parole;
however, following the efforts of Kay and Tate,
her petition was denied.  Doris Tate became a
vocal advocate for victim's rights and in
discussing her daughter's murder and meeting with
other crime victims, began to assume the role of a
counsellor, using her profile to encourage public
discussion and criticism of the corrections
system. 

For the remainder of her life she strongly
campaigned against the parole of each of the
Manson killers, and she worked closely with other
victims of violent crime.   On several occasions
she confronted Charles Watson at parole hearings,
explaining, "I feel that Sharon has to be
represented in that hearing room.  If they're the
killers pleading for their lives, then I have to
be there representing her".   Addressing Watson
directly, during her victim impact statement in
1984, she said, "What mercy, Sir, did you show my
daughter when she was begging for her life?  What
mercy did you show my daughter when she said 'give
me two weeks to have my baby and then you can kill
me'.... When will Sharon come up for parole?  Will
these seven victims and possibly more walk out of
their graves if you get paroled? You cannot be
trusted".  mn|GregKing|1

In 1992, President George H.W. Bush recognized
Tate as one of his "thousand points of light" for
her volunteer work on behalf of victims' rights.
By this time Tate had been diagnosed with a
malignant brain tumour and her health and strength
were failing, and her meeting with Bush marked her
final public appearance. When she died later in
the year her youngest daughter Patti continued her
work.  She contributed to the foundation in 1993
of the "Doris Tate Crime Victims Bureau", a
non-profit organization which aims to influence
crime legislation throughout the United States and
to give the victims of violent crime greater
rights and protection. mn|DorisTateBureau|14  In
1995, the "Doris Tate Crime Victims Foundation"
was founded as a non-profit organization to
promote public awareness of the judicial system
and to provide support to the victims of violent
crime. mn|DorisTateFoundation|15 Patti Tate also
confronted David Geffen and board members of
Geffen Records in 1993 over plans to include a
song written by Charles Manson on the Guns N'Roses
album The Spaghetti Incident.  She commented to a
journalist that the record company was "putting
Manson up on a pedestal for young people who don't
know who he is to worship like an idol".
mn|PattiTate|16

After Patti's death from breast cancer in 2000,
her older sister Debra continued to represent the
Tate family at parole hearings.  Of the killers,
Debra Tate has said "They don’t show any
personal responsibility. They haven’t made
atonement to any one of my family members".
mn|GregKing|1 She has also unsuccessfully lobbied
for Sharon Tate to be awarded a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame.   

Colonel Paul Tate preferred not to make public
comments, however he was a constant presence
during the murder trial, and in the following
years attended parole hearings with his wife, and
wrote letters to authorities in which he strongly
opposed any suggestion of parole.  He died in May,
2005. mn|PaulTate|17

Roman Polanski gave away all of his possessions
after the murders, unable to bear any reminders of
the time he referred to as "the happiest I ever
was in my life".  He remained in Los Angeles until
the killers were arrested and then travelled to
Europe.  His 1976 film Tess was dedicated "For
Sharon", as Tate had read Thomas Hardy's Tess of
the d'Urbervilles during her final stay with
Polanski in London, and had left the book for him
to read, with the comment that it would be a good
story for them to film together.   He tried to
explain his anguish after the murder of his wife
and unborn son in his 1984 autobiography Roman by
Polanski and wrote,  "Since Sharon's death, and
despite appearances to the contrary, my enjoyment
of life has been incomplete. In moments of
unbearable personal tragedy some people find
solace in religion. In my case the opposite
happened. Any religious faith I had was shattered
by Sharon's murder. It reinforced my faith in the
absurd". mn|RomanPolanski|2


In July, 2005 Polanski successfully sued the
magazine Vanity Fair for libel after they wrote
that he had attempted to seduce a woman on his way
to Tate's funeral.  Among the witnesses who
testified for him were Debra Tate and Mia Farrow. 
Describing Polanski immediately after Tate's
death, Farrow testified, "Of this I can be sure
– of his frame of mind when we were there,
of what we talked about, of his utter sense of
loss, of despair and bewilderment and shock and
love – a love that he had lost".   At the
conclusion of the case, Polanski read a statement,
saying in part, "The memory of my late wife Sharon
Tate was at the forefront of my mind in bringing
this action." mn|Times|19

The murders committed by the Manson "Family" have
been described by social commentators as one of
the defining moments of the 1960s.  Joan Didion
wrote, "Many people I know in Los Angeles believe
that the Sixties ended abruptly on August 9, 1969,
ended at the exact moment when word of the murders
on Cielo Drive travelled like brushfire through
the community, and in a sense this is true.  The
tension broke that day.  The paranoia was
fulfilled." mn|GregKing|1  The Sharon Tate murder
shares the dubious distinction of being considered
the end of the 1960s withthe Rolling Stones's
infamous Altamont concert.

Sharon Tate's work as an actress has been reviewed
in the years since her death with modern film
writers and critics such as Leonard Maltin writing
that she displayed potential as a comedienne.  A
restored version of The Fearless Vampire Killers
more closely resembles Polanski's intention, and
the film and Tate's performance have received
praise with Maltin describing the film as
"near-brilliant".  Tate's work in Don't Make Waves
and The Wrecking Crew have been described by
Maltin as containing her two best performances,
and the best indicators of the career she might
have established. mn|LeonardMaltin|18 Eye of the
Devil with its supernatural themes, and Valley of
the Dolls, with its overstated melodrama, have
each achieved a degree of cult film|cult status.  

Tate's biography|biographer, Greg King, holds a
view often expressed by members of the Tate
family, writing in Sharon Tate and the Manson
Murders (2000), "Sharon's real legacy lies not in
her movies or in her television work. The very
fact that, today, victims or their families in
California are able to sit before those convicted
of a crime and have a voice in the sentencing at
trials or at parole hearings, is largely due to
the work of Doris and Patti Tate. Their years of
devotion to Sharon's memory and dedication to
victim's rights... have helped transform Sharon
from mere victim, and restore a human face to one
of the twentieth century's most infamous crimes."
mn|GregKing|1

==Filmography==
{| prettytable
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Year !! Title !! Role !! Other notes* 
|-
| 1962 in film|1962 || Hemingway's Adventures of a
Young Man || uncredited ||
|-
| 1962 in film|1962 || Barabbas (movie)|Barabbas
|| uncredited || 
|- 
| 1963 in television|1963 || The Beverly
Hillbillies || Janet Trego || occasional
appearances from 1963 until 1965 
|-
| 1964 in film|1964 || The Americanization of
Emily || uncredited || 
|-
| 1967 in film|1967 || The Fearless Vampire
Killers || Sarah Shagal || 
|- 
| 1967 in film|1967 || Eye of the Devil || Odile
de Caray || 
|-
| 1967 in film|1967 || Don't Make Waves || Malibu
|| 
|-
| 1967 in film|1967 || Valley of the Dolls ||
Jennifer North ||
|-
| 1967 in film|1967 || Rosemary's Baby ||
uncredited || 
|-
| 1969 in film|1969 || The Wrecking Crew || Freya
Carlson || 
|-
| 1969 in film|1969 || The Thirteen Chairs || Pat
|| released posthumously
|}

==References==
mnb|GregKing|1King, Greg. Sharon Tate and the
Manson Murders. 2000. Barricade Books. ISBN
1569801576.

mnb|RomanPolanski|2Roman Polanski|Polanski, Roman.
Roman by Polanski. 1984. Eurexpart B.V. ISBN
0688026214 

mnb|PhotoScreen|3
http://www.geocities.com/cean2/covers1a.htm Photo
Screen article June, 1968. Retrieved July 13,
2005.

mnb|NewYorkTimesValleyoftheDolls|4
http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?
title1=VALLEY%20OF%20THE%20DOLLS%20%28MOVIE%29%20&
reviewer=By%20BOSLEY%20CROWTHER%20&pdate=19671216
New York Times review of Valley of the Dolls.
Bosley Crowther, December 16, 1967.  Retrieved
July 13, 2005.

mnb|NewsweekValleyoftheDolls|5http://www.geocities
.com/cean2/covers1a.htm Newsweek article extract
March 4, 1968.  Retrieved July 13, 2005.

mnb|RogerEbertValleyoftheDolls|6
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic
le?AID=/19671227/REVIEWS/712270301/1023 Chicago
Sun-Times review of Valley of the Dolls. Roger
Ebert, December 27, 1967. Retrieved July 13,
2005.

mnb|EllisAmbur|7Ambur, Ellis. Warren Beatty - A
Biography. 2003. Virgin Books. ISBN 1852279192.


mnb|NewYorkTimesWreckingCrew|8
http://movies2.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?
title1=WRECKING%20CREW%2c%20THE%20%28MOVIE%29%20&r
eviewer=By%20VINCENT%20CANBY%20&pdate=19690206&ore
f=login New York Times review of The Wrecking
Crew. Vincent Canby, February 6, 1969. Retrieved
July 13, 2005.

mnb|GoldenGlobe|9 http://www.hfpa.org/search.html
Golden Globe official site, awards for 1967.
Retrieved July 16, 2005. 

mnb|IMDBGoldenLaurel|10
http://www.imdb.com/Sections/Awards/Laurel_Awards/
IMDb page Golden Laurel Awards 1967. Retrieved
July 16, 2005 

mnb|SharonTateofficialsite|11
http://www.sharontate.net/bio4.html Sharon Tate
official site. Retrieved July 16, 2005. 

mnb|VincentBugliosi|12Vincent Bugliosi|Bugliosi,
Vincent with Gentry, Curt. Helter Skelter. 1974.
Arrow Books. ISBN 0099975009.

mnb|DominickDunne|13Dominick Dunne|Dunne,
Dominick. The Way We Lived Then: Recollections of
a Well Known Name Dropper. 1999. Crown Publishers.
ISBN 00609603884.

mnb|DorisTateBureau|14http://www.doristate.com/
Doris Tate Crime Victims Bureau Retrieved July 13,
2005.

mnb|DorisTateFoundation|15http://www.doristate.com
/foundation.htm Doris Tate Crime Victims
Foundation Retrieved July 13, 2005.

mnb|PattiTate|16
http://www.sharontate.info/news-1994-01-10a.htm
Los Angeles Times interview with Patti Tate.
Michael Quintanilla, January 10, 1994.  Retrieved
July 13, 2005. 

mnb|PaulTate|17http://www.newcriminologist.co.uk/n
ews.asp?id=1810338925 New Criminologist obituary,
Paul Tate. May 25, 2005.  Retrieved July 13, 2005.


mnb|LeonardMaltin|18Leonard Maltin|Maltin,
Leonard. Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide.
Signet Publishing. 1998. ISBN 0451192885 

mnb|Times|19
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2092-17058
42,00.html The Sunday Times - Review July 24,
2005, by Peter Evans.  Retrieved August 11, 2005.



==External links==
===Official and media===
*http://www.sharontate.net Official site
*imdb name|id=0001790|name=Sharon Tate
*http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/Multimedia/Pop
up/0,,18788|18882,00.html Watch documentary All
Eyes on Sharon Tate (1967)
*http://www.turnerclassicmovies.com/Multimedia/Tra
iler/0,,12280,00.html Watch trailer for Eye of the
Devil (1967) - select from list.
===Fan and tribute sites===
*http://www.allstarz.org/~sharontate Beautiful
Soul
*http://www.sharontate.info Sharon Tate.Info
===Crime sites===
*http://www.charliemanson.com/ CharlieManson.com -
Extensive information on the Manson Family
*http://www.cielodrive.com/ CieloDrive.com - The
Story of the Manson Family and Their Victims
*http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/notori
ous/manson/murder_1.html The Crime Library
*http://www.exorthodoxforchrist.com/devil_on_her_h
eels.htm Debra Tate article
*http://users.adelphia.net/~mansonmurders/the_hous
e_house_on_the_hill.htm The House on the Hill -
The Sixties, Manson and Helter Skelter