Sharon Tate Leaves You Breathless
Read her exciting story here:
By Robert Musel
For some years now a certain producer of television commercials in Hollywood must have been wondering what happened to the teenage blonde who arrived to audition for a cigarette advertisement. They gave her a cigarette, she inhaled deeply with the proper look of ecstasy on her fabulous features--and passed out cold on the floor.
Well, time has turned that young blonde into a ravishing 22 year old. Her name is Sharon Tate and she has been studying hard ever since in as concentrated a campaign for film stardom as any in the recent annals of the movie industry. Now, after all the acting lessons, the dancing lessons, the singing lessons, the vocal lessons, the moment of truth has arrived.
She is starring in her first film "13" in a cast headed by David Niven and Kim Novak. And producer Marty Ransohoff may win what amounts to a $50,000 gamble that she is star material.
She showed up at her first ever interview to tell all.
"Where do I begin?" she asked, trying to pull down a skirt short even by the latest Paris standards.
She was advised to start at the beginning and this is the biography that emerged:
She is 5 feet 5 1/2 inches tall, a natural blonde with hazel eyes that change color. She weighs 112 pounds. She was born in Dallas but has never lived long in one place because her father, Maj. Paul Tate, now of San Pedro, California, is a career soldier. They were stationed in Verona, Italy, when a friend in television suggested she ought to try Hollywood. And there she went after an unsuccessful attempt to study as a beautician in Houston, Texas.
"You must remember," she said continuing this breathless tale, "that I was shy and bashful when I reached Hollywood. My parents were very strict with me. I didn't smoke or anything. I only had just enough money to get by and I hitchhiked a ride on a truck to the office of an agent whose name I had. That very first day he sent me to the cigarette comercial job. A girl showed me how it should be done, you know taking a deep, deep breath and look ecstatic."
Miss Tate demonstrated the deep, deep breath. At this point the waiter, who was serving tea, apologized for rattling the cups but there may be no connection between these two events.
"I tried to do as she said," Miss Tate explained, "but the first breath filled my lungs with smoke and I landed on the floor. That ended my career in cigarette commercials."
Miss Tate, who smokes quite expertly now, said her agent later decided she needed experience to overcome her shyness and took her along for a minor role in the 'Petticoat Junction' tv series. Enter fate in the form of Ransohoff, who is producer of the series.
"Marty saw me there," Miss Tate recalled, "and he said 'Baby'--you know how Marty talks--'Baby, we're going to make you a star.' He took me to his legal department and he said, 'Sign this girl.' I'd only been back in the states for three weeks when all this happened. What do you think of that?"
"Up until then, I had been living on a tight allowance from my folks and what with my sheltered life and all I had never even driven a car. But when I signed with Marty the contract provided for a car and that was the first thing I got. That and a dog. These little things count you know. The very first night I got the car I wrecked it.
"Later I was on a bus and a boy of about 16 said to me, 'There's been a terrible crash on Sunset Boulevard.' I said, 'I know, it was me.' He looked at me. Suddenly he kissed me and jumped off the bus."
We agreed this was an encouraging display of initiative by American youth.
Just when she thought she could really act she played a test with Steve McQueen, the first time she had ever appeared with an actor of his power. "I was in shock for three days afterwards," she said. "But he taught me a lot. He showed me how to really act."
Miss Tate's boyfriend is a Hollywood hairstylist. Her hobby is people.
"They'd have flipped in Hollywood if they knew what I was doing for amusement," she said. "About once a month I'd have an 'experience.' By that I mean I would go somewhere on my own and just look at and listen to people. I went to a bar once at midnight and a woman said to me, 'Why drink here when you could have men buy you drinks for nothing at other bars?'
"I used to do the same sort of thing in Italy by taking different trains. Once I met six men from Moscow, Russia. They were fascinating too."
'13' is the screen version of the novel The Day of the Arrow. Ransohoff is so sure of his protege he has already cast her for a comedy.
I never knew Sharon studied to be a beautician in Houston, Texas. I have heard that she had family there so I would suppose she stayed with them possibly?
I bet it was funny when she demonstrated that 'deep, deep breath' she used for the commercial and the waiter was taken aback and accidently rattled the cups he was filling. Somehow, I can see a connection between the two, can't you? ;)
And that young man who kissed Sharon? I imagine he quite enjoyed that kiss with a beautiful stunner like Sharon! :)
Onto other news:
Even though Halloween has past there is still talk of Vampires on the web. Maybe it's because the Twilight New Moon sequel is coming out on the 20th?
Anyway, here is another top ten list that includes "The Fearless Vampire Killers." It seems that Polanski's film is always showing up on these:
http://www.filmshaft.com/martyns-top-ten-vampire-films/
A sequel to Polanski Unauthorized? um... apparently:
http://www.mmdnewswire.com/polanski-unauthorized-6209.html
More great stuff from Keith on his blog here:
http://lotsofsugarandspice.blogspot.com/2009/11/sharon-tate-is-all-american-beauty.html
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