Independent Press Telegram - Women and Travel , August 21, 1966
Just a Pretty Girl in San Pedro--Now Look!
"The lid's off Hollywood's newest sex pot!" screams the tabloids.
"She left for England just a pretty girl... and came back an actress," says her mother.
The girl who was underwraps for three years--producer Martin Ransohoff barred pictures, parties and premieres--is Sharon Tate, who formly lived with her parents in San Pedro.
She began her career as an extra in a movie being filmed in Verona, Italy, where her father Maj. Paul Tate, U. S. Army was stationed.
"There wasn't anything so great in her being chosen... Everytime an American film company they called the Army base for extras who looked like Americans," her mother shrugged.
On the set Sharon became good friends with actor Richard Beymer, who told her, "When you get to California, call my agent."
She did and with absolutely no experience (she'd never even been in a school play), began a round of auditions. Ransohoff saw her and barked, "Take that girl out of the line--we'll put her in films."
It's reported that he's spent a million dollars in the past year to perfect Sharon's talk, walk and ways. She's had drama, ballet, singing, gymnastics, diction and horseback riding lessons.
She's finished two movies titled "13" and "Vampire Killers," both shot in England and France. She worked with David Niven, Deborah Kerr and one of Europe's favorite actors, Roman Polanski.
"It'll be a chance to get caught up on what's happened during all the months she's been away," her pretty mother thought.
But stardom does not have much time for girl talk. After arriving, Sharon fell into bed to get a few hours' sleep before a 9 am wardrobe call.
Since then she's been on the set "Don't Make Waves" with Tony Curtis in Malibu.
A stage mother Gwen Tate is not. "This is the life Sharon wants, she can have it. She was always kind of pretty and I'll have to admit that she's worked hard. She'll be 24 next January and it would seem she's behaved herself and come through all this glamour pretty well."
There are no raptures or glowing gushiness from the star's mother or kid sisters, Debbie, 13 and Patti, 9. Her father is now stationed in Korea and tape recordings the family exchanges center on such important things as 'how mother and dad can take another long separation' and 'is the yard work getting done?'
"We've got a new house in Palos Verdes and Sharon hasn't even had a chance to come see it yet," her mother commented.
In some ways, Sharon is disillusioned--"She hates what studio beauticians do to her hair and recombs every set." She recently wrote her dad--"I finally own a Christian Dior and now I don't like it. Mother dressed me better from her sewing machine at home."
My only question is: Wasn't Sharon suppose to have been in a high school play of 'Romeo and Juliet' playing Juliet?
A few more articles that came up today on Sharon:
This one includes her in photos with a group of other great glamour girls including: Vivien Leigh, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Gloria Swanson, Grace Kelly, Pola Negri and Ava Gardner:
http://coldcopper.livejournal.com/202107.html
This is another sad article on stars who died before the age of 30. Sharon is on this A-list with some of the greats of film including: Brandon Lee, River Phoenix, Heath Ledger, James Dean, Jean Harlow, Aaliyah, Brad Renfro, Freddie Prinze and Heather O'Rourke.
http://www.bukisa.com/articles/218971_10-movie-stars-who-died-young-before-the-age-of-30
Tomorrow another special edition of Photo Comparison with another great up and coming actress who many have said looks like she copies Sharon's style.
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