In 1960, her stepping stone towards glamour and Tinseltown began with her appearance in a Venice-shot episode of The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom and on the cover of the American military publication Stars and Stripes. A year later, Tate had her first movie role as an extra in Anthony Quinn’s swords-and-sandals flick Barabbas. At the age of 19, Tate’s mother permitted Jack Palance, an actor involved in the movie, to take her out on a date. She also dated actor Richard Beymer for a short while after they met on a Veronese film set.
The 20-year-old received her big break in show business in 1963. Martin Ransohoff, chairman of the Filmways production studio and producer of The Beverly Hillbillies, took note of her during her audition for the sitcom Petticoat Junction. A producer took Tate to Ransohoff’s office, where he immediately conducted a film test, fascinated by her attractiveness.
Tate, who had never performed before, was informed by Ransohoff, “Baby, we’re going to make you a star.” Finally, after several uncredited roles and commercials, she hit it off in Hollywood in 1967 with her back-to-back appearances in Eye of the Devil, Don’t Make Waves, The Fearless Vampire Killers, and Valley of the Dolls followed by a Golden Globe nomination.
During the shooting of The Fearless Vampire Killers, Tate met Polanski who directed and starred in it. Soon, she moved in with him in his London home following the film’s wrap. The following year, in 1968, the couple tied the knot and the same year she was pregnant with Polanski’s first child.
What happened on the tragic night of August 9, 1969?
During her pregnancy, in February 1969, the couple moved in to 10050 Cielo Drive in Beverly Hills’s Benedict Canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains which they rented from talent acquisition manager Rudy Altobelli.
On August 8, 1969, Tate went out for dinner with her hairstylist and ex-boyfriend Jay Sebring, her friends Wojciech Frykowski, and his girlfriend Folger Coffee heiress Abigail Folger at El Coyote Cafe and returned to her Cielo Drive home. Just after midnight, on August 9, D. “Tex” Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Susan Atkins entered Tate and Polanski’s Beverly Hills house with fellow Manson cult member Linda Kasabian waiting in the car.