Her father served in the military, and so her early life was one of constant moving. When she lived in Italy, she was voted "Homecoming Queen" of her high school (Vicenza American High School) and Senior Prom Queen. She also was a cheerleader and a fine basketball player there and made her first stage experience as Juliet in the school's production of "Romeo and Juliet". When she headed to Hollywood, she started as an extra until she was cast as Janet Trengo in the TV series "The Beverly Hillbillies". On the set of "Dance Of The Vampires" she first met her later husband, director Roman Polanski. She took time off from films as she awaited the birth of her first child. On August 9, 1969, a pregnant Sharon Tate and four other people where murdered by members of the "Manson family" in Belair, CA. Her unborn baby boy (who died with her) was to be named Paul Richard Polanski.