Tearful Polanski Tells Of His "Truly Happy" Life With Wife
No Party... That Evening
August 20, 1969
Los Angeles Times
By Dial Torgerson
Times Staff Writer
Roman Polanski fought back tears Tuesday to tell newsmen of his "truly happy"
20 months of marriage with Sharon Tate-and some of the things he has told police
about circumstances surrounding her death:
That she had no premonition of death. When he spoke to her by telephone
from London "a few hours before the tragedy occurred" she talked of
trivialities: a birthday party, feeding a homeless kitten.
That there was no party at the Benedict Canyon estate the night Miss Tate
and four others were slain, although "There wasn't an evening without friends"
visiting the home.
Although Voyteck Frykowski and Jay Sebring, two of the five victims, smoked
marijuana, "Sharon didn't use drugs, she didn't touch alcohol, she didn't even
smoke cigarettes."
And that he knew few of the people who were guests in his home while he was
in Europe, but that one was a man thrown out of his house earlier for making a
disturbance during a house warming party.
Believed To Be Suspect
He would not name the man thrown out of his home, nor would another Polanski
associate who is a closely guarded police informer on the case. The man was
believed to be a suspect in the still mysterious multiple murders.
Polanski called the press conference, canceled it, then called it again. He
finally appeared before newsmen against the advice his agents and attorney,
because, he said:
"In this case it is not my reputation, it is the reputation of the one person
who loved me - and whose name has been all over the papers.
"They (the writers) are curious about my relationship with Sharon within the
last few months as well as within the last few years I spent with her."
He paused, swallows, they continued: "They were the only time of true
happiness in my life."
Polanski, who is 5-foot-4, stood for the fifteen-minute talk. He wore a
double-breasted blue-gray charcoal suit, his long hair lapping over its collar.
He spoke English slowly, choosing his words carefully in a foreign
language-he is French born, reared in Poland-and pausing often to brush tears
from his eyes.
Fifty newsmen gathered at the Beverly Wilshire for the first public statement
made by the film director since the murder of his wife.
Polanski, who made "Rosemary's Baby," said he was leaving Los Angeles. But
first, he said, "I had to tell you what was on my mind."
He sketched brief word pictures of his wife, Frykowski and Sebring, who died
with Abigail Folger and eighteen-year-old Steven Parent, a friend of the
caretaker of the Tate-Polanski estate, early August 9.
Of his wife, one of the stars of "Valley of the Dolls." He said:
"All of you know how beautiful she was. She was one of the most beautiful
women-if not the most beautiful woman-in the world. But few of you know how good
she was. She was vulnerable. She couldn't refuse any friendship."
Of Frykowski, a Polish immigrant, he said:
"He was a man I knew from Poland for a very long time. A very kind human
being, who wanted success-but who had little talent.
"I saw him in Paris after he defected from Poland, and he was struggling
along. The only help I could give him was money and encouragement. He and
Abigail Folger came to Los Angeles a year ago."
Talks of Sebring
Of Sebring, the Hollywood hair stylist who had once been his wife's fiancé:
"Jay Sebring was a close friend. Sometimes he came without calling before. He’d
just sit down and drink a beer."
Polanski said that there were six glasses in the home, after the murders,
indicating that there may have been a few friends who came by the house-but not
a party.
(A coroner's report said that the analysis of the victims' blood indicated a
moderate amounts of alcohol had been in imbibed; tests to determine if drugs had
been used is still under way.)
"There was a lot of talk about parties in their home," Polanski said. "They
are true. There was a constant party. There wasn't an evening without friends.
Even when I was working hard, she was working hard, there was always someone
coming in the evening.
"There was always Sharon waiting... I’m sorry, I must stop a moment."
He turned away, wiped his eyes with a white handkerchief, then resume:
"There was always Sharon, and dogs, and friends were waiting for me when I
was coming back from the studio."
He told of his last talk with his wife:
Agreed To Party
"The last time I talked to her was a few hours before the tragedy occurred.
She wanted to know if I wanted a birthday party. I said," yes, let's hold one. "
"She said a little kitten had come in from the hills and she was trying to
feed it with an eye dropper. There was no indication of a party that evening.
There wasn't any party that evening."
Polanski said he and his wife made a last-minute decision to let Frykowski
stay at their house when they left for Europe four months ago. Frykowski, joined
there by Miss Folger, remained after Miss Tate returned from Europe a month ago.
Friends have speculated that Frykowski, a known user of narcotics, might have
attracted the killer to the estate. Polanski mentioned only that Frykowski used
marijuana, as, he said, did Sebring.
"I saw them do it." he said. "In my house there were parties were people
smoked pot. I was not at a Hollywood party where someone did not smoke pot."
Polanski, who said he had been planning to hurry home soon to join his
eight-months-pregnant wife in lessons of natural childbirth, marked his 36th
birthday Monday.
Returns To Home
He said he had been back to the home at the end of Cielo Drive, and told what
newsmen would find:
"You can go see this orgy place," he said, apparently referring to accounts
he said the foreign press had written of the home. "You can see books on natural
childbirth, you'll see the room she was painting... The samples of wallpaper she
complained you had to wait so hard to get..."
He paused, fought for control, then continued:
"You see a lot of blood. All over the place. And baby clothes. That's all."
Polanski's attorney had warned newsmen Polanski would not answer questions.
After he finished his statement, he was ushered to a waiting Cadillac limousine.
He sat in the back, shuddering, his hands to his face, until the car drove away.
Manager Named For Jay Sebring Estate
A special administrator was named Tuesday to handle the affairs of Jay
Sebring, one of five persons murdered early August 9 at the home of actress
Sharon Tate. His estate was estimated in excess of $500,000.
Superior Judge Ben Koenig named John Madden, executive vice president of the
hair stylist firm, Sebring Incorporated, as administrator. The firm ran men's
hair styling shops and manufacturer of men's hair spray and other items. Sebring
leaves his parents and a brother and two sisters, none of whom live here.
