Leonard Lewis, AKA Leonard of Mayfair passed away on November 30th, 2016 at age 78.
Leonard was an extremely successful hairstylist in England. By the early 1960’s he opened The House of Leonard and clients included John and Jacqueline Kennedy as well as Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. As the decade progressed he created Twiggy’s iconic short haircut. He also worked on the Beatles and created pieces for many of Stanley Kubrick’s films.
He was the man responsible for Sharon Tate’s hairstyle in this photograph from UK Vogue shot by David Bailey, and published in 1966.
A brain tumor in 1988 derailed his career and took a major toll on his personal life. His memoir was published in 2000.
This photograph, owned by Peggy DiMaria (the sister of Jay Sebring), shows Jay and Sharon Tate with Sebring’s family in Las Vegas. The photograph was taken on January 5th, 1966 at the Sands.
Sharon and Richard Beymer first met in 1961 while he was filming Hemingway’s Adventures of A Young Man in Italy. He encouraged her to go to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. They dated off and on until 1963. During that time they appeared together in multiple magazines.
Sharon met French actor Philippe Forquet in 1963 and the relationship became very serious very quickly. By Christmas of 1963 the two were engaged, much to the chagrin of her manager. The relationship was tumultuous as best, with rumors of cheating and abuse surrounding them. She ended the relationship with him in 1964 after a fight ended with her being taken to a hospital. After her death, Forquet would claim that she had been the violent aggressor in the relationship.
Sharon and Jay Sebring were introduced at the Whiskey A Go Go in Los Angeles around Thanksgiving of 1964. The two immediately hit it off and she soon began living in his LA home. It seems that they were never quite on the same page, at the same time, when it came to the relationship. When they met, he was recently divorced and not looking for a major commitment. It is said however, that he did propose in 1965, and that she accepted. It’s unclear just how serious the engagement was, since there never appeared to be an engagement ring, or any wedding plans. In 1965 her career took her to London, while he remained in Hollywood. Their relationship seems to have suffered from distance, and possibly the nearly 10 year age difference between them. In 1966 word got back to him that she was getting cozier with her Fearless Vampire Killers director, Roman Polanski. He flew to London, and after much discussion, the two decided it was best to end their romantic relationship. Even though their romance ended, they remained close friends until their deaths in 1969.
Sharon was first introduced to Roman Polanski by her manager Martin Ransohoff, sometime around very late-1965 to very early-1966. Their first dinner date was later described as a “case of instant hate.” Polanski resented Ransohoff’s demand that she play the lead female role in his upcoming film, The Fearless Vampire Killers. At a second meeting, pushed by Ransohoff, Polanski decided to frighten her by sneaking up on her while wearing a Frankenstein’s Monster mask. After seeing her terrified reaction, he decided that she would be fine for the role of Sarah Shagal. Once production began, the two started spending more time together and eventually fell in love. Later in 1966 they began renting a home in California and frequented LA’s hippest clubs and parties. They wed in January of 1968, and a year later she became pregnant. The marriage had its ups and downs, many of which were caused by his repeated infidelities and brash attitude. His initial anger over her pregnancy faded as the pregnancy progressed and the couple was making plans for the future of their family. In spite of their issues, they did remain a couple and in frequent communication while apart. Polanski still says that his years with Sharon were the happiest of his life.
Sharon Tate, posing with her dog Prudence in early-August of 1969 at her Cielo Drive home. It is likely that Jay Sebring took the color photos, while Wojciech Frykowski took the black and white photos.
“Before Roman I guess I was in love with Jay (Sebring). It was a fine relationship. But the truth is I was no good for Jay. I’m not organized. I’m too flighty. Jay needs a wife. And at 23 I’m not ready for wifehood. I still have to live, and Roman is trying to show me how.”
–Sharon Tate, 1966
Harold and his wife Maxine were well known in 1960’s London. He was a hairstylist while she was a clothing stylist. Their clients included: Natalie Wood, Raquel Welch, Joan Collins, and Sharon Tate.
In a 2010 interview Harold remembered Sharon and said, “God bless her, one of the most perfect women. One of the most beautiful women of her era if not the most beautiful! She was fun to share time with, with such great humor. She was sharp and we have very fond memories of her and being with her.”
The concept for the above photographs was actually thought up by Roman Polanski. Harold was visiting Sharon and Roman’s London apartment when the idea came to be. “Roman Polanski told me he wanted to give her some jewelry for their first anniversary. I was there when thousands of of pounds’ worth arrived at her flat for her to choose from,” Harold recalled in 2010. Roman then thought to cover Sharon in jewels for a photos session–which is how the photographs were born, and Harold styled her hair for the session.
