Jay Sebring

Jay Sebring
Sebring withSharon Tatein 1966
Born	Thomas John Kummer (1933-10-10)October 10, 1933 Birmingham, Alabama,U.S.
Died	August 9, 1969(1969-08-09)(aged 35) Los Angeles,California, U.S.
Cause of death	Multiple stab wounds
Other names	Thomas John Sebring, T. J.
Occupation	Hair stylist
Spouse	Bonnie Lee "Cami" Marple ​ ​ (m.1960;div.1963)​
Partner	Sharon Tate(1964–1966)

Thomas John Kummer(October 10, 1933 – August 9, 1969), known professionally asJay Sebring,was an American celebrityhair stylist,and the founder of the hairstyling corporation Sebring International. Sebring was murdered by members of theManson Familyalong with his ex-girlfriendSharon Tate.

Early life

Born inBirmingham, Alabama,Sebring was the son of anaccountant,Bernard Kummer, and his wife, Margarette Gibb.He grew up with one brother and two sisters in a middle-class home inDetroit, Michigan.

After graduating fromDetroit Catholic Centralin 1951, Sebring served in theNavyfor four years,and during this time he fought in theKorean War.He then moved to Los Angeles, where he adopted the name "Jay Sebring": Jay, after the first initial of his middle name, and Sebring after the famousFlorida car race.

In Las Vegas, on his 27th birthday October 10, 1960, Sebring marriedmodelBonnie Lee Marple,nicknamed Cami– a union which ended unofficially in August 1963.

Career

In Los Angeles, he graduated from beauty school and opened a shop onFairfax Avenue,designing and building it for less than $500. Kummer cut hair for 13 hours a day, sleeping in the back, but was challenged by mounting costs.He promptly "invented a whole new way of cutting men's hair".His innovations including shampooing men's hair before styling it, cutting their hair with scissors instead of clippers, and usingblow dryers,which were popular in Europe but not well known in the United States.He used hairspray in an era whenBrylcreemwas the accepted hair product for men.

His breakthrough happened after meeting actressBarbara Lunaat a party. She toldVic Damone,who liked him enough to fly him to Las Vegas for a trim. In turn, he introduced Kummer toPeter LawfordandFrank Sinatra.Kummer would rename himself after theSebring International Raceway,after seeing images of it in a magazine.

In Los Angeles, his modish salon and his style of cutting hair proved popular. He taught his methods to others who then opened Jay Sebring Salon franchises; his styling techniques were still being taught 40 years after his death.In 1967 he opened the company Sebring International to franchise his salons and sell hair care products.

At a time whenbarberscharged $1 to $2 for a haircut, Sebring charged $50 and more.His hairstyling clients includedWarren BeattyandSteve McQueen.He flew toLas Vegasevery three weeks to cut the hair of Frank Sinatra andSammy Davis Jr.AtKirk Douglas's request, Sebring did the hairstyling for the movieSpartacus.He later designedThe Doors'Jim Morrison's free-flowing style.

His business, Sebring International, was flourishing by the late 1960s, with profitable salons inWest Hollywood,New York City and London. Sebring maintained a playboy lifestyle, with high-profile Hollywood personalities like Beatty among his closest associates.

Sebring assisted with launching the film career ofBruce Lee,after meeting him at the International Karate Championships inLong Beachin 1964. He introduced Lee to his producer friendBill Dozier,who started Lee's career withThe Green Hornet.

Although not seeking an acting career himself, Sebring made a cameo appearance in aDecember 1966 episodeof the TV showBatman,playing a character based on himself called Mr. Oceanbring. Sebring also appeared in a 1967 episode ofThe Virginiantitled "The Strange Quest of Claire Bingham", playing a frontier barber.Sebring also appeared as himself on the January 28, 1963 episode ofTo Tell the Truth.He received three of four possible votes.

Jay Sebring was one of the people profiled in the 1967 cult documentary,Mondo Hollywood.Bobby Beausoleil,a future member of the notoriousManson Family,was also seen in it.Beausoleil was arrested for the murder ofGary Hinmantwo days before theTate–LaBianca murdersthat took Sebring's life.

Back in 1969, Sebring was nicknamed The Candyman and was said to have used his salon to peddle drugs to the stars. Jim Markham was Sebring’s protege and business partner in a budding franchise of men’s hair salons and has made this statement publicly.

Relationship with Sharon Tate

Sebring was introduced toSharon Tateby journalistJoe Hyamsin October 1964 and they began a relationship.Sebring bought the former home ofPaul Bern,husband ofJean Harlow,on Easton Drive inBenedict Canyon,then owned bySally Forrest.

Tate went to London in early 1966 to work onThe Fearless Vampire Killerswithfilm directorRoman Polanski.They began a relationship, and Tate ended her relationship with Sebring, who travelled to London to meet Polanski. He befriended Polanski, while remaining a friend to Tate. Polanski would later comment that despite Sebring's lifestyle, he was a very lonely person, who regarded Tate and Polanski as his family.

In the summer of 1968, Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate introduced Sebring to Polanski's friendWojciech Frykowskiand his girlfriend,Folgerscoffee heiress Abigail Folger, who had recently moved to Los Angeles fromNew Yorkstate. Folger later invested in Sebring's hair-care products for men.

In early May 1969, Sebring opened a new salon at 629 Commercial Street inSan Francisco,and a champagne reception followed. Guests included Abigail Folger and her mother, Ines, as well asPaul Newmanand his wife,Joanne Woodward.

Death on Cielo Drive

Sebring's grave at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery

See also:Tate–LaBianca murders

On August 8, 1969, Sebring, Tate, Frykowski, and Folger went toEl Coyote,aMexicanrestaurant, together. After they returned to the Polanski residence onCielo Drive,Patricia Krenwinkel,Susan AtkinsandCharles "Tex" Watson,members of the "Manson Family",entered the home. After coercing the four occupants of the house into the living room, they ordered them to lie face down on the floor. Sebring protested and asked the intruders to consider Tate's advanced pregnancy. Watson then shot Sebring, and kicked him several times in the face as he lay dying, breaking his nose and eye socket. He was then stabbed seven times and died from blood loss caused by his stab wounds. The group then murdered Frykowski, Folger, and Tate. Sebring's body was found lying down and bloodied, his face disfigured. A long nylon rope was placed around his neck and hung over one of the living room's ceiling beams. At the other end, Tate's body lay with the same rope around her neck. While the coroner's inquest found that Tate was still alive when she was hanged, in Sebring's murder it was found that he was hanged lifeless.

On Wednesday, August 13, funerals for Tate and Sebring took place the same day; the funerals were scheduled several hours apart (first for Tate and then Sebring) to allow mutual friends to attend both.

Sebring was buried atHoly Sepulchre CemeteryinSouthfield, Michigan.Steve McQueengave the eulogy.

Legacy

A feature-length documentaryJay Sebring....Cutting to the Truthwas released in September 2020 byShout! Factory.Directed and produced by Sebring's nephewAnthony DiMaria,the film has received widely positive reviews.

Emile Hirschportrays Sebring in the 2019 filmOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood,directed byQuentin Tarantino,which contains a revisionist interpretation of the night of the Manson murders. In the film's version of events, Sebring survives, as the murderers do not attack at the Tate / Polanski address, but next door at the fictional Rick Dalton home.

External links

• Biographyat Sebring International
• Jay Sebring.... Cutting To The TruthOfficial Traileron Shout Factory'sYouTubeChannel
• Jay Sebring Salon featured inThe Hollywood Dream(1965) onAlison Martino’sYouTubeChannel
• Jay SebringatIMDb