These are the things that 2019's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" got historically right. Quentin Tarantino may play it fast and loose with the facts most of the time, but some of the time, he's pretty on point — how close to home did he hit it with his new movie? From the Manson Girls' favorite music, to the name of Roman Polanski's dog, to Bruce Lee's surprising client, we're looking into the real-life history behind QT's latest fantasy.
Top 10 Things Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Got Historically Right
Even when asking “what if?,” Quentin Tarantino likes to get at least SOME of his facts straight. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10 things “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood” actually got factually right.
For this list, we’re taking a look at just a few of the things that actually did happen from this alternate history tale - even though we know that Tarantino took MANY creative liberties with the story of the Manson Family and the Tate murders. Oh, and btw, a SPOILER ALERT is now in effect.
“Always Is Always Forever”
The first time the Manson Girls are introduced, they’re heard singing a somewhat creepy tune. That song is titled “Always Is Always Forever,” and if it sounded familiar, well, you may just be a Manson fanatic: this is actually a real song that Manson recorded with vocals from the Manson Family, and if you’re wondering if they ever actually sang it in public, this moment isn’t that far off… At the real life trial of Charles Manson, a few of the Manson Girls appeared in court to sing a different version of this song titled, “I’ll Never Say Never to Always.”Dennis Wilson & Terry Melcher
Wait, the guy from the Beach Boys and the record producer of hit songs like “Turn Turn Turn” had connections to Manson? Yuuup. In the scene where Charles Manson visits the Polanski house, he asks the current residents whether Dennis Wilson and Terry Melcher are there. To some, this might seem like an opportunity for Tarantino to namedrop a few celebs that lived in the area at the time, but Melcher actually did live in the house that Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate would later move into. Not to mention, Wilson was actually a friend of Manson’s; however, once the Beach Boy began to notice Charlie’s violent side, he cut ties with the later-murderer.All the Real People
While the lead characters in “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood” are based on real people, and the main victims and perpetrators of the Manson murders are also true-to-life, several smaller characters actually existed as well. Well-known stars like Damian Lewis-as-Steve McQueen and Mike Moh-as-Bruce Lee are obvious, as are the Mamas and the Papas members Michelle Phillips and “Mama” Cass Elliot. But, Timothy Olyphant’s character James Stacy was actually the star of the ‘60s western series “Lancer,” Luke Perry’s Wayne Maunder was his co-star on that show and Nicholas Hammond’s Sam Wanamaker was the director of the “Lancer” pilot episode. What’s more, Rumer Willis pops up very briefly as actress and friend of Sharon Tate Joanna Pettet.advertisement
Manson Did Visit 10050 Cielo Drive
In the film, Tarantino places Charles Manson - driving a Hostess Twinkie truck - at the home of Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate - which is significant for a few reasons. First, it proves that Manson knew who was living there at the time. Second, Sharon Tate actually did see Manson that day. And finally, at least in terms of the real life incident, Manson’s poor treatment by the people he met there may have informed his later actions. The film’s timeline doesn’t exactly line up with real life, as this altercation happened on March 23rd, 1969, and the people he really encountered were not depicted in the film, but Manson was there looking for Terry Melcher - and, yes, the Family did drive around in an old Twinkie truck.The Manson Family Lived at Spahn Movie Ranch
Located in Los Angeles County, Spahn Ranch was a sprawling 55-acre piece of land that was once a popular filming location for westerns and even a destination for tourists interested in riding horses in the Old West. However, as depicted in Tarantino’s film, it’s probably most famous as the longtime residence of Charles Manson and his Family. Owner George Spahn was pushing 80 and was, actually, almost blind when Manson bribed him with the promise of free labor and women so he and his disciples could live on his land. As depicted by Bruce Dern and Dakota Fanning, Spahn and Squeaky Fromme were particularly close, with Spahn even credited with giving her - and several others - their famous nicknames.The Polanskis’ Dog Was Named Dr. Saperstein
Leave it to Roman Polanski to name his dog after a character from one of his own movies. A scene where Polanski, relaxing in his backyard, calls his dog Dr. Saperstein may leave some viewers confused about who would possibly name their dog something so long and so strange. The real life dog of Polanski and Tate was actually named after the character of Dr. Saperstein from Polanski’s film “Rosemary’s Baby.” Unfortunately, just before the Tate murders, Saperstein was run over by one of the Tate murders victim Voytek Frykowski.The Manson Girls Hitchhiked a Lot
The 1960s were a more innocent time, and hitchhiking was pretty common. In fact, hitchhiking was how both Beach Boy Dennis Wilson and Manson disciple Charles “Tex” Watson got mixed up with the Family. Wilson picked up a couple of Manson Girls a couple of times, and soon enough Charlie and his women had moved into Wilson’s home on Sunset Boulevard. Not long after, Wilson was the one hitchhiking, and he was picked up by Watson. Once Watson dropped Wilson off and met Manson at his house, he was welcomed into their tight-knit community/cult. Tarantino paints a pretty accurate picture of the Manson Family’s hitchhiking ways: they even hitched home from some of their crimes.advertisement
