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The arrest of director Roman Polanski more than thirty years after he was accused of having sex with an underage girl has reopened the drama of the troubled director’s life. Polanski, 76, began his career in film in the 1950s. After his 1968 film “Rosemary’s Baby” won critical and commercial success, Polanski suffered a disturbing tragedy when his pregnant wife and several friends were murdered by notorious serial killer Charles Manson’s “family” in 1969. Eight years later, Polanski was arrested in Los Angeles for and pleaded guilty to unlawful sex with a minor after a 13-year-old girl accused him of rape. Polanski, then 44, was released after a 42-day psychiatric evaluation, at which time he fled to France. Since then, Polanski has been considered a U.S. fugitive, with an outstanding arrest warrant dating back to 1978. During his years as a fugitive, Polanski continued to make several award-winning films and remained one of the most critically acclaimed directors in both American and international cinema. On September 26, Polanski was arrested by Swiss police as he attempted to enter the country for the Zurich Film Festival. As the world waits to hear Polanski’s fate, take a look back at a photo timeline of events through the director’s turbulent life. (Source: AP)![Roman Polanski]()
Roman Polanski was born on August 18, 1933. Growing up in Nazi-controlled Poland, his parents were sent to concentration camps, where his mother ultimately died. Polanski survived with the help of Roman-Catholic families in Poland, enduring harsh conditions and extreme poverty. He went on to attend film school in Poland and graduated in 1959. (Source: Reuters)![The Fearless Vampire Killers]()
After a brief first marriage to actress Barbara Lass, he met the young and beautiful actress Sharon Tate on the set of his film “The Fearless Vampire Killers.”![Tate_and_Polanski1]()
Polanski and Tate married in London in January of 1968. He would later describe his years with the beautiful blonde as the best of his life. (Source: AP)![Rosemary's Baby]()
During this time, Polanski made his first Hollywood film, “Rosemary’s Baby,” starring Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes. The horror film depicts a young New York woman who is impregnated by the devil after her actor husband makes a deal in return for his success. The film earned Polanski his second Academy Award nomination and was received well by critics and audiences alike.![Tate_and_Polanski]()
On August 9, 1969, Polanski’s wife Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant with the couple’s son was brutally murdered by members of Charles Manson’s “family” at the couple’s rented Hollywood home. Also murdered were four of the couple’s friends, Jay Sebring, Wojciech Frykowski Abigail Folger and Steven Parent. Polanski was in London at the time.![Charles_Manson1]()
It was months before anyone learned of the Manson connection to the murders after Manson and “family” were arrested on an unrelated charge. Manson, who ordered the murders, later went to jail for life imprisonment. Polanski would later note that his biggest regret was not being in Los Angeles with Tate on the night of her murder. (Source: AP)![Chinatown]()
Following the murders, Polanski directed such films as Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth,” and the critically acclaimed “Chinatown” in 1973. The film starred jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway and earned 11 Academy Award nominations. Nicholson and Polanski remained friends and it was inside of Nicholson’s home that the 1977 rape would take place.![Roman Polanski]()
In 1977, 44-year-old Polanski invited 13-year-old Samantha Gailey (now Geimer) to Nicholson’s home to photograph her for the French edition of Vogue magazine, which Polanski had been invited to guest edit. After her mother allowed a private shoot, Geimer testified that Polanski gave her champagne and Quaaludes before her performed sexual acts on her. (Source: AP)![Roman_Polanski_1977]()
Polanski was charged with rape by use of drugs, sodomy, lewd and lascivious acts upon a child under 14, providing drugs to a minor and perversion. As part of a plea bargain, he confessed to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and was sentenced to a psychiatric evaluation. After 42 days of psychiatric evaluation, Polanski was released and fled to London on Feb. 1, 1978. The next day, he traveled to France (where he held citizenship) to avoid extradition to the U.S. He never returned to England. (Source: AP)![Frantic]()
During his years as a fugitive abroad, Polanski directed major films, like 1988’s “Frantic,” starring Harrison Ford and actress Emmanuelle Seigner. Polanski and Seigner would later marry.![The_Pianist]()
In 2002, Polanski directed the Holocaust drama “The Pianist,” starring Adrien Brody. The film earned him an Oscar for Best Director and earned Brody a Best Actor award, in addition to a Best Screenplay award. (Source: AP)![Roman Polanski and Wife]()
Around the same time of “The Pianist’s” release, Vanity Fair magazine published an article by A.E. Hotchner recounting a claim by Lewis H. Lapham that Polanski (shown here with wife Seigner) made sexual advances at a model on his way to then-wife Sharon Tate’s funeral. In 2004, Polanski sued for the magazine for libel and several of his friends, including Mia Farrow, testified on his behalf. He was awarded nearly $80,000 in damages from the magazine, testifying via video so as not to enter the U.K. (Source: Reuters)![Samantha_Geimer]()
In 2003, Polanski’s victim Samantha Geimer, now 45, said she wanted the entire case to go away and noting that she felt he had done sufficient punishment for his crime. "Straight up, what he did to me was wrong. But I wish he would return to America so the whole ordeal can be put to rest for both of us." Furthermore, "I'm sure if he could go back, he wouldn't do it again. He made a terrible mistake but he's paid for it." During press for a 2008 HBO documentary film about the case entitled “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired,” Geimer said, “I think he's sorry, I think he knows it was wrong. I don't think he's a danger to society. I don't think he needs to be locked up forever and no one has ever come out ever - besides me - and accused him of anything. It was 30 years ago now. It's an unpleasant memory ... (but) I can live with it." (Source: Reuters)![Roman_Polanski_2009]()
In 2008, Polanski’s Los Angeles attorney requested that the rape conviction be dismissed for judicial and prosecutorial misconduct, namely for the prosecutor’s alleged behind-the-scenes manipulations by a now-retired prosecutor who was not assigned to the case. The misconduct was brought to light as a result of the HBO documentary. On September 22, Polanski’s lawyers filed a new appeal on the rejection of the 2008 dismissal request. When prosecutors learned Polanski was booked for the Zurich film festival to obtain a lifetime achievement award, they obtained another warrant for his arrest and alerted Swiss police. He was arrested on September 26 at the Zurich airport. He has been in a Swiss detention center since then. (Source: AP)![Roman_Polanski_2007]()
In January of 2009, Superior Court Judge Peter Espinoza dismissed Polanski’s bid to throw out the case because the director failed to appear in court to press his request. He conceded however to “substantial misconduct” in the handling of the original case. (Source: AP)![Plea for Release]()
Both France and Poland have urged Switzerland to free Polanski, as have fans and Hollywood supporters (like actress Debra Winger, shown here) alike. The Swiss Justice Ministry has not ruled out the possibility of his release on bail under strict conditions that he does not flee the country. Officials point to the likelihood that Polanski will spend several months in detention, unless he agrees to forgo any challenge to his extradition to the United States, the Associated Press reported Monday. (Source: AP)Roman Polanski: Anatomy of a Sex Scandal
Key moments in director Roman Polanski's tumultuous life
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