Jay Sebring

Infobox Person
name = Jay Sebring


caption =
birth_name = Thomas John Kummer
birth_date = birth date|1933|10|10|mf=y
birth_place = Birmingham, Alabama
United States
death_date = death date and age|1969|8|9|1933|10|10
death_place = Los Angeles, California
United States
other_names =
known_for =
occupation = Hair stylist
nationality = American

Jay Sebring (October 10, 1933 – August 9, 1969) was an American hair stylist for celebrities. He is also known as one of the murder victims of the Manson Family.

Early life

Born Thomas John Kummer in Birmingham, Alabama, his parents were accountant Bernard and Margarette Kummer. He grew up with one brother and two sisters in a middle class family outside of Detroit, Michigan.

After high school, Sebring joined the Navy for four years, and during this time served in the Korean War. He then moved to Los Angeles, where he changed his name to Jay Sebring: Jay, after the first initial of his middle name, and Sebring after the famous Florida car race.

In Los Angeles, Sebring's style of cutting hair proved popular. His clients included Warren Beatty and Steve McQueen. At Kirk Douglas' request, Sebring did the hair styling for the movie "Spartacus". He later designed The Doors' Jim Morrison's free-flowing style.

In October 1960, Sebring married a model named Cami - a union which ended unofficially in August of 1963.

Jay and Sharon Tate

Sebring met the actress Sharon Tate at a party at the Whisky a Go Go club in October 1964. Sitting with friend, singer Jimmy Boyd, at a table just above the table where Tate and her then rocky relationship French boyfriend had joined some guests. Boyd later commented, "Jay fell in love with Sharon at first sight and could not take his eyes off of her. It was as though no one else was in the crowded room". Finally he turned to Jimmy and said, "I'm going to marry her". Stood up, went to her table and introduced himself when the boyfriend had gone. And they began a relationship which, after Sebring's divorce in 1965, led to their engagement. Sebring bought the former home of Jean Harlow on Easton Drive in Benedict Canyon, then owned by Sally Forrest. Tate spent much of her time there, and was also remembered by Sebring's clients as a constant presence in his Los Angeles salon.

Tate went to London in early 1966 to work on "The Fearless Vampire Killers" with film director Roman Polanski. They began a relationship, and Tate ended her engagement to Sebring, who travelled to London to meet Polanski. He accepted the end of the engagement and 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 Sharon Tate and Roman Polanski as his family.

ebring International

His business, Sebring International, was flourishing, with profitable salons in West Hollywood, New York and London, and Sebring maintained a "playboy" lifestyle, numbering high profile Hollywood personalities such as Warren Beatty among his closest associates. In the summer of 1968, Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate introduced Sebring to Polanski's friend Wojciech Frykowski, and his girlfriend, coffee heiress Abigail Folger, who had recently moved to Los Angeles from New York. Folger later invested in Sebring's hair care products for men.

Though not seeking an acting career, Sebring appeared in an episode of the television show "Batman", playing a character based on himself called Mr. Oceanbring. In early May 1969 Sebring opened a new salon at 629 Commercial Street in San Francisco, and a champagne reception followed. Guests included Abigail Folger and her mother Inez, as well as Paul Newman with his wife Joanne Woodward. Sebring's business enterprises continued to flourish.

Sebring also "discovered" martial arts legend Bruce Lee who was giving a demonstration of his unbelievable talents at the International Karate Championships in Long Beach in 1964. He introduced Bruce to his producer friend Bill Dozier who started Bruce's career with "The Green Hornet".

Death on Cielo Drive

On August 8, 1969, Sebring, Tate, Frykowski and Folger went to El Coyote, a Mexican restaurant, together. After they returned to the Polanski residence on Cielo Drive, Charles Manson's followers Patricia Krenwinkel, Susan Atkins and Charles "Tex" Watson 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. He was then shot by Watson, who kicked him several times in the face as he lay dying, breaking his nose and eye socket. The group then murdered Frykowski, Folger and finally Tate, whose pleas for the life of her unborn baby were ignored.

Sebring was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield, Michigan, on Wednesday, August 13, 1969.

External links

* [http://www.sebringintl.com/about_jay.htm Jay's Biography on Sebring International]
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Persondata
NAME= Sebring, Jay
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Kummer, Thomas John
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Hair stylist
DATE OF BIRTH= October 10, 1933
PLACE OF BIRTH= Birmingham, Alabama
DATE OF DEATH= August 9, 1969
PLACE OF DEATH= Los Angeles, California