Top 10 Things Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Got Factually Right
“Always Is Always Forever”
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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
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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
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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.
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
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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
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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
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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.
Bruce Lee Trained Sharon Tate
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It may have been a surprise to see the legendary martial artist Bruce Lee appear in this film (played by Mike Moh), but once you know this little bit of trivia, his cameo might make a bit more sense. The first time Lee is shown, he engages in hand-to-hand combat with Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth on set. However, it’s the second time that Lee appears on screen that may leave audience members scratching their heads: it’s a flashback to a training session with Sharon Tate. But funnily enough, sources say Lee actually did train Tate in preparation for her role in “The Wrecking Crew,” and also helped with fight choreography for the film.
The Perpetrators
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Although he’s infamous for the crime, Charles Manson did NOT do his own dirty work and instead sent several members of his Family to murder the residents of the house on Cielo Drive. Quentin Tarantino accurately places Tex Watson, Susan Atkins (aka Sadie) and Patricia Krenwinkel (aka Katie) at the scene of the crime. IRL Linda Kasabian was the fourth person there - and while Kasabian did not actively participate in the murders and went on to be a star witness against her fellow Family members at their trial, she did not drive off in the getaway car the way Maya Hawke’s character does in the film. But, she did consider it.
“The Devil”
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“Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood”’s climactic finale is so over-the-top bonkers, you may think there’s no way any of it could be real. But, one quote from Tex was said word-for-word on the night of the Tate murders: when Cliff Booth asks Tex who he is, he responds, “I am the Devil, and I'm here to do the Devil's business.” IRL, Tex actually said this directly to Polanski’s friend Voytek Frykowski at gunpoint. What’s more, if you’re up on the lore, you might also recognize words like “witchy” and “pigs/piggies” as actual Manson vocabulary. It’s interesting that, in Tarantino’s alternate version of history, this dialogue is still said… because honestly, it all sounds like something that could’ve been written by the director himself.
