Could have been murdered

But Valerie Perrine’s life wasn’t just glitz and glamour — she survived near-death moments too. In 1969, she was dating Hollywood hairstylist Jay Sebring.

One night, he invited her to a dinner party in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles. Valerie managed to found someone to work for her that night, but at the last minute that person got sick, and she had to show up for work.

That party turned out to be the night the Manson Family brutally murdered six people, including Sebring and Sharon Tate. Had her replacement shown up, Valerie Perrine might have been another victim of that horrific night.

Years of dancing and acting also took a toll on her body. “I remember the doctor saying her body had the wear and tear of an NFL player,” said director Stacey Souther, who has cared for Perrine for years.

She underwent spinal surgery, leaving her in recovery for months.