“Hello” Roman Polanski Born 18 August 1933

Roman Polanski (born Rajmund Roman Thierry Polański; 18 August 1933) is a Polish-French film director, producer, writer, and actor.

Born in Paris to Polish parents, he moved with his family back to Poland  in 1937, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. He survived the Holocaust and became a director of both art house and commercial films.

In 1969, Polanski’s pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, was murdered by members of the Manson Family while staying at Polanski’s Benedict Canyon home above Los Angeles. Following Tate’s death, Polanski returned to Europe and spent much of his time in Paris and Gstaad, but did not direct another film until Macbeth (1971) in England.

In 1977, after a photo shoot in Los Angeles, Polanski was arrested for the statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl and pleaded guilty to the charge of unlawful sex with a minor. To avoid sentencing, Polanski fled to his home in London, eventually settling in France. More than 32 years later, in September 2009, he was temporarily arrested by Swiss police at the request of U.S. authorities, who also asked for his extradition. The Swiss rejected that request, and instead released him from custody, declaring him a “free man.” During an interview for a later film documentary, he offered his apology to the woman, and in a separate interview he said that he has regretted that episode for the last 33 years.