LOS ANGELES, Aug 10 – The film director Roman Polanski was informed at a cocktail party of the killing of his actress wife, Sharon Tate.

Moments before, a friend said, the guest were discussing the death of a mutual friend. He said the director remarked fatalistically: “Eeny meeny miney mo, who will be the next to go?”

Then the phone rang, the message came and Mr. Polanski collapsed in tears