HOLLYWOOD, Feb. 12 – The opportunity of a young actress’ lifetime has befallen a fragile blonde beauty who co-starred in her first movie with David Niven and Kim Novak and now must do it all over again.

She is Sharon Tate, 23, who spent three months filming “13” in London and France after which Kim injured her back and was unable to continue. Producer Marty Ransohoff was forced to start from scratch with Deborah Kerr replacing the ailing Novak.

Sharon now is in the process of doing all her scenes for the second time, allowing her to correct the mistakes and awkward moments of the first time around.

“I’m really lucky,” she said on a brief trip to Hollywood.

“The first time my attention and concentration were easily diverted. I was distracted by the mechanics of the camera and moves I had to make.

“Now I’m much more at ease. I’ve been taking voice lessons and I have more confidence in myself.

“The most important thing is working with Deborah Kerr. I learn something new every day just watching her perform. And Mr. Niven goes out of his way to make me feel comfortable.”

Few screen performers in history have been able to run through the same role twice, and when it has happened the actor has the advantage of having seen himself in the first version.

Not so Sharon.

“I haven’t seen a single foot of the first film,” she said. “I don’t want to because I’m sure it would make me self-conscious.

“But there’s no question in my mind that doing the picture a second time will improve my performance 100 percent. What’s more, they’ve enlarged my role.”

Sharon is the daughter of a career army officer and engaged to be married to Jay Sebring, the man who re-styled the Hollywood haircut. She’s also under long-term contract to Ransohoff, who signed the slender beauty when she read for a role in one of his television shows.

Her previous acting experience was limited to three small roles in sequences of “The Beverly Hillbillies.”

“Mr. Ransohoff came on the set, saw me, and said, ‘Sign that girl!’ I thought he meant somebody else. I couldn’t believe he was talking about me. I looked so awfuL I was wearing an orange dress with big, patch pockets and my hair was all over the place.

“I still can’t believe all this is happening to me. It seems like a dream,” she said.

By RICHARD YOUNG