Tippi Hedren, the star of the legendary film The Birds, is not your average run-of-the-mill movie star. Hedren is living the most extraordinary and varied life away from the camera. She started a career as a glamor model of the 1950s, pivoting to movies, breaking away and finding her passion in running a big cat sanctuary and taking time to help refugees reestablish themselves in the US. Tippi Hedren is a powerful woman.
Hedren grew up in Middle America, Minnesota, to be exact. She started modeling for local businesses before relocating to California and growing her portfolio.
At the age of 20, Tippi decided she wanted to relocate to New York and try to develop her modeling career further, which she did. She joined the legendary Eileen Ford Agency, and work poured in, but her enjoyment at the time was working as a model with occasional work in early Television commercials.
In one such commercial, she was working with a couple of seagulls, which caught the eye of a particularly famous Hollywood director.
Tippi Hedren got her break into the industry when Alfred Hitchcock saw one of her modeling campaigns, invited her to his studio for lunch, and offered her an exclusive contract to work on his films as he was going to launch her career as a Hollywood actress.
This all seemed too good to be true, and unfortunately, it was. Alfred Hitchcock, known for his suspense films, developed an unhealthy obsession with Tippi Hedren. There was micromanaging every aspect of her career. Making sure she didn’t get too close to her leading men, manipulating situations so he would be in total control of every part of her life, including occasionally sending her specific foods to eat.
But Hedren, an adamant, strong independent woman, wasn’t going to be controlled by a man who had shown himself to be a bully. She fought every step of the way and finally walked away from his control after completing two films. But Alfred Hitchcock did threaten that he would destroy her career.
Not put off by a terrible experience Tippi Hedren went on to work with Charlie Chaplin in his last film, A Countess From Hong Kong, with Sophia Loren and Marlon Brando. Tippi enjoyed the experience, but Tippi had another calling.
But during the 1970s, Tippi had a different calling. She fell in love with the big cats. While she was on location, she met them, and the connection was immediate. But the trajectory of her life and idea for the next film came from this love of lions.
While married to Noel Marshall, an idea for a film was developed, Roar, released in 1981. The film took over 12 years to complete, and during this time, Hedren and Marshall set up a foundation to care for several abandoned big cats. Their compound grew to include lions, tigers, cougars, jaguars, and elephants. Most of these animals appear in the film.
Once the filming was complete, Hedren set up Shambala Preserve and has housed these incredible animals ever since. The preserve is open to the public but still houses some animals that have been turned over by their owners.
The mention of Tippi Hedren can’t go without bringing up her acting daughter, Melanie Griffith, who Hedren credits as being her best friend. Hedren met Peter Griffith while modeling, and they married shortly after Melanie Griffith was born.
Hedren and Griffith have appeared in many projects together. The first project was The Harrad Experiment, where Melanie worked alongside Don Johnson. The second project was the film Roar. The third recent project was Pacific Heights.
Acting roles have continued to come Hedren’s way with many films and TV roles. She continues to spend her time in an animal sanctuary and most recently completed a book outlining her fascinating life.
Tippi Hedren is an intelligent, remarkable, and powerful woman whose story is truly inspiring.