Long before being the mother of Melanie Griffith, or the grandmother of Dakota Johnson or Stella del Carmen Banderas, Tippi was a muse of the king of suspense like Joan Fontaine, Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh or Kim Novak. This January 19 Tippi Hedren, the legendary protagonist of The Birds (1963) o Marnie la ladrona (1964) turns 95 years old. His legacy in Hollywood goes far beyond his brief but brilliant stardom in the ’60s.
His life is a testimony of courage, resilience and love for animals, but also of the fight against the abuse of power in the film industry, a theme that decades later would resonate with the #MeToo movement. This is the story of the actress who shone under the direction of Alfred Hitchcock, but who also had the courage to face him, risking everything.
Born Nathalie Kay Hedren in New Ulm, Minnesota, in 1930, Tippi, a nickname that means “little one” in Swedish, showed an interest in show business from a young age. She started out as a model in her home state and, at age 20, moved to New York, where she became a regular face in fashion magazines and commercials. Her beauty and elegance caught the attention of Alfred Hitchcock in 1961, when the director saw her in a television advertisement. Fascinated, he had his agents find her and offer her an exclusive contract.
Tippi Hedren has been married four times. With Peter Griffith in 1952 and from this marriage her daughter Melanie Griffith was born in 1957. Hedren has three grandchildren: Dakota Johnson, daughter of Melanie and Don Johnson, as well as Alexander Bauer and Stella Banderas, the latter daughter of Antonio Banderas. In 1964 she married Noel Marshall, from whom she separated in 1982. And her third marriage was to Luis Barrenechea in 1985. From 2002 to 2008 she was married to Martin Dinnes. Currently, he lives in Shambala, in the Mojave Desert in the United States.
At 33, Hedren made her film debut with “The Birds” (1963), a masterpiece of suspense. In the film, she played Melanie Daniels, a rich and sophisticated young woman trapped in a town terrorized by a bird attack. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe for Best New Actress, and she immediately became Hitchcock’s new muse. A year later, she starred in “Marnie the Thief” (1964), a psychological thriller that cemented her reputation as a talented and charismatic actress.
Behind the scenes, however, the relationship between Hedren and Hitchcock was bleak. As revealed years later, the director developed an unhealthy obsession with her. At first, Hedren tried to justify his behavior as that of a demanding and controlling mentor. But, during the filming of “Marnie”, the situation became unsustainable. Not only did Hitchcock isolate her from the rest of the crew, he attempted to kiss her and, on one occasion, demanded that she be sexually available to him. When Hedren refused his advances, Hitchcock made good on his threat: he blocked her career. Protected by the exclusive contract that she had signed, he prevented her from working with other directors for years. “He told me, ‘I’ll ruin your career,’ and he did,” Hedren confessed in Donald Spoto’s 2008 biography of the filmmaker. The price he paid was high. During the time when gender equality was practically a utopia, facing a figure as powerful as Hitchcock was unheard of. But Hedren did not let herself be defeated. Although her Hollywood career never reached the same heights, she found ways to reinvent herself.
In 1969, with her second husband, Noel Marshall, she filmed “Roar” (1981), a film about poaching in Tanzania. The filming was as chaotic as it was legendary, with the cast living with real lions and tigers. Both Tippi and other members of the crew suffered serious injuries during filming, but the experience marked the beginning of a commitment that would change her life: the conservation of wild animals.
They began rescuing exotic cats, establishing a reserve in California called Shambala Preserve, which became home to dozens of lions, tigers and other animals. To maintain reserve, Hedren agreed to work on minor projects and make public appearances, sacrificing her professional ambition for a greater purpose. Shambala was not only a refuge for animals, but also for his family. His daughter Melanie Griffith grew up there, the result of his first marriage, who would later become a star in her own right. In a curious twist of fate, during the filming of the movie “Harrad Experiment”, Melanie met Don Johnson, with whom she began a relationship at the age of 14, which generated a huge scandal.
In 1983, three years after Hitchcock’s death, Hedren broke her silence about the harassment she suffered. At the time, the revelations did not have the impact they would have today. However, with the rise of the #MeToo movement, her story has been re-evaluated as an early example of resistance to the abuse of power in Hollywood. Despite the challenges, Hedren continued to work in television and film, and became an inspiration to new generations of women in the industry. His family has followed in his footsteps in film, with Melanie Griffith and Dakota Johnson, his granddaughter, achieving notable careers. Today, as she turns 95, Tippi Hedren remains an iconic figure. His life is not only a reminder of the talent Hollywood lost to systemic machismo, but also a lesson in courage and commitment to its values.
Tippi Hedren went from being Alfred Hitchcock’s protégé to being one of his main detractors, sacrificing her career for her dignity. Although she never reached her full potential as an actress, her impact transcends cinema. As an animal rights advocate and pioneer in the fight against abuse of power, Hedren is an admirable figure whose life and legacy continue to inspire. At 95 years old, Tippi Hedren is much more than a movie star: she is a symbol of strength and resilience in the face of adversity.
Melanie (curiously named after her mother’s character in The Birds), was already present at the filming of the film. Hitchcock gave an identical doll to her mother inside a wooden box that the girl understood to be a coffin. The girl called Hitchcock Tito Hitch.
The Birds: what you didn’t know about that masterpiece
A fundamental piece in the history of cinema, it arrived in Spain on October 7, 1963. 62 years have passed and the film not only continues to be a benchmark of the genre, but remains a study of Hitchcock’s obsessions and the ins and outs of a production that was full of technical and personal challenges. From its sound innovations to the controversies between its director and its star, Tippi Hedren, the filming of The Birds is almost as legendary as the film itself. The film is based on a short story by Daphne Du Maurier, also the author of Rebecca, another work adapted by Hitchcock. Curiously, the original story was initially purchased to be an episode of the series Alfred Hitchcock Presenta. The birds Not only did it redefine suspense and disaster cinema, but it continues to fascinate critics and moviegoers alike. Its impact has not diminished, and the filming remains an inexhaustible source of stories and analysis. A film that, like its protagonist birds, remains engraved in our collective memory.
One of the most famous promotional images for The Birds is that of Alfred Hitchcock posing with a crow on his shoulder. However, this crow never appeared in the film. It was bought by a crew member to a 12-year-old boy after filming wrapped, for just $10.
Hitchcock discovered Tippi Hedren in 1961 when he saw her in a television advertisement for a slimming drink. In the ad, a man whistled as she walked down the street, a gesture Hitchcock recreated in the film’s opening scene as an homage. It was her film debut, but also the beginning of a professional relationship marked by control and harassment.
At the London premiere, Hitchcock prepared an unforgettable experience. As attendees left the theater, bird sounds (flapping wings and squawking) could be heard coming from speakers hidden in nearby bushes. The director enjoyed these small theatrical touches to prolong the impact of his works.
Tippi Hedren’s character, Melanie Daniels, wears the same green dress throughout the film. For the long days of filming, six identical versions of the dress were made. This detail has turned the garment into an icon of design in cinema and has inspired analysis in the fashion world.
Hitchcock initially considered Cary Grant for the role of Mitch Brenner, but ruled him out due to his high profile. The director knew that with his name and the premise of the film he already had enough to attract the public. Ultimately, the role went to Rod Taylor.
At its launch, the press was told that Tippi Hedren was 28 years old, when in fact he was 33. At that time, that age was considered too old for a film debut, which led Hitchcock to alter this detail to enhance his image as a young rising star.
An army of trained birds
More than 3,200 trained birds were used in the filming. According to Hitchcock, the crows were the most intelligent, while the seagulls were the most aggressive, which added a level of difficulty to the team’s work. The school where some of the most iconic scenes were filmed, such as the gathering of crows on the swings, is the Potter Schoolhouse in Bodega, California. Since 1961, the building ceased to be a school and became a private residence. The film’s poster, which shows a screaming woman, is not based on Tippi Hedren, as many believe, but on Jessica Tandy, who played Mitch Brenner’s mother. Although Bernard Herrmann, A frequent collaborator of Hitchcock, he participated as a “sound consultant”, the film does not include incidental music. Instead, the bird sounds, designed by Oskar Sala, became the only soundtrack.
In the final attack scene in the room, the birds were tied with nylon threads to Tippi Hedren’s dress, preventing her from moving easily. Filming lasted a week and left the actress hospitalized due to stress and injuries. The Birds ends without the classic “The End” sign. Hitchcock wanted the audience to feel that the horror continued beyond the film. He had even planned an additional scene, with the Golden Gate Bridge covered in birds, which was never filmed.
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