Tippi Hedren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tippi Hedren
|
|
|---|---|
Hedren in 1964
|
|
| Born |
Nathalie Kay Hedren
January 19, 1930 New Ulm, Minnesota, U.S.
|
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1950–2018 |
| Spouse(s) |
|
| Children | Melanie Griffith |
| Relatives | Dakota Johnson (granddaughter) |
| Signature | |
 |
|
Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren (born January 19, 1930) is an American actress who is now retired. She started her career as a fashion model. Her pictures appeared on the covers of popular magazines like Life and Glamour.
In 1961, famous director Alfred Hitchcock saw her in a TV commercial. He asked her to become an actress. Tippi Hedren became very well-known for her roles in two of his movies: the exciting thriller The Birds (1963) and the drama Marnie (1964). For The Birds, she won a Golden Globe Award for being a great new actress.
She acted in over 80 films and TV shows. Some of these include Charlie Chaplin's last movie A Countess from Hong Kong (1967) and the comedy I Heart Huckabees (2004). Tippi Hedren has received many awards for her acting. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Tippi Hedren is also very dedicated to helping animals. In 1969, she was filming in Africa and learned about the struggles of African lions. To help raise awareness, she spent over ten years making the movie Roar (1981). In 1983, she started her own group called the Roar Foundation. This group supports the Shambala Preserve, which is an 80-acre (32 ha) home for wild animals. There, she continues to care for and protect lions and tigers. Tippi Hedren has also helped with relief efforts around the world after natural disasters and wars. She also played a big part in helping Vietnamese-American people start nail salons in the United States.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Nathalie Kay Hedren was born in New Ulm, Minnesota, on January 19, 1930. Her parents were Bernard Carl and Dorothea Henrietta Hedren. Her father gave her the nickname "Tippi." When she was four years old, her family moved to Minneapolis. She has an older sister named Patricia. As a teenager, Tippi took part in department store fashion shows. Her parents later moved to California while she was still in high school.
Career Highlights
Modeling Career (1950–1960)
When Tippi turned 20, she moved to New York City. She joined a famous modeling agency called Eileen Ford Agency. She had a very successful career as a model. Her photos were on the covers of many popular magazines.
In 1961, Tippi Hedren divorced her husband, Peter Griffith. She moved back to California with her daughter, Melanie. She thought her modeling career would continue easily, but it was harder than she expected.
Becoming an Actress with Alfred Hitchcock (1961–1966)
How Tippi Was Discovered (1961)
On October 13, 1961, Tippi Hedren received a call from an agent. A movie producer wanted to work with her. This producer was Alfred Hitchcock. He had seen her in a TV commercial for a diet drink. Tippi agreed to sign a seven-year contract with him.
Hitchcock spent a lot of money and time testing Tippi for a role. She was a new actress with little experience. She was nervous but worked very hard. Hitchcock was impressed by her. He even asked a famous costume designer to create clothes for Tippi. He also wanted her name to be written as 'Tippi' in single quotes.
Later, Hitchcock invited Tippi to lunch. He gave her a golden pin shaped like three birds. Then, he asked her to play the main role in his new movie, The Birds. Tippi was very surprised and happy.
Starring in The Birds (1963)
The Birds (1963) was Tippi Hedren's first big movie role. Hitchcock taught her a lot about filmmaking. She learned how to understand a script and become a character. Tippi said she learned more in three years with him than she would have in 15 years otherwise.
Filming The Birds took six months. Tippi found it "wonderful" at first. But the final scene, where birds attack her in a bedroom, was very difficult. She was told they would use fake birds. Instead, real birds were thrown at her for five days. They had their beaks tied shut. One bird cut her cheek. Tippi was so exhausted that she cried. A doctor ordered her to rest for a week. Hitchcock did not want her to stop, but the doctor insisted.
When the movie came out, everyone was impressed with Tippi's acting. Hitchcock praised her and compared her to actress Grace Kelly. Variety magazine said she had "star quality." Tippi Hedren won a Golden Globe Award for her role. Her character, Melanie Daniels, is still considered one of the greatest movie characters ever.
Playing the Lead in Marnie (1964)
Hitchcock was so pleased with Tippi's acting that he offered her the main role in his next film, Marnie (1964). This movie was a romantic drama and a psychological thriller. Tippi was excited to play such a "complicated, sad, tragic woman." She felt it was a special chance for an actress.
Tippi Hedren said Marnie was her favorite of the two films she made with Hitchcock. She found it challenging to play a woman who robs her employers. Hitchcock believed she would give an "Academy Award performance." When Marnie was first released, it received mixed reviews. However, over time, the film has become highly praised. Tippi's performance is now seen as one of the best in any Hitchcock movie. A critic from The New Yorker even called her performance "one of the greatest in the history of cinema."
Later Film Roles (1967–1973)
Tippi Hedren's next big movie after Marnie was A Countess from Hong Kong (1967). It starred Marlon Brando and Sophia Loren. The director, Charlie Chaplin, told her she would have a major role. But when she arrived for filming, she found her part was very small. She asked Chaplin why he had not told her the truth. He said he did not think she would come if she knew it was a small role. Tippi stayed in the film and found working with Chaplin interesting.
After this, Tippi's career was still seen as "spectacular." She wanted to find another special project. In 1968, she appeared in Tiger by the Tail. From 1970 to 1971, she was a guest star on the TV show The Courtship of Eddie's Father. She also acted in Satan's Harvest (1970) and Mister Kingstreet's War (1973). She took these roles because they were filmed in Africa, which she loved.
In 1973, Tippi Hedren played a teacher in The Harrad Experiment. Her daughter, Melanie Griffith, later married one of the film's stars, Don Johnson. Tippi felt the movie talked about important ideas like jealousy and marriage.
Making Roar (1974–1981)
In 1969, Tippi Hedren and her husband, Noel Marshall, were filming in Africa. They saw lions living in a house and thought it was funny. This gave them an idea for a movie. Marshall wrote a script about a family and wild cats. It was called Roar.
Tippi, her daughter Melanie, and Marshall's sons starred in the movie. They tried to rent trained animals, but no one would rent them so many lions. So, they decided to get and train their own wild cats. They even raised a lion cub named Neil in their house! After neighbors complained, they bought a ranch outside Los Angeles. This ranch became the set for Roar. They rescued many lions, tigers, and other wild cats there.
Filming Roar began in 1974 and took five years to finish. Over 150 untrained wild animals were in the movie. No animals were hurt during filming. However, more than 70 people from the cast and crew were injured. Tippi Hedren broke her leg and got cuts on her head from an elephant. A lion also bit her neck, needing 38 stitches. This bite can even be seen in the movie! In 1978, a flood destroyed the movie sets and killed three lions.
Roar was released worldwide in 1981. It cost $17 million to make but only earned $2 million. Even though it didn't make much money, it changed Tippi Hedren's life. In 1983, she started The Roar Foundation. This group helps care for big cats. She said it was important to care for the animals after the movie was finished.
Later Career (1982–Present)
After Roar, Tippi Hedren took on many TV and movie roles. She used the money to help her foundation and the animals at the Shambala Preserve. She appeared in TV shows like Hart to Hart (1983) and Tales from the Darkside (1984). In 1985, she had a small role in a new version of Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Her daughter, Melanie Griffith, also appeared in the episode.
In 1994, Tippi Hedren was in The Birds II: Land's End, a sequel to her famous movie. She was disappointed that her role was small. She said it helped her "feed my lions and tigers." She later said the movie was "absolutely horrible."
From 1994 to 1996, she had a role in the TV show Dream On. This show gave her a chance to do comedy, which she had not done before. In 1996, she acted in the movie Citizen Ruth. In 2004, she had a small but memorable role in the comedy I Heart Huckabees. She also appeared in TV shows like The 4400 (2006) and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2008). In 2012, Tippi and her daughter Melanie acted together in an episode of Raising Hope.
Tippi Hedren wrote her autobiography, Tippi: A Memoir, in 2016. She wanted to tell her own story. In 2018, at age 88, she became the face of Gucci's watches and jewelry. She played a fortune teller in their commercial.
Influence and Legacy
Tippi Hedren's style and roles have inspired many artists and designers. A Louis Vuitton ad campaign in 2006 paid tribute to her and Hitchcock's movie Marnie. Her look from The Birds also inspired fashion designs.
Actress Naomi Watts said that Tippi Hedren's acting in Hitchcock films influenced her own character in the movie Mulholland Drive (2001). Naomi Watts and Tippi Hedren both appeared in I Heart Huckabees (2004). They were introduced by the director, and Watts said people often told her they looked alike.
Animal Rights Activism
Tippi Hedren's strong commitment to helping animals started in 1969. She was filming in Africa and saw the difficult lives of African lions. To help raise awareness for wildlife, she spent over ten years making the movie Roar (1981). In 1983, she started her own nonprofit group, the Roar Foundation. This foundation supports the Shambala Preserve. This is an 80-acre (32 ha) wildlife home where she continues to care for and protect lions and tigers.
The Shambala Preserve
In 1981, Tippi Hedren produced Roar. This project took 11 years and cost $17 million. It starred many African lions. Tippi said it was "probably one of the most dangerous films that Hollywood has ever seen." During the making of Roar, Tippi, her husband Noel Marshall, and daughter Melanie were attacked by lions. Tippi later wrote a book called Cats of Shambala (1985) about her experiences.
Roar only made $2 million worldwide. Tippi ended her marriage to Marshall in 1982. The movie led directly to her starting The Roar Foundation in 1983. This foundation supports Tippi's Shambala Preserve. It is located in Acton, California, near Los Angeles. Shambala is home to about 70 animals. Tippi Hedren lives at Shambala and gives tours to the public every month. She says that people do not have direct contact with the animals. All the big cats are spayed or neutered because they live in captivity. Tippi Hedren is also the founding president of the American Sanctuary Association.
Shambala became the new home for Michael Jackson's two Bengal tigers, Sabu and Thriller. He moved them there after closing his zoo. Thriller passed away in 2012. Several documentaries have been made about Shambala Preserve. These include Lions: Kings of the Serengeti (1995) and Life with Big Cats (1998). As of 2020, Tippi Hedren still cares for over a dozen lions and tigers. Her granddaughter, Dakota Johnson, also helps with their care.
Personal Life
Tippi Hedren met Peter Griffith, who worked in advertising. They married in 1952. They had one daughter, actress Melanie Griffith, born in 1957. They divorced in 1960.
In 1964, Tippi married her agent, Noel Marshall. He later produced three of her films, including Roar. Their marriage became difficult during the filming of Roar, and they divorced in 1982. In 1985, she married Luis Barrenechea, but they divorced in 1992. Tippi Hedren has three grandchildren, including actress Dakota Johnson.
Tippi Hedren played a role in helping Vietnamese-American people start nail salons in the United States. In 1975, she was helping refugees in California. She noticed the women were interested in her manicured nails. So, she arranged for her nail technician to teach them how to do nails. She also helped them find jobs in beauty schools. Her work with Vietnamese-Americans has been featured in documentaries.
Tippi Hedren had severe headaches for a long time. This made it hard for her to accept some acting jobs. After a medical procedure, she felt better. However, she later had an accident on a TV show set that caused the headaches to return. Tippi is a pescetarian, meaning she eats fish but not other meat.
Images for kids
-
In The Birds (1963)
-
With Sean Connery in Marnie (1964)
-
In Tiger by the Tail (1970)
-
In Satan's Harvest (1970)
-
In The Harrad Experiment (1973)
_Trailer_-_Tippi_Hedren_attacked.png)
_(b).png)
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | The Petty Girl | Ice Box Petty Girl | Uncredited |
| 1963 | The Birds | Melanie Daniels | |
| 1964 | Marnie | Margaret "Marnie" Edgar | |
| 1967 | A Countess from Hong Kong | Martha Mears | |
| 1970 | Tiger by the Tail | Rita Armstrong | |
| 1970 | Satan's Harvest | Marla Oaks | |
| 1971 | Mister Kingstreet's War | Mary Kingstreet | |
| 1973 | The Harrad Experiment | Margaret Tenhausen | |
| 1981 | Roar | Madelaine | |
| 1982 | Foxfire Light | Elizabeth Morgan | |
| 1989 | Deadly Spygames | Chastity | |
| 1990 | In the Cold of the Night | Clara | |
| 1990 | Pacific Heights | Florence Peters | |
| 1994 | Teresa's Tattoo | Evelyn Hill | |
| 1994 | Inevitable Grace | Dr. Marcia Stevens | |
| 1996 | Citizen Ruth | Jessica Weiss | |
| 1997 | Mulligans! | Dottie | Short film |
| 1998 | Break Up | Mom | |
| 1998 | I Woke Up Early the Day I Died | Maylinda Austed | |
| 1998 | Internet Love | Herself | |
| 1999 | The Storytellers | Lillian Glosner | |
| 2001 | Tea with Grandma | Rae | Short film |
| 2001 | Ice Cream Sundae | Lady | Short film |
| 2003 | Searching for Haizmann | Dr. Michelle Labner | |
| 2003 | Dark Wolf | Mary | Video |
| 2003 | Rose's Garden | Rose | Short film |
| 2003 | Julie and Jack | Julie McNeal | |
| 2004 | Raising Genius | Babe | |
| 2004 | Mind Rage | Dr. Wilma Randolph | |
| 2004 | I Heart Huckabees | Mary Jane Hutchinson | |
| 2005 | The Last Confederate: The Story of Robert Adams | Mrs. Adams | |
| 2005 | Diamond Zero | Eleanor Kelly | |
| 2007 | Dead Write | Minnie | |
| 2008 | Her Morbid Desires | Gloria | Video |
| 2012 | Jayne Mansfield's Car | Naomi Caldwell | Uncredited; scenes cut |
| 2012 | Free Samples | Betty | |
| 2013 | Return to Babylon | Mrs. Peabody | |
| 2017 | The Ghost and the Whale | Tippi |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Kraft Suspense Theatre | Lee Anne Wickheimer | Episode: "The Trains of Silence" |
| 1965 | Run for Your Life | Jessica Braden | Episode: "Someone Who Makes Me Feel Beautiful" |
| 1970 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father | Cissy Drummond-Randolph | 2 episodes |
| 1973 | Docteur Caraïbes | Sonia | Episode: "The Man and the Albatross" |
| 1976 | The Bionic Woman | Susan Victor | Episode: "Claws" |
| 1982 | Blue Peter | Herself | |
| 1983 | Hart to Hart | Liza Atterton | Episode: "Hunted Harts" |
| 1984 | Tales from the Darkside | Ruth Anderson | Episode: "Mookie and Pookie" |
| 1985 | Alfred Hitchcock Presents | Waitress | Episode: "Man from the South" |
| 1988 | Hotel | Barbara Lyman | Episode: "Double Take" |
| 1988 | Baby Boom | Laura Curtis | Episode: "Christmas '88" |
| 1990 | Return to Green Acres | Arleen | Television film |
| 1990–1991 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Helen Maclaine | TV series |
| 1991 | Shadow of a Doubt | Teresa Mathewson | Television film |
| 1991 | In the Heat of the Night | Annabelle Van Buren | Episode: "Liar's Poker" |
| 1992 | Through the Eyes of a Killer | Mrs. Bellano | Television film |
| 1993 | Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal | Beverly Courtney | Television film |
| 1993 | Murder, She Wrote | Catherine Noble | Episode: "Bloodlines" |
| 1994 | The Birds II: Land's End | Helen | Television film |
| 1994 | Treacherous Beauties | Lettie Hollister | Television film |
| 1994–1996 | Dream On | Di | Recurring role |
| 1997 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Madame Sofroni | Voice, episode: "Generosity" |
| 1997 | The Guardian | Wynn | Television film |
| 1998 | Chicago Hope | Alfreda Perkins | Episode: "Psychodrama" |
| 1998 | The New Batman Adventures | Donna Day | Voice, episode: "Mean Seasons" |
| 1998 | Invasion America | Mrs. McAllister | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1999 | The Darklings | Martha Jackson | Television film |
| 1999 | Replacing Dad | Dixie | Television film |
| 2000 | Bull | Caitlin Coyle | Episode: "A Beautiful Lie" |
| 2000 | Providence | Constance Hemming | 2 episodes |
| 2001 | The Nightmare Room | The Witch, Herself | Episode: "Fear Games" |
| 2003 | 111 Gramercy Park | Mrs. Granville | Television film |
| 2006 | Fashion House | Doris Thompson | Recurring role |
| 2006 | The 4400 | Lily Tyler | Episode: "The New World" |
| 2006 | Where Are They Now | Guest - Herself | TV series Australia, 1 episode |
| 2008 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Karen Rosenthal | Episode: "Young Man with a Horn" |
| 2009 | Tribute | Mrs. Hennessey | Television film |
| 2011 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Hippolyta | Voice, episode: "Triumvirate of Terror!" |
| 2012 | Raising Hope | Nana | 1 episode |
Awards and Recognitions
Tippi Hedren has received many honors and awards throughout her career for her acting and her work with animals.
- 1964: Most Promising Newcomer Award from Photoplay
- 1964: Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year - Actress (shared with Ursula Andress and Elke Sommer)
- 1994: Life Achievement Award in France at The Beauvais Film Festival Cinemalia
- 1995: Life Achievement Award in Spain, La Fundación Municipal de Cine
- 1995: The Helen Woodward Animal Center's Annual Humane Award
- 1996: Founder's Award from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
- 1997: Lion and Lamb Award from Wildhaven
- 1999: Woman of Vision Award from Women of Film and Video in Washington, D.C.
- 1999: Presidential Medal for her work in film from Hofstra University
- 1999: Humanitarian Award at the Las Vegas International Film Festival
- 2000: Best Actress in a Comedy Short Award in the short film Mulligans! at the Method Fest, Independent Film Festival
- 2002: Best Actress Award for the short film Tea with Grandma from the New York International Independent Film Festival
- 2003: Received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
- 2003: Women of Los Angeles Annual Hope is a Woman Honor
- 2004: PAWS Companion for Life Award
- 2004: Best Actress Award for the short film Rose's Garden from the Los Angeles TV Short Film Festival
- 2004: Animal Rights Advocacy Award at Artivist Film Festival
- 2005: Living Legacy Award
- 2006: Conservationist of the Year—Dino Award from the Las Vegas Natural History Museum
- 2007: Lifetime Achievement Award—Riverside Film Festival
- 2007: Jules Verne "Nature" Award — the 1st Annual Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival of Los Angeles
- 2008: Academy of Art University's 2nd Epidemic Film Festival Award
- 2008: Jules Verne Legendaire Award
- 2008: Thespian Award – LA Femme Film Festival
- 2009: "When a Woman Wills She Will!" Award by the Woman's Club of Hollywood
- 2009: Workhouse's first Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award
- 2009: Received the First Star on the Orinda Theater Walk of Fame
- 2010: Received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 24th Annual Genesis Awards show from the Humane Society
- 2010: BraveHeart Award
- 2010: Who-Manitarian Award
- 2011: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce at its 90th Annual Installation & Awards Luncheon
- 2011: "The Women Together Award" from the United Nations
- 2011: Vietnamese-American Marton Saint Award from the Boat People SOS Organization
- 2011: Omni Youth Humanitarian/Career Achievement Award
- 2012: Honorary Masters of Fine Arts Degree from the New York Film Academy
- 2012: Mayor Career Achievement Award from Starz Denver Film Festival
- 2013: Legacy of Style Award
- 2013: Lifetime Achievement Award at the Puerto Rico Horror Film Fest
- 2013: "People Helping People" Award by the Touching Live TV Award Show, broadwayworld.com; accessed November 14, 2015.
- 2014: Lifetime Achievement Award from Bel-Air Film Festival
- 2014: Special Recognition Award from Acton Women's Club
- 2014:The Women's International Film & Television Showcase Foundation International Visionary Award, thewifts.org; accessed November 14, 2015.
- 2015: Choreography of Desire (A Tribute to Tippi Hedren) by the Vienna International Film Festival, viennale.at; accessed November 14, 2015.
- 2015: Believe, Achieve, Empower Award
- 2017: Los Angeles Press Club's 2017 Visionary Award
- 2017: Waggy Award recipient from the Tailwaggers Foundation
- 2017: The Icon Award
- 2018: "Friend for Life Award" from The Palm Springs Animal Shelter
See also
In Spanish: Tippi Hedren para niños
