Posted on 08/16/2012 10:41:16 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Actress Tippi Hedren has exposed her “The Birds” and “Marnie” director Alfred Hitchcock as a “dangerous deviant” who “ruined” her career in a shocking new HBO panel discussion held to promote upcoming biopic “The Girl.”
The actress, who is portrayed by Sienna Miller in the new film, held nothing back as she recalled the time she spent with the movie mogul behind some of Hollywood’s top thrillers.
Hedren told film executives and fans, “We are dealing with a brain here that was an unusual genius, and evil, and deviant, almost to the point of dangerous, because of the effect that he could have on people that were totally unsuspecting.”
“The Girl” supports Hedren’s claims that Hitchcock attempted to steal a kiss from his leading lady on the set of “The Birds,” and then put her in harm’s way by insisting she work with live birds for several days.
The actress said, “He ruined my career but he didn’t ruin my life. If this had happened today I would be a very rich woman.”
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.sfgate.com ...
Like many women of that age, she could be using the term “steal a kiss” instead of going into detail and getting graphic about what the activity actually was.
I’m afraid it’s not clear how attempting to steal a kiss is a terrible crime. In my view, that’s not even harassment. And how does working with birds for several days endanger one’s safety? Absurd. This woman has just publicly made a fool of herself.
Can’t remember who, but one of the old time actors told of going to dinner with Hitchcock on Hollywood or Sunset Blvd in the heyday of the great restaurants in that area. Hitchcock ordered a large steak supplemented by a 5 course meal with a great dessert.
When the coffee came, the director instructed the waiter, to do it all again from the beginning.
Sounds like an Orsen Welles bit.
One mustn’t forget how many of these women of rather modest acting ability were willing to bed anyone who might advance their careers.
Pretty blondes are a dime a dozen in Hollywood. She was a mediocre actress. These claims sound no differnt than any other man in a power position back in the 50’s and 60’s.
In comparison to Roman Polanski he sounds like a gentleman.
She will be remember as an sctress that was in 1-2 good films. Hitchcock will be remmebered as the best director EVER. In fact his movie Vertigo was just voted as the best movie EVER.
Shatner also had his own series before Trek, a fairly adult lawyer show called “For The People.” Not to mention, he was busy and making the rounds, guesting on virtually all the big-name drama shows.
It was well known at the time that Tippi Hedron hated Hitchcock. What’s not to hate? Now, if he had had Burt Lancaster’s looks, maybe he wouldn’t have been such a dangerous deviant.
Shatner also did the famous Twilight Zone airplane gremlin story before it was in the movie.
To add a little something, I was recently listening to a conversation that Veronica Cartwright (who was a young girl in “The Birds”) was having, about how she asked Hitchcock on the set about why he was filming something the way that he was, and she stated that he nicely explained the reasoning. I don’t believe he was an ogre. There would be a long documented history if he had been. I think he had some issues with pretty women (whom he obviously couldn’t attract), and it made him a little misogynistic. Nothing much more than that.
Poor thing. Most actresses would love to have such a “ruined” 60 year career and be able to pass down the legacy another two generations.
And there are many nearly pathologically ambitious wannabe's of both sexes and all persuasions who are more than willing to submit if it means possibly snagging a role. Maybe it was all innocence some time in the distant past, but not since the 1920s at least.
At least Hitchcock didn’t go after little girls like Roman Polanski.
I don't see how Hitchcock "ruined her career". She will always be known because she happened to star in two Hitchcock films. A lot of actors and actresses should be so lucky.
Some time ago, I read Donald Spoto's The Dark side of Genius. Hitchcock did have a "dark side", but it was basically sublimated and only barely makes an appearance in his films. He may have had some secret "deviant" desires, but they were kept in check. If all you can say is that he attempted to kiss a pretty actress and was rebuffed, you don't really have much. As to whether the scene with live birds was a deliberate attack; that's debatable. She could have refused to do the scene.
I'm a huge Hitchcock fan; but I do not consider The Birds or Marnie to be among Hitch's best work. However, each film has some interesting sequences; and both have superb casts. IMO, Psycho was his last truly great film. All the films he made after that show a lessening of his genius, IMO.
True. Recall that there were a LOT of seemingly innocent terms that are used as insider codes. Like the term “confirmed bachelor” being code for homosexuals like Rock Hudson.
You can bet, all things being equal when it comes to talent and looks, the actress with superior swallowing talent still gets the role.
What a delight it was losing sleep, yesterday, to get a chance to watch 24 hours of Lillian Gish on TCM, watching highlights of her 75 years in Hollywood.
They don't make 'em like that any more.
The other tip Shatner epitomizes is, "Don't take yourself too seriously."
It's kind of funny because the agent was also the first to represent (and name) Rock Hudson, and had to teach Hudson how not to be so effeminate in order to get past the first line of studio talent screeners.
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