Tippi Hedren is best known for her role as Melanie Daniels in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller The Birds…and little else. Although Hitch tried to make her a big star by casting her as leading role in this film as well as the lesser-acclaimed Marnie, it never really happened for her. She was quickly relegated to low-budget films and fleeting television appearances (but did also star in A Countess From Hong Kong, notable as the last film of Charlie Chaplin).
But naturally as the female lead in not one, but two Alfred Hitchcock films, her autograph was highly desirable to me – so much in fact that I actually purchased the signed photo above at a film convention before making any attempt to write to her. Later on when I began collecting autographs heavily in 1997, I purchased the photo below from Marnie and sent it off to her on September 30. There was a very quick response and it came back signed (along with the little bird illustrations that she is known for) on October 21.
I then found another nice color photo of Ms. Hedren as she appeared in the much lower-budget Roar in 1981, directed by her husband Noel Marshall (no Hitchcock). I sent this off the following year, on August 3, 1998 and she signed this as well. Her film career may have gone the way of the pigeon, but to fans she’ll soar high as a generous superstar! (Sorry about that wretched alliteration. It’s for the birds.).
She must not have been able to draw lions
My chance to actually meet Tippi Hedren came on April 18, 2009, when she appeared at the Chiller Theatre autograph show in Parsippany, New Jersey. Since I already had several signed photos of her, I opted to just go ahead and pay the $20 to get a photo with her. I really didn’t give it a second thought since she was such a legendary Hitchcock performer and I had virtually gotten the autographs from her for free in the past.
Meeting Tippi Hedren in New Jersey
She wasn’t overly friendly which was a bit disappointing and instead of handshakes, she did a ‘fist-bump.’ Perhaps she was a bit paranoid about catching the avian flu…?
UPDATE: Tippi Hedren appeared the Chicago Hollywood Show on September 7, 2013. Having gotten some autographs from her through the mail, last time we met I didn’t purchase anything. This time I had a photo that had been previously been signed by Veronica Cartwright from The Birds (directly above), and I decided that I’d like to get an autograph from her as Marnie from the film of the same title. Each of the autographs were $25, and I offered an extra $10 for a photo op even though she was charging $15. I figured my girlfriend Carolyn might like to get a photo with her as well. Naturally I jumped in and got one as well. Tippi was very friendly, although her pictures almost look like she is scowling. I’m not sure if this was meant to be a seductive pose or what, but I can only tell you that she wasn’t really as angry as she looked even though her pose was…kind of for the birds.
Autographs of 1997 will continue…
Celebrities of the 2009 Chiller Theatre Show will continue…
Celebrities of the Fall 2013 Hollywood Show in Chicago will conclude in the next posting…
she didn’t have much of a career after working with Hitchcock because he sabotaged it when she refused to go to bed with him. she should have bonked him and kept her career going. just another dumb blonde.
curt vendel
August 1st, 2012
“She wasn’t overly friendly which was a bit disappointing and instead of handshakes, she did a ‘fist-bump.’”
Exactly the way I felt when I met her last yr at a show in N.J ‘fist-bump.’and all.
I truly only went there to meet her..I had her sign a
“Marnie” pic,(by the safe)
mark vincent
November 15th, 2012