She's already reaching the lows and highs of terror". Later he was heard to remark, "Like a dormant volcano we know one day is going to erupt. Get a good look at that girl, she's going to be good."
The former New York model made her debut starring in "The Birds", and to receive such high praise from the master of cinema shock and suspense was rare. In Look Magazine (December 4, 1962), Hitchcock said, "Tippi has a faster tempo, city glibness, more humor (than Grace Kelly)". Her performance in "The Birds" earned her a Golden Globe Award. Judith Crist wrote, "Alfred Hitchcock had given us one Grace Kelly in our generation and seems intent on giving us another in the person of Tippi Hedren, a classically beautiful, regally poised blonde."
As a volunteer International Relief Coordinator for "Food for the Hungry", she traveled worldwide to set up relief programs following earthquakes, hurricanes, famine and war. She aided "boat people" in the South China Sea from a "Food For The Hungry " rescue ship. Later Tippi was responsible for introducing the Vietnamese women to the world of acrylic nails...she had her manicurist teach the refugees how to do nails which enabled them to become self-supportive. Tippi is responsible for the beginning of all the Vietnamese nail salons across the United States.
Tippi began her long love affair with wild animals in 1969 while doing a film in Africa. Today Tippi is "den mother" to 68 exotic cats and 1 African Bull Elephant at The Roar Foundation's Shambala Preserve in Acton, California, of which Tippi is founder.
Deeply involved with international conservation groups to save wildlife, and an outspoken voice against cruelty to animals, both wild and domestic, she was a board member of "The Wildlife Safari", and she served on the board of The Elsa Wild Animal Appeal. She is currently president of the American Sanctuary Association, as well as president of The Roar Foundation. She has been honored with The Helen Woodward Animal Center's Annual Humane Award, the prestigious Founder's Award from the ASPCA, and the Lion and Lamb Award.
The preserve was established as an African-type set for the motion picture, ROAR, in which Tippi starred and also co-produced. After filming was completed, it became The Shambala Preserve for the big cats, a major sanctuary giving a lifetime residence to abandoned exotic felines born in captivity in the United States. and circuses. "They're living out their lives in safety and comfort."
Active in legislation that was passed in Washington, D.C., The Captive Wildlife Safety Act, signed by President Bush on December 19, 2003, Tippi is currently engaged in
trying to get a bill passed to regulate ownership of exotic cats on a unilateral level across the United States.
Tippi's book, "The Cats of Shambala" tells the story of how the movie, "ROAR" was made and how the Shambala Preserve coming into existence.
Tippi continues to work in motion pictures and has been honored with Life Achievement awards in France, and in Spain. In 1999, Tippi was honored as Woman of Vision by Women in Film and Video in Washington, D.C. and received the Presidential Medal for her work in film from Hofstra University. In 2000, Tippi was honored as "Best Actress in a Comedy Short" in the film, "Mulligans" at the Method Fest, Independent Film Festival and she also won "Best Actress" for the short film "Tea With Grandma".
www.shambala.org
