A Star is Born and Raised Among Lions
Born on August 9, 1957, in New York City, Melanie Griffith grew up in the spotlight. Her mother, Tippi Hedren, was a superstar actress best known for her role in Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.” Her stepfather, agent and producer Noah Marshall, shared Tippi’s passion for animals, and together, they raised lions and other wild animals at their Los Angeles home. Griffith’s unconventional childhood included a pet lion named Neil, who lived with the family and even slept in her bed—a situation she later described as “stupid beyond belief.”
Early Career and Controversial Love
Griffith’s career began early, with her first commercial appearing before she was one. At 14, she starred in “The Harrad Experiment,” where she met her first great love, actor Don Johnson, who was 22 at the time. Their age difference raised eyebrows, but the two were deeply in love. At 15, Griffith moved in with Johnson, and they were engaged when she turned 18. The couple married in Las Vegas in 1976 but divorced six months later. They would reconnect years later and marry again in 1989, only to divorce once more in 1996.
