'Evil’ Hitchcock’s muse laments lack of sexual harassment laws in 1960s

London -  Veteran actress Tippi Hedren, who was once the muse of Alfred Hitchcock, says she would have been a rich woman if sexual harassment laws existed in 1963 when ‘The Birds’ was filmed.

She claims he ruined her career when she refused to bow to his advances, but said he failed ruin her life.

“I think he was an extremely sad character,” the Daily Mail quoted her as saying.

“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.

Hedren spoke about the rampant sexual harassment as she joined the cast of ‘The Girl’, a collaboration between BBC and American network HBO which looks into the relationship she had with Hitchcock while making ‘The Birds’.

At the time of filming Tippi, born Natalie Kay Hedren, was 34 years old, more than 30 years younger than Hitchcock, and engaged to be married to her second husband.

The knowledge of this did not stop his advances.

The film, based on the book ‘Spellbound by Beauty’ by Donald Spoto, portrays the director as a predator who demands sexual favours from his leading lady.

Hedren, now aged 82, said there were times of delight working for Hitchcock while filming ‘The Birds’ and her only other film for him, ‘Marnie’.

But once she rejected his advances, and refused to make another film with him, he effectively ended her career by stopping her working for two years.

“He ruined my career but he didn’t ruin my life,” she said.

“If this had happened today I would be a very rich woman,’ she added, alluding to the protection afforded by sexual harassment laws today,” she added.

Given the unwanted advances she could have possibly sued Hitchcock who died aged 80 in 1980.

Hedren, mother of actress Melanie Griffith, was working as a successful model when she was chosen by Hitchcock to star in ‘The Birds’.

The director had been looking for another blonde actress to replace Grace Kelly who had starred in three of his previous films.

He signed her to a personal contract which he upheld when she refused to work for him.

For two years she sat a home unable to work despite offers from other Hollywood studios.

While she was able to resume her career she never became a major star although she went on to make 50 films and has had guest appearances on TV shows including CSI: Crime Scene Investigators.