1959. Green Mansions Director Gave Audrey A Baby Deer. She Took It Everywhere. Then Filming Ended
- Green Mansions Director Gave Audrey A Baby Deer. She Took It Everywhere. Then Filming Ended
July 15th, 1959. Beverly Hills Supermarket. Saturday [music] morning. Shoppers push their carts through the aisles, selecting groceries for the weekend. Then something extraordinary happens. Audrey Hepburn walks through the automatic [music] doors. 30 years old, elegant as always. But she’s not alone.
Following behind her on a small leash is a baby deer. brown spotted coat. Large dark eyes. Delicate legs that click softly on the supermarket floor. Shoppers stop, stare. A few brave souls approach with cameras. Miss Heepburn. Is that really a deer? Audrey smiles. This is Pippen, she says, gently stroking the fawn’s head. Say hello, IP.
The deer, barely three feet tall, looks up at the strangers with curious eyes. No fear, completely comfortable in this bizarre situation. Because this is normal life for Pippen. Supermarkets, restaurants, Hollywood parties. Everywhere Audrey goes, Pippen goes. For 6 months, this unlikely pair are inseparable. the most famous actress in the world and her pet deer.
It sounds like a fairy tale and in many ways it is. But every fairy tale has an ending. And this one breaks Audrey’s heart because Pippen isn’t really her pet. Pippen is a working animal on loan from an animal trainer for a movie called Green Mansions. And when filming ends, Pippen has to go back to where he belongs.
Away from Audrey. Away from the only life he’s known for 6 months. Away from the woman who loves him like a child. This is the story of Audrey and Pippen. The bond that enchanted Hollywood. The friendship that captured the world’s imagination and the goodbye that left both of them changed forever. March 1959. MGM Studios.
Audrey Hepburn arrives for her first day on Green Mansions. She’s 30 years old at the height of her fame. Fresh from My Fair Lady rehearsals, ready for her next challenge. Green Mansions is based on a novel by Wh Hudson, Audrey plays Remma, a mysterious girl who lives in the Venezuelan jungle. She’s supposed to be wild, untamed, connected to nature in ways civilization can’t understand.
The role requires Audrey to interact with jungle animals, birds, monkeys, and deer. Lots of deer. Remma is supposed to have a special bond with the forest creatures. They trust her, follow her, treat her like one of their own. But there’s a problem. Audrey has never worked with animals before.
She’s elegant, sophisticated, urban. Her natural habitat is Paris couture houses, not Venezuelan [music] jungles. Director Mel Ferrer, who is also Audrey’s husband, is worried. How do you make a refined movie star look convincingly wild? How do you create believable chemistry between an actress and animals she’s never met? The animal trainer, Ralph Heler, has a solution.
A radical solution. We don’t train the animals to work with Miss Heburn, he tells Mel. We train Miss Heepburn to live with the animals. What do you mean? Full immersion. She takes the animals home, lives with them, becomes part of their family. When filming starts, they’ll already know each other, trust each other.
It sounds crazy, impossible. No major movie star has ever agreed to live with wild animals for months. The liability alone is staggering. But Audrey surprises everyone. I’ll do it, she says immediately. Audrey, you don’t understand, Mel protests. These aren’t pets. These are wild animals, dangerous, unpredictable.
I understand perfectly. If Reema lives with forest animals, then I need to understand what that feels like. Really understand it. Ralph Heler is amazed. In 20 years of animal training, he’s never met an actress willing to commit like this. Most stars want to meet the animals 5 minutes before filming. You want to live with them for months, however long it takes.
Which animals are we talking about? Birds, squirrels, a few monkeys, and a deer. A very young deer. That’s when Audrey’s eyes light up. She’s always loved animals. As a child, she dreamed of having pets, but her transient lifestyle, London to Holland to New York to Hollywood, never allowed it. A baby deer, really, 3 months old, just weaned from its mother.
It needs constant care, feeding every few hours, total attention, like a baby. Exactly like a baby. For Audrey, this isn’t just about preparing for a role. This is about something she’s wanted her entire life. A creature to care for, to love, to be responsible for. When do I meet him? Him? The deer? It’s a him, right? Ralph checks his notes. Yes.
Male fawn, 3 months old. What’s his name? We haven’t named him yet. We usually just use numbers for working animals. Audrey looks shocked. Numbers? He’s a baby. He needs a name. What would you like to call him? Audrey thinks for a moment. Pippen. His name is Pippen. And just like that, a number becomes a name. A working animal becomes a pet.
A professional arrangement becomes a love story. These forgotten stories deserve to be told. If you think so, too, subscribe and like this video. Thank you for keeping these memories alive. April 3rd, 1959. Audrey’s Beverly Hills home, 1,026 Dhini Drive. A truck arrives with Pippen and the other animals.
But Audrey only has eyes for the fawn. He’s tiny, maybe 30 lb. brown coat with white spots, huge dark eyes that seem to take in everything. Delicate legs that still look too long for his body. He’s perfect, Audrey whispers, kneeling down to Pippen’s level. Ralph Heler explains the care requirements. He needs milk every 4 hours.
Special formula. No cow’s milk. It’ll make him sick. He sleeps a lot, but when he’s awake, he needs constant supervision. Deer are curious. They’ll get into everything. What about house training? Deer don’t house train like dogs. He’ll need to go outside frequently, maybe every hour when he’s awake. Audrey nods, taking mental notes.
This is more complicated than she expected, more responsibility. But she doesn’t care. Looking at Pippen, she feels something she’s never felt before. Maternal instinct. She’s been married to Mel for 5 years. They’ve been trying for children, but Audrey’s had two miscarriages. The doctors say her wartime malnutrition damaged her reproductive system.
Having children may not be possible. Pippen fills a void she didn’t know existed. A chance to nurture something. to be needed, to love without reservation. Can I hold him? Ralph nods. Support his hind quartarters. Don’t squeeze too tight. Audrey lifts Pippen carefully. He’s lighter than she expected. Warm, soft. He doesn’t [music] struggle, just looks at her with those enormous eyes.
“Hello, Pippen,” she says softly. I’m Audrey. We’re going to be friends. Pippen responds by nuzzling her neck, looking for milk, for comfort for the mother he was separated from weeks ago. I think he likes you, Ralph observes. I think I love him, Audrey responds, then catches herself. I mean, I think this arrangement will work well for the film.
But she’s lying to Ralph to herself. This isn’t about the film anymore. This is about love at first sight. The first night is chaos. Audrey sets up a bed for Pippen in her bedroom. Blankets, pillows, [music] water dish, everything a deer might need. But Pippen doesn’t want to sleep in a designated area.
He wants to sleep next to Audrey on her bed like a dog. Absolutely not, Mel says. Audrey, it’s a wild animal. It belongs on the floor. But when Pippen starts crying, a sound like a human baby in distress. Audrey can’t stand it. She lifts him onto the bed. He immediately curls up next to her, stops [music] crying, falls asleep. Mel is furious.
This is ridiculous. You’re treating it like a child. He’s just a baby. He’s scared. He needs comfort. It’s a deer, Audrey, not a child. But Audrey disagrees. To her, Pippen is exactly like a child. Her child. The child she may never have naturally. The 4 a.m. feeding is a revelation. [music] Audrey wakes to Pippen, nudging her gently.
Time for his bottle. She prepares the formula. Special deer milk replacer that costs more per ounce than champagne. Sits in her rocking chair with Pippen in her lap. Feeds him like a human baby. This becomes their routine every 4 hours, day and night. Audrey never misses a feeding, never complains about lost sleep, never suggests that someone else take over because this isn’t work. This is joy.
Within a week, Pippen has taken over the house and Audrey’s life. He follows her everywhere. Kitchen, bathroom, garden. He’s learned to navigate stairs, to open doors with his nose, to communicate his needs with different sounds. When he’s hungry, he makes a soft mewing noise. When he wants attention, he stamps his front hooves.
When he’s happy, he makes a purring sound that vibrates through his whole body. Audrey learns his language, responds to his moods, becomes fluent in dear communication. It’s like he’s talking to you, observes Giovana, Audrey’s assistant. He is talking to me. We understand each other. The bond deepens [music] daily. Pippen sleeps on Audrey’s bed, eats breakfast with her at the kitchen table, sits beside her when she reads scripts.
He’s not just a pet. He’s a companion, a confidant, a connection to something pure and innocent. For the first time since her war damaged childhood, Audrey feels complete. May 1959. The world discovers Audrey’s unusual companion. It starts with a photographer hiding outside her house. He captures Audrey walking Pippen on a leash through Beverly Hills.
The photo makes front pages worldwide. Audrey’s pet deer scream the headlines. The public is enchanted. Hundreds of letters arrive at MGM. Fans wanting to know more about Pippen. Children asking if they can have deer, too. Audrey decides to embrace the attention. If people are curious about Pippen, she’ll show them how wonderful he is, how intelligent, how loving, how perfect.
She starts taking him everywhere, not just around the house, but out in public to places no deer has ever been. The supermarket adventure becomes legendary. Audrey needs groceries Saturday morning. Pippen needs exercise. Why not combine both? She puts Pippen on his leash, a custommade leather harness designed for small deer, drives to the Beverly Hills market, walks through the automatic doors like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
The reaction is immediate. Shoppers stop mid aisle, stare, point. Some laugh with delight, others back away nervously. A few brave souls ask to pet him. “Is he safe?” one mother asks, pulling her child closer. “Completely,” Audrey assures her. Pippen is gentler than most dogs. “Here, let me show you.” She demonstrates Pippen’s training.
“Sit,” she says. Pippen sits. “Stay!” He stays. Shake hands. He lifts his front hoof. The crowd applauds. Children giggle. The store manager, initially concerned about liability, relaxes when he sees how well behaved Pippen is. Audrey shops normally. Pippen walks beside her cart, occasionally sniffs interesting smells.
The produce section fascinates him, but he never strays, never causes problems, just follows Audrey like the devoted companion he’s become. The restaurant experiment is even more ambitious. Audrey has lunch plans with [music] director Billy Wilder. Instead of leaving Pippen home, she brings him. Audrey, you can’t bring a deer to the Brown Derby. Mel protests.
Why not? He’s better behaved than most children. It’s against health codes, against common sense. But Audrey calls ahead, explains the situation. The major D is initially skeptical, then realizes this is Audrey Hepburn. Box office gold publicity dream. Of course, Miss Hepburn, we’ll prepare a special table. The Brown Derby creates a minor sensation.
Audrey and Pippen get a corner booth away from other diners but visible to everyone. Pippen lies quietly beside Audrey’s chair. Occasionally accepts small pieces of lettuce from her salad. Billy Wilder is charmed. I’ve directed Marilyn Monroe having nervous breakdowns, but I’ve never had lunch with a deer. This is definitely a first.
Other diners are fascinated. Some ask for autographs. Others want photos with Pippen. He handles the attention perfectly. Patient, calm, like he was born for this. Word spreads. Audrey and Pippen become Hollywood’s most unusual duo. Invitations pour in. Parties, premieres. Everyone wants the actress and her dear.
Most hosts are accommodating. A few draw lines. I’m sorry, Miss Hepburn, but animals aren’t allowed at the Ambassador Hotel. Then I’m afraid I can’t attend. Audrey responds politely. She chooses Pippen over social obligations. Every time without hesitation, the bond is so strong that Audrey starts planning her life around Pippen’s needs.
She turns down a film role because it would require 3 months in Italy away from Pippen. Unthinkable, Audrey. This is insane. Her agent argues. You’re letting a deer control your career. I’m not letting him control anything. I’m choosing to prioritize what matters. A movie role matters. Money matters.
Career advancement matters. Pippen matters more. Her friends are concerned. Mel is frustrated. Hollywood executives are bewildered. But Audrey doesn’t care. For 6 months, she has exactly what she’s always wanted, something to love completely, something that loves her back unconditionally. The public adores their relationship. Fan magazines run features Audrey’s unusual pet.
Hollywood’s most adorable duo. The deer that stole Audrey’s heart. Children write letters asking how to get their own deer. Audrey responds to dozens personally explaining that deer need special care, professional training, legal permits. Pippen is special, she writes, but he’s also a lot of work. She starts speaking about wildlife conservation, animal rights, the responsibility of pet ownership.
Pippen has made her an advocate for causes she never considered before. Animals aren’t accessories, she tells a reporter. They’re living beings with complex needs. Pippen has taught me that. But even as she says this, Audrey knows the truth. Pippen isn’t really her pet. He belongs to the studio, to Ralph Heler, to the movie production.
When Green Mansion’s filming ends, everything will change. June 1959, Green Mansion’s principal photography begins. After 3 months of preparation, Audrey and Pippen are ready to work together professionally. The transformation is remarkable. On set, Audrey becomes Remma, wild, natural, connected to the forest in ways that seem mystical, and Pippen responds perfectly.
He follows her through scenes, stays close during dialogue, reacts to her emotions like he understands the story. It’s magical, director Mel Farer tells the [music] crew. I’ve never seen anything like the connection between them. The other actors are amazed. Anthony [music] Perkins, playing the male lead, watches Audrey and Pippen work together.
She’s not acting, he observes. The love between them is real. You can see it in every frame. If you want more untold stories like this, don’t forget to subscribe and leave a like. Your support means everything to us. Cinematographer Joseph Rutenberg captures their bond beautifully. Close-ups of Audrey’s hands stroking Pippen’s fur.
Wide shots of them moving through the jungle set together. Medium shots of their faces. Audrey looking at Pippen with maternal love. Pippen gazing at Audrey with complete trust. The scenes require no direction, no animal training, no forced interaction. Audrey and Pippen simply exist together naturally. The camera records their authentic relationship.
But the filming process is bittersweet because every day brings them closer to the end. Every completed scene is one step nearer to goodbye. Audrey starts [music] dreading rap day. She asks Ralph Heler about keeping Pippen permanently. Is there any way I could adopt him, buy him, make this arrangement permanent? Ralph is sympathetic but realistic.
Miss Hepper Pippen isn’t domesticated. He’s a wild animal. As he grows older, he’ll become more difficult, more dangerous. Right now, he’s 30 lb. In 2 years, he’ll be 150 lb with antlers. But he’s so gentle. Young deer are gentle. Adult deer are unpredictable, especially males. Pippen will need to live with other deer, mate, have a natural life.
What if I bought a ranch? set up proper facilities. The permits alone would be impossible. California doesn’t allow private ownership of wild deer, and Pippen needs to be with his own species. Audrey understands intellectually, but emotionally she can’t accept it. Pippen is her baby, her companion, her heart. How do you say goodbye to something you love that completely? She starts looking for loopholes, legal alternatives, ways to keep Pippen forever.
But every avenue leads to the same conclusion. When filming ends, Pippen goes back to the animal compound. The knowledge casts a shadow over the remaining weeks. Audrey treasures every moment, every feeding, every quiet evening. With Pippen curled beside her, every morning waking up to his gentle nudges, she starts taking photographs, hundreds of them.
Pippen sleeping, Pippen playing, Pippen eating, Pippen looking directly at the camera with those enormous, trusting eyes. I want to remember everything. She tells Giovana. Every detail, every moment. Miss Heburn. Maybe it would be easier if you started separating yourself, preparing for when he has to go. No, I won’t waste the time we have left protecting myself from future pain.
I’d rather love him completely and hurt later than love him partially and regret it forever. It’s a philosophy that defines Audrey. Complete commitment, total investment, no emotional holding back. Whether it’s her performances, her relationships, or her bond with Pippen. The cast and crew watch her preparation for goodbye with mixture of admiration and heartbreak.
They see how much Pippen means to her, how deeply she’ll be hurt when he’s gone. But they also see the pure joy she gets from loving him. I’ve never seen Audrey happier. Mel admits to Anthony Perkins. And I’ve never dreaded anything more than the day we wrap this film. August 1959. Green Mansions is nearly complete.
Three more weeks of filming, then post-prouction, then release, then goodbye. Audrey starts displaying signs of what can only be called separation anxiety. She barely sleeps, eats irregularly, spends every free moment with Pippen, as if she can store up enough love to last a lifetime. Pippen, now 6 months old, has grown significantly. He’s 45 lb.
His legs are longer. His spots [music] are fading into solid brown. His baby features are maturing into those of a young deer. But he’s still completely bonded to Audrey. Still sleeps on her bed. Still follows her everywhere. Still communicates with her in their special language. He seems to sense something is changing.
Becomes more clingy, more needy. rarely leaves Audrey’s side, even for a few minutes. He knows, Audrey tells Ralph Heler. Somehow he knows this is ending. Animals are very intuitive about emotional changes. He’s responding to your anxiety. Then I need to hide it better. But she can’t. The approaching goodbye is consuming her.
She starts having nightmares about Pippen being taken away. about him forgetting her, about never seeing him again. She begs Ralph for visits after he goes back to the compound. Could I see him sometimes just to know he’s okay? Ralph hesitates, “Miss Hepburn, that might not be wise for you or for Pippen.
Clean breaks are usually easier for both animal and human. Please, I need to know he’s happy, healthy, that he remembers me. I’ll see what I can do. The final week of filming is torture. Every scene feels like goodbye. Every moment with Pippen feels precious and fleeting. Audrey starts giving him special treats. apples from her garden, carrots from the craft services table, anything to make his last days perfect.
She also starts talking to him more, explaining what’s going to happen, as if he can understand, as if preparation will make it easier. You’re going to go live with other deer, she tells him one evening as they sit in her garden. You’ll have friends, playmates, maybe someday a family of your own. Pippen looks at her with those trusting eyes, makes his contented purring sound, nuzzles her hand for pets.
You won’t forget me, will you? I know I’m not really your mother. I know you need to be with your own kind. But we had something special, didn’t we? The tears she’s been holding back for weeks finally come. Not dramatic sobs. quiet tears that slide down her face as she holds Pip in close. I love you so much, more than I knew I could love anything.
You gave me six months of perfect happiness. Thank you for that. Mel finds her there an hour later, still crying, still holding Pippen, unable to let go. Audrey, you’re breaking your own heart and his. Maybe it would be better to prepare gradually. Start leaving him alone for longer periods.
Get him used to No, I won’t waste our last week protecting [music] myself. I’ll love him completely until the very end. Then I’ll deal with the pain. It’s classic, Audrey. All or nothing. Complete commitment. No emotional self-preservation. The final day of filming is August 28th, 1959. Audrey and Pippen’s last scene together is simple.
Remma saying goodbye to the forest, to the animals she loves, to the life she’s leaving behind. It’s not acting, it’s real. Audrey is saying goodbye to Pippen, and everyone on set knows it. When Mel calls cut for the final time, there’s silence. No celebration, no rap party plans, just the knowledge that something beautiful is ending.
That’s a wrap on green mansions. Mel announces quietly. Audrey doesn’t move, just sits with Pippen holding him, memorizing the feel of his fur, the sound of his breathing, the weight of him in her arms. Tomorrow, Ralph Heler will take him away, and Audrey’s 6 months of perfect motherhood will be over. August 29th, 1959. 8 a.m. Ralph Heler arrives at Audrey’s house to collect Pippen.
The transport cage is in the back of his truck, small, practical, designed to safely contain a young deer for the drive to the animal compound. Audrey has been awake all night holding Pippen, whispering to him, trying to pour six months of love into their final hours together. I don’t know how to do this, she admits to Ralph.
There’s no easy way. Quick is usually better for both of you. Can you tell me where he’s going? What his life will be like? He’ll join a small herd of rescued deer, open pastures, natural environment, other deer his age. He’ll be happy. Will he remember me? Ralph considers lying, giving false comfort. But Audrey deserves the truth for a while. Yes.
But as he bonds with other deer, human attachments fade. It’s better that way, natural. So, he’ll forget me completely. Not forget, but the intensity of the bond will diminish. He’ll become wild again, which is what he’s supposed to be. Audrey nods, understanding, but heartbroken. Can I have a few more minutes? Of course. She carries Pippen to her garden, their favorite spot where they’ve spent hundreds of hours together, sitting in the morning sun, playing, bonding.
This is goodbye. She tells him, “I want you to know that loving you has been the greatest joy of my life. You taught me what it means to be a mother, to put someone else’s needs before your own. To love without reservation, Pippen nuzzles her neck, looking for his morning bottle, unaware that everything is changing.
Be happy, Audrey whispers. Find other deer to love. Forget about human life. Be wild and free and perfect. She carries him to the truck. Ralph opens the transport cage. It looks impossibly small. Pippen [music] bulks at entering. Senses something wrong. Starts making distressed sounds. It’s okay. Audrey soothes.
You’re going somewhere beautiful. Somewhere you belong. But Pippen doesn’t want to go. Clings to Audrey. tries to climb back into her arms. His distress breaks everyone’s heart. Finally, Ralph has to help. Gently but firmly placing Pippen in the cage, closing the door. The fawn immediately starts crying. The same sound he made his first night in Audrey’s bedroom.
Lost, scared, calling for comfort. Audrey starts toward the cage. Ralph stops her. Don’t. It’ll only make it harder. I can’t let him cry like that. He’ll stop once we’re moving. Animals adjust quickly. The truck pulls away. Audrey watches until it disappears. Then walks back into her empty house. The silence is deafening.
No soft hoof beatats following her. No gentle nudging for attention. No contented purring sounds, just emptiness. For weeks afterward, Audrey can’t sleep. The house feels wrong without Pippen. [clears throat] She finds deer hair on her furniture, his favorite toys in corners, the special milk formula unused in her refrigerator.
She calls Ralph repeatedly. How is Pippen? Has he adjusted? [music] Is he eating? Is he happy? He’s doing well, Ralph assures her. Bonded with two other young deer, playing, exploring, acting like a wild deer should. Does he seem sad? Like he misses anything? No, Miss Heburn. He seems content, natural. This is the life he was meant to have.
The words hurt even as they comfort. Pippen is happy, but he’s happy without her. The bond that meant everything to Audrey was just a phase for him. A temporary human attachment he’s outgrown. Green Mansions is released in 1960. Critics are mixed about the film, but everyone praises Audrey’s natural connection with the animals.
The authentic bond between woman and deer that made the fantasy believable. Audiences love the deer scenes. Children especially, the movie inspires hundreds of families to research getting pet deer until they learn about permits, liability, and the reality of wild animal ownership. Audrey does interviews about the film.
always mentions Pippen, how much she learned from him, how the experience changed her understanding of animals, of love, of loss. But she never says she regrets it. Never wishes she hadn’t bonded so completely because 6 months of perfect love was worth a lifetime of missing it. Years later, Audrey’s son Shawn asks about Pippen.
Do you think he ever thought about you after he went back to the wild? Audrey considers the question. I don’t know. Maybe not. But I think about him every day, and I’m grateful for that. The love I felt for Pippen taught me how to love completely without reservation, without protecting myself from pain. Was it worth it? the heartbreak.
Absolutely. Love is always worth it. Even when it ends, [music] even when it hurts. The joy of loving Pippen was greater than the pain of losing him. In 1993, when Audrey dies, friends find photos of Pippen throughout her house. Dozens of them, hidden in books, tucked in drawers, placed carefully in frames. 34 years after their goodbye, she was still remembering, still loving, still missing her baby dear.
The love story of Audrey and Pippen lasted 6 months. But for Audrey, the love itself was permanent. A reminder that the deepest bonds don’t depend on forever. They depend on being completely present in the moments we’re given. Some loves are brief but perfect. Some hearts are big enough to hold that love for a lifetime.
Audrey Hepburn had that kind of heart. And Pippen taught her how to use it. This is Audrey Hepburn. The hidden truth. From wartime horrors to Hollywood secrets, we uncover what they’ve been hiding for decades. Subscribe to discover the dark truth [music] behind the elegant image.