The Drunk Driving Arrest That Almost Shut Down Hitchcock's 'The Birds'

"Rod Taylor's love of alcohol and carousing was evident during the filming of 'The Birds.' He would start drinking at the motel bar every night and was often joined by hairdresser Virginia Darcy. They were kindred spirits; they both liked their liquor and a good time."

"One night, according to Darcy, they ended up in bed together. Darcy also recalled one incident when 'Rod was driving drunk, up and down the streets of Santa Rosa, yelling and screaming.' This put Darcy in an awkward position, as she was dating a local police officer at the time."

In March 1962, Alfred Hitchcock filmed 'The Birds' in Northern California, utilizing the landscapes of Bodega Bay. The production involved 120 cast and crew members, who relocated from Hollywood for six weeks. While Hitchcock stayed in San Francisco, the cast and crew resided at the El Rancho Tropicana motel, leading to blurred lines between professional and personal lives. Rod Taylor's unpredictable behavior, fueled by alcohol, created tensions, including a potential crisis that threatened the film's completion.

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