Q

Is Roar the most shockingly dangerous movie ever made?

No animals were harmed during the filming of Roar — but 70 members of the cast and crew most definitely were.
Ever heard the expression "it's a wonder no one was killed?" Well, in the case of the 1970s film Roar ... it really, truly is. (Draft House Films)

No animals were harmed during the wildly unpredictable filming of Roar — but members of the cast and crew most definitely were. 

Looking back, it's hard to believe anyone signed up for the 1970s feature film project, which saw dozens of actors —including Tippi Hedren's entire family — living with lions, tigers and other untrained wild animals. The troubled film took years (and roughly 70 hospital trips) to complete. 

Hedren's stepson John Marshall joins Shad to discuss his parents' ill-advised film, how such an outlandish project even happened, and why Roar has returned as a cult hit in the 21st century. 

"You look at this, and you know it's real. You know there are no stunt people," says Marshall, who personally needed 56 stitches in his head after a lion got "possessive" over him. 

WEB EXTRA | Watch the trailer for the film and see stills from the production below. 

Roar actor John Marshall says eight people quit after the first day of shooting. But others, including actors who had themselves been mauled, recovered and returned for more. (Draft House Films)
John Marshall says many of the actors in Roar had reactions that they now consider similar to PTSD. (Draft House Films)