The actress’s family adopted the wild cat, named Neil, back in 1971.
When Griffith was a teenager, her actress mother, Tippi Hedren, and her stepfather, director Noel Marshall, decided they wanted to make a film about big cats after returning from a trip to Africa and seeing them in person. An animal trainer suggested they get to know them better by living with a lion, so they ended up taking Neil into their home.
And these are the amazing photos documenting their time together. This is a teenage Griffith hanging out with Neil in the family swimming pool in Sherman Oaks, California.

The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett Michael Rougier
And this is Neil grabbing and attempting to bite her leg as she jumps in the water.

The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett Michael Rougier
Her mother also bonded with the lion.

The LIFE Picture Collection/Gett Michael Rougier
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