Date of Birth 17 May 1940, Stanislaus County, California, USA
Date of Death 20 March 2012, Kenya (natural causes)
Birth Name Toni Lynn Scott
Nickname Ringo
Height 5' 7" (1.7 m)
Mini Bio (1)
Toni Helfer was born on May 17, 1940 in Stanislaus County, California, USA as Toni Lynn Scott. She was married to Christopher Law and Ralph Helfer. She died on March 20, 2012 in Kenya.
Spouse (2)
Christopher Law (8 August 1988 - 20 March 2012) (her death)
Ralph Helfer (10 November 1962 - ?) (divorced) (1 child)
Trade Mark (1)
Her Husband Ralph Helfer
Trivia (23)
The lion Zamba saved Toni's life when one of Ralph's employees broke into their house at Africa U.S.A. Zamba saw him attacking Toni then went completely berserk and turned into a ferocious rage-filled African lion intent on killing him. Zamba crashed into the kitchen from his room and let out a blood-curdling Roar and was after the employee who made it out of the front door just in time.
Was an accomplished photographer and painter.
Whenever Ralph Helfer took Toni out on a date, he brought his African Lion Zamba with them in the back of his station wagon.
Mother of Tana Helfer and Grandmother to her 3 daughters.
Many Hollywood celebrities began weekend visits to the Africa U.S.A. Ranch in Soledad Canyon, California to play with the animals and pitch in with the chores like Young Elvis Presley who was a regular visitor, as were John Agar, John Russell, Sabu and dozens more.
Had to sometime compete for Ralph's attention with their African Lion Zamba.
One year at the Santa Claus Lane Parade on Hollywood Boulevard Toni, Ralph and Tana rode their elephant Rosie but she went out of control when a little boy shot her with a slingshot.
Toni and Ralph rode in many parades, sometimes as Grand Marshal with Clarence the Cross Eyed Lion and Judy the Chimpanzee in their open-top convertible.
Toni and Ralph Helfer eloped and were married without due formality because neither of them wanted a church wedding.
During the winter Holidays Toni and Ralph would bring their animals to Children Hospitals, Senior Citizen Homes and Orphanages.
Became Pen Pals with a young boy named Ricky Warren at the Children's Hospital who wrote their Chimpanzee M'toto.
Toni and Ralph would take in hundreds of exotic animals donated by people, because they got so big the owners just couldn't take care of them anymore.
Ralph Helfer proposed to Toni by mail while he was in Kenya, Africa filming the movie The Lion (1962).
Sometimes stunt doubled for men.
Owned a black stallion she named King that she rode around The Africa U.S.A. Exotic Animal Ranch in Soledad Canyon, California. King was a horse Toni nursed back to health that they thought was the legendary movie horse Highland Dale that played in the Television Series_Fury (1955)_, but he was really one of the doubles for the stallion.
A former Model.
Attended UCLA Extension and worked as a Junior executive at the May Company.
Has a sister Stevie.
Named the family Truck "Old Bessie.".
Her stallion King would only allow Toni or her husband Ralph to ride him. If anyone else mounted King, he would immediately buck them off.
Saved two bear cubs while camping in the "Sequoia National Park" with father and her sister Stevie on July 3, 1961.
Had a two-bedroom apartment on Rossmore Street in Los Angeles, California.
It was a actor in her apartment building named Sal who referred her to Ralph Helfer's "Nature's Haven." in Van Nuys, California.
Personal Quotes (1)
Buddhists say, if you worry you die and if you don't worry you die, so why worry.