Lydia Brenner
Background
Lydia Brenner is a resident of Bodega Bay, California. Her children are Mitch Brenner and Cathy Brenner and her husband was Frank, but he died four years ago.
During the events of The Birds (1963) played by Jessica Tandy
Lydia walks into the The Tides Restaurant and Mitch introduces her to Melanie Daniels. Lydia is aloof with Melanie and Mitch tells her that he invited Melanie for dinner for bringing Cathy the lovebirds. In the evening Melanie goes to Lydia's house. She meets Cathy and Mitch mentions how the chickens won't eat. Lydia calls Fred Brinkmeyer and he tells her that Dan Fawcett's chickens won't eat either. After dinner, Cathy invites Melanie to her birthday party the next day. Lydia and Mitch talk about Melanie and Lydia mentions how often Melanie is mentioned in scandalous affairs in the newspapers.
The next day at Cathy's party, the kids are attacked by Seagulls, which then suddenly fly away. While they are about to have dinner, Lydia tries to get Melanie to leave and the house is attacked by sparrows. Afterwards, Deputy Al Malone comes to the house and thinks The Birds were just panicked. They tell him about the birthday party attack and he assumes the children disturbed The Birds. Lydia goes to drop off Cathy at school and then goes to Dan Fawcett's farm. She greets George and he tells her Dan is in the house. She goes inside and finds Dan dead with his eyes pecked out and surrounded by dead birds. She runs back to her truck and drives back home. Mitch goes to speak with Al and the Santa Rosa Police and Lydia asks Melanie if she thinks Cathy is safe at school.
Later, Mitch, Cathy and Melanie drive back to Lydia's house. Mitch boards up the house windows. On the radio there is a report on the attacks at Bodega Bay. A large flock of seagulls and crows attack the house and some start to peck through the front door. The power goes out and suddenly The Birds leave. Later, Melanie hears the sound of Bird wings and goes upstairs. She opens a bedroom door and goes inside the room and is attacked by Birds. She collapses and Mitch manages to drag her out of the room. Lydia and Mitch bandage her up and Mitch tells Lydia that they have to get Melanie to a hospital in San Francisco. Mitch slowly drives the car to the front of the house and he and Lydia help Melanie into the car. Cathy brings her lovebirds into the car and they slowly drive to San Francisco as they are surrounded by The Birds.