Alfred Hitchcock

Lore & Background

Alfred Hitchcock was born above his parents' greengrocer's shop in Leytonstone, Essex. He was raised in a disciplined Roman Catholic household and attended St Ignatius College, a Jesuit grammar school, where he developed his sense of fear. After his father's death in 1914, he worked as a technical clerk at the Henley Telegraph and Cable Company while studying art history and other subjects at night. He entered the film industry in 1919 as a title card designer.

His directorial debut was the silent film The Pleasure Garden (1926), and his first success, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927), helped shape the thriller genre. Blackmail (1929) became the first British 'talkie.' By 1939, Hitchcock had international recognition and moved to Hollywood at the invitation of producer David O. Selznick. He directed a string of acclaimed films, including Rebecca (1940), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Psycho (1960).

Hitchcock's films earned 46 Academy Award nominations, including six wins, though he never won Best Director despite five nominations. He became an American citizen in 1955 and was knighted in December 1979, four months before his death. His psychological thriller Vertigo (1958) was named the greatest film ever made by the British Film Institute in 2012, and ten of his films have been preserved in the United States National Film Registry as of 2021.

Reader's Guide

Alfred Hitchcock's significance lies in his mastery of suspense and his profound influence on the thriller genre. His films, such as The 39 Steps (1935), Rear Window (1954), and North by Northwest (1959), are celebrated for their innovative storytelling and technical craft. Hitchcock's cameo appearances and television work made him a recognizable public figure. Despite never winning an Academy Award for Best Director, his films received 46 Oscar nominations, and his legacy endures through critical acclaim and preservation in the National Film Registry. His work continues to be studied for its psychological depth and visual style.

Did You Know?

• Hitchcock never won the Academy Award for Best Director despite five nominations.
• His film Vertigo (1958) displaced Citizen Kane as the British Film Institute's greatest film ever made in 2012.
• He became an American citizen in 1955 but was knighted in December 1979.
• Ten of his films had been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as of 2021.

Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)

"Hitchcock: You know that I think all actors are cattle? George Raft: Yes, I know—but I'm no actor." — Alfred Hitchcock "On the set of The House Across the Bay; as quoted in "The New Yorker" by Leonard Lyons, in The Washington Post (26 July 1940)." — Alfred Hitchcock "Regarding his oft-cited quote stating that actors are cattle; as paraphrased and quoted in "Town Called Hollywood: Director Pleads Off Poundage" by Philip K. Scheuer, in the Los Angeles Times (30 May 1943)." — Alfred Hitchcock "It still goes. But Pat is the nicest cattle I've ever seen." — Alfred Hitchcock