Alfred Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker known as the "Master of Suspense." He directed over 50 feature films during his six-decade career, many of which are still watched and studied today. Hitchcock became very famous, partly because of his many interviews and his small acting roles in most of his movies. He also hosted and produced the television show Alfred Hitchcock Presents from 1955 to 1965.

Hitchcock started his career working with title cards for films and made his first movie, The Pleasure Garden, in 1926. His film The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog in 1927 helped create the thriller genre, and Blackmail in 1929 was the first British movie with sound. Some of his most famous films include The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Rear Window, and Psycho. He worked with many famous actors, such as Cary Grant, James Stewart, Ingrid Bergman, and Grace Kelly.

Hitchcock’s movies were very successful and are highly regarded by film experts. In 2012, his film Vertigo was voted the greatest British film ever made. Nine of his movies have been preserved in the United States National Film Registry. Hitchcock received many awards during his life, including the BAFTA Fellowship and the AFI Life Achievement Award. He was knighted in 1979, just a few months before he passed away in 1980.

Life and career

Early life: 1899–1919

Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born on 13 August 1899 in Leytonstone, Essex (now part of London). He was the son of a greengrocer and had an older brother and sister. His parents were Roman Catholics with English and Irish ancestry. Hitchcock described his childhood as disciplined and said he could not remember ever having a playmate.

At age five, he was sent to the local police station by his father with a note, and was briefly locked in a cell, which gave him a lifelong fear of law enforcement. He attended several schools, including St Ignatius College, a Jesuit school known for its discipline. Hitchcock developed an interest in maps and timetables of trains, trams, and buses, which later influenced his films.

Inter-war career: 1919–1939

After his father’s death, Hitchcock took a job as a technical clerk at the Henley Telegraph and Cable Company while continuing night classes. He later joined Famous Players–Lasky in London, working as a title-card designer and gaining experience in various film roles. He worked with director Graham Cutts and editor Alma Reville, whom he later married. Hitchcock directed his first film, The Pleasure Garden, in Germany, and established himself with The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog, a thriller about a suspected serial killer.

Marriage

Hitchcock married Alma Reville in 1926. They lived in London and later moved to Hollywood. Alma became his closest collaborator, working on many of his films as a writer and editor. They had one daughter, Patricia, who was born in 1928.

Early sound films

With the advent of sound films, Hitchcock directed Blackmail (1929), the first British talkie. He continued to work in Hollywood, directing films like Rebecca (1940) and Foreign Correspondent (1940). During World War II, Hitchcock made propaganda films and contributed to the war effort.

Post-war Hollywood years: 1945–1953

Hitchcock formed Transatlantic Pictures and directed films such as Rope (1948) and Under Capricorn (1949). He returned to England to film Stage Fright (1950) and directed Strangers on a Train (1951) and I Confess (1953).

Peak years: 1954–1964

Hitchcock moved to Paramount Pictures and directed Rear Window (1954), starring James Stewart. He hosted the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents from 1955 to 1965. He directed To Catch a Thief (1955), The Wrong Man (1956), and Vertigo (1958). His later films include North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963).

Later years: 1966–1980

Hitchcock’s health declined, and he directed fewer films. His last two films were Frenzy (1972) and Family Plot (1976). He was knighted in 1980 but died of kidney failure later that year. His remains were scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

Filmmaking

Alfred Hitchcock was a master of creating suspense and tension in his films. He used special camera tricks and editing to make viewers feel like they were part of the action. Hitchcock liked to surprise his audience, making them feel nervous and excited at the same time.

Hitchcock’s movies often had common ideas, like innocent people being accused of crimes or characters facing their darker sides. He also liked to show how people watch others, making the audience feel like they were spying on the characters. His films were carefully planned before shooting, but he was also flexible and often changed things during filming to make the story better.

Legacy

See also: List of awards and nominations received by Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock was honored in many ways during his life and after. He was added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 with two stars, one for TV and one for movies. Many famous people and critics said he was one of the greatest directors ever. He won many awards, including two Golden Globes, eight Laurel Awards, and several lifetime achievement awards. Some of his most famous films, like Rebecca and Psycho, are kept safe in special movie archives in the United States.

The Alfred Hitchcock Collection is kept at the Academy Film Archive in Hollywood, California. It has home movies and early colour footage of Hitchcock. His papers are also kept at the Margaret Herrick Library in California.

Several actors have played Hitchcock in movies and TV shows, including Anthony Hopkins and Toby Jones. He has also been shown in radio shows and online comedy series.

Filmography

Alfred Hitchcock made many movies over his long career. Some of his early silent films include The Pleasure Garden and The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog. He also made many popular sound films, such as The 39 Steps, Psycho, and Rear Window. His films are still watched and enjoyed by people all over the world today.