Amazing Facts About Alfred Hitchcock

Amazing Facts About Alfred Hitchcock

* Alfred Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1889, in London. His parents were strict Catholics, and he often mocked his childhood in his films. For example, his mother used to force him to stand at the foot of her bed for hours as punishment, a scenario that made its way into his masterpiece Psycho. 

* Hitchcock, who inspired fear in so many, had quite a few fears of his own. He was afraid of eggs, which he found particularly disturbing when they split open, releasing their yolks. He was also afraid of the police. 

* Hitchcock started out studying engineering at St. Ignatius College in London, following which he became a draftsman and designer for Henley's cable company. There, he began exploring his creative side by writing short articles for the company's in-house publication. It wasn't until 1920 that he entered the film industry by joining the Famous Players-Lasky Company as a title card designer for silent films. 

* The original plans for one of Hitchcock's films called for a scene to be shot in Disneyland. However, Disney rejected the idea because they didn't want to be associated with the director of Psycho, which is probably only natural given the Disney brand. 

* Hitchcock was honored many times throughout his film career. He received two Golden Globes, eight Laurel Awards, and five lifetime achievement awards. He was also honored with a 32-cent U.S. postage stamp in 1988. But despite the fact that he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director five times, he never won. 

* Alfred Hitchcock had a vision not only for each of his films individually, but for his oeuvre as a whole. He believed that his films were meant to be viewed in a certain way. To protect this vision, he bought the rights to five of his most famous films (including Rear Window and Vertigo), and, after their initial viewing in movie theaters, prevented them from being seen again at the cinema for another 30 years. 

* In a 1963 interview, Hitchcock said: "I'm frightened of my own movies. I never go to see them. I don't know how people can bear to watch my movies." 

* Although Hitchcock didn't watch his own films, he did appear in them. If you look carefully, you can find him in the background in 37 of his 52 major films. His daughter, Patricia, also made frequent cameo appearances in his films. 

* Queen Elizabeth II officially knighted Alfred Hitchcock in 1980, which was shortly before his death. When asked why he thought the Queen had taken so long to recognize him, Hitchcock reportedly said, "I suppose it was a matter of carelessness." 

* In 1979, Hitchcock was honored with the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, after which he supposedly joked that he must be about to die soon. Unfortunately for the film community, he was right — he died in his sleep on April 29, 1980. He was survived by his wife Alma Reville and his only child, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell.