The Master of Suspense Trivia Quiz

Alfred's uncle, John Hitchcock, was wealthier than the rest of Alfred's family, and owned a large house in Putney, England, along with several servants. In the summer, John rented a cottage for his family in Kent, which was where young Alfred spent his summers.

The rest of Alfred's family was not quite as well-to-do. Prior to being in the film business, the Hitchcock men were actually in the greengrocer trade. The great Alfred Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1899, above his father's business in Laytonstone, London, which had been his father's before him. Alfred was the youngest of three children. Later in his childhood, his parents leased two other shops in Limehouse, which they ran as a fishmonger's and a fish and chip shop.

Alfred Hitchcock first entered the film business in 1919, at the young age of 20. Although he had originally wished to be an engineer, and later joined the Royal Engineers as a cadet during World War I, he later became interested in creative writing, and this led to his entering the world of film.

While still 19, he worked as a founding editor and writer for "The Henley Telegraph", later working in its advertising agency. This led to his being hired by Islington Studios in London, a division of Paramount Studios; he had submitted some of his work drawing title cards, and they employed him quickly. By 1922, he was the head of the art title department at the studio.

Alfred was known for his cameo appearances in the films that he directed. Interestingly, Alfred's first cameo appearance was also in the first thriller film that he directed, a genre in which he would become famous. He made a name for himself directing this film, which was the 1927 movie "The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog".

Starring Ivor Novello, the story followed a London landlady who suspected her lodger of Jack the Ripper-style murders. Alfred used innovative techniques to convey the suspense in the silent movie form. In the film, Alfred's brief cameo appearance is as a man in a newsroom.

Alfred had met his future wife, Alma Reville, in 1923 while working on the film "Woman to Woman", where she was a screenwriter. They married on December 2nd, 1926; after honeymooning in Paris, they moved to an apartment in Kensington.

Alfred paid tribute to his wife and her abilities continually throughout his life and their long-lasting marriage, claiming that her skills in the film industry, as well as her love and her cooking, helped him to no end. She collaborated with him on many films. She died soon after her husband's own death, on July 6th 1982, at the age of 82.

Alfred's only child was Pat Hitchcock, born Patricia Alma Hitchcock on July 7, 1928. Pat Hitchcock later entered the film business, beginning her career in 1936 as an extra in her father's film "Sabotage".

She got her first real role in 1950 when she was cast in a bit part in the film "Stage Fright", which her father also directed. She made her last film appearance in the 1978 film "Skateboard"; she died in 2021 at the age of 93.

The first talking picture made in Great Britain was "Blackmail" (1929), based on the play of the same name by Charles Bennet. It starred Anny Ondra, John Longden, and Cyril Ritchard.

This wasn't Alfred's directorial debut, however; he directed his first film, "Number 13", in 1922, only three years after he first entered the movie business. "Number 13" was cancelled during production and is considered lost today, but it helped Alfred gain valuable experience as he worked on various projects with Islington Studios.

Alfred received five Academy Award nominations during his lifetime, but, surprisingly, he never won one. His first nomination came in 1940, when he was nominated for Best Director for his work on "Rebecca", starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. It was his first American movie. The film, which was based on the Daphne du Maurier book of the same name, was about a newly-married couple and the lingering memory of the husband's first wife, Rebecca. Although the film won Best Picture, Alfred did not take home Best Director.

He was nominated for Best Director four more times during his career: for "Lifeboat" (1944), "Spellbound" (1945), "Rear Window" (1954), and "Psycho" (1960).

"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" was an anthology series of 25-minute episodes directed by Alfred, although in the later series the time slot was increased to 50 minutes. Each episode was a single storyline, usually a thriller story. Every episode was announced by Alfred, with him making appearances to introduce and conclude the story.

Running from 1955 to 1965, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (called "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" after the episode lengthened starting in 1962) ran for a total of 10 seasons.

Alfred's last film was "Family Plot" (1976), which was based upon the book "The Rainbird Pattern" (1972) by Victor Canning. "Family Plot" follows the storylines of professional criminals and of a false psychic and her boyfriend, and starred Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris, and William Devane.

Although he was getting on in years at the time, Alfred still made a cameo appearance, and is able to be seen briefly at 40 minutes into the film.

Although Alfred had become a United States citizen in 1955, he still retained his British citizenship. He had earlier refused a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1962, but in the 1980 New Year Honors he was finally honored with a Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (KBE).

Alfred was presented with his knighthood at Universal Studios by the British consul general on January 3rd, 1980, since he was too sick to fly to England. He did not survive to enjoy his knighthood for very long: on April 29, 1980, he passed away from kidney failure in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 80.