Somehow I think Alfred Hitchcock might enjoy knowing his birthday falls on Friday the 13th this year.
As a child of the 50s and 60s, I think Alfred Hitchcock’s television series –more than his movies– had a tremendous impact on my sensibilities. Only later did I come to fully appreciate his movie masterpieces.
Here’s a quick quiz about the birthday boy born in Leytonstone, England and his remarkable, groundbreaking television series
First there was the music (“Funeral March of a Marionette” by Gounod). Then came the distinctive, portly caricature profile. And finally, the familiar, “Good evening,” spoken in Alfred Hitchcock’s singular style. Long before The X Files, a generation of television watchers was hooked on the strange mysteries found each week on “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” which made its television debut in October, 1954. The masterful director of classic thrillers was already famed for such films as Rebecca, The Man Who Knew Too Much, and The Lady Vanishes. But he brought a macabre, irreverent sense of humor to the predictable menu of variety shows and comedies of 1950s television. Hitchcock produced and hosted the 30-minute series from 1955 to 1962 (expanded to “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour,” it ran until 1965). What else do you know about the genius behind Psycho and Rear Window who was born this day in 1899 and died on April 28, 1980?
1. What famous children’s book author wrote several stories produced by Hitchcock, including a memorable episode in which detectives are served leg of lamb, the weapon in the murder they are investigating?
2. What future star of television and films was featured as a unlucky gambler in an episode selected as one of Entertainment Weekly magazine’s “Best 100 Television Shows.”?
3. How many Academy Awards did Hitchcock win as Best Director?
4. Which 1934 Hitchcock film did he remake in 1956?
5. Which of Hitchcock’s films won the Oscar for Best Picture?
This quiz can be found in Don’t Know Much About Anything
Answers
1. Roald Dahl, famed for such children’s classics as James and the Giant Peach, Willy Wonka, and The Witches.
2. Steve McQueen. Many other famous actors, including Vincent Price, William Shatner, and Charles Bronson had roles on the show.
3. None. He did receive the Academy’s life achievement award in 1967.
4. The Man Who Knew Too Much.
5. Rebecca (1940), his first film made in America. Before that, his films were made in England.
