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Believe it not, television gave Alfred Hitchcock a notability that his films couldn't
"Because of TV, more people know me and look for me in my pictures now," said Hitchcock.
Though Alfred Hitchcock directed fewer than 20 episodes of the hit series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, he will forever be associated with the series. Not only did the television show bear his name, but Hitchcock also served as the audience’s guide to nearly every episode of the anthology series. Though the creator had made a name for himself working behind the camera, his time on the series made him more recognizable amongst fans and viewers.
In addition, Hitchcock also made frequent cameo appearances in his own films, such as North by Northwest (1959). These appearances were so brief that it would typically take an eagle-eyed fan to spot the director. However, once Hitchcock’s face became more well-known to the public, his film audiences began searching for the director on screen as though they were playing a game of hide and seek.
“Because of TV, more people know me and look for me in my pictures now,” said Hitchcock during an interview with The Knoxville News-Sentinel. “They know how I like to pop up in a scene.”
Watch The Alfred Hitchcock Hour on MeTV!
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*available in most MeTV marketsWhat began as a simple Easter egg became a hindrance to the film, in Hitchcock’s opinion. To remedy this, Hitchcock kept his film appearances brief and early in the picture.
“This has made me somewhat of a distraction,” said the director. “So now I must get into the picture very quickly and get right out because I want the audience to concentrate on the action, not on spotting me. In my new picture, North by Northwest, I’m in it first thing, right after the credits.”
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