The Complete Hitchcock: Television

"Good e-e-evening." So intones Alfred Hitchcock at the opening of his groundbreaking TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a veritable electronic laboratory where the film director could develop new ideas, themes, and talent. The Paley Center presents the twenty telefilms that Hitch directed for the small screen between 1955 and 1962, along with rarely seen interviews, documentaries, and other treats.

For those who know Hitch only through film, you are in for a treat: the ghoulish "Funeral March" of Gounod; the sardonic opening and closing remarks from the master of suspense himself; and the diabolical twists that the cherubic-looking director created for prime-time family enjoyment, bringing "murder back into the living room—where it belongs." For those revisiting this work, you will doubly enjoy the black humor on our big screen.

(See April 5 and 6 screenings.)

These screenings are FREE and open to the public. 

Saturday, March 29

1:00 pm 

Unveiling Vera Miles

Pepsi-Cola Playhouse: “The House Where Time Stopped”
Starring Vera Miles, Josephine Hutchinson, Ian Keith; directed by Herschel Daugherty; written by John McGreevey. Hitchcock became obsessed with Vera Miles as he watched this episode. (1955; 25 minutes)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Revenge”
Starring Vera Miles and Ralph Meeker; written by Francis Cockrell from a story by Samuel Blas. (1955; 25 minutes)
       
Ford Startime: “Incident at a Corner”
Starring Vera Miles and George Peppard; written by Charlotte Armstrong. (1960; 50 minutes)

2:50 pm

Cases of Misplaced Identity

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Breakdown”
Starring Joseph Cotton; written by Francis Cockrell and Louis Pollock. (1955; 25 minutes)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “The Case of Mr. Pelham”
Starring Tom Ewell; written by Francis Cockrell from a story by Anthony Armstrong. (1955; 25 minutes)

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Poison”   
Starring Wendell Corey and James Donald; written by Casey Robinson from a story by Roald Dahl. (1958; 25 minutes)   
                       
4:15 pm

Documentary

Camera Three: The Illustrated Hitchcock
With Pia Lindstrom and William K. Everson. (1972; 60 minutes) 

Sunday, March 30

1:00 pm 

Corpse Disposal

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Back for Christmas”   
Starring John Williams and Isabel Elsom; written by Francis Cockrell from a story by John Collier. (1956; 25 minutes)   
   
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Mr. Blanchard’s Secret”
Starring Mary Scott and Dayton Lummis; written by Sarett Rudley from a story by Emily Neff. (1956; 25 minutes)   
       
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “The Perfect Crime”
Starring Vincent Price and James Gregory; written by Stirling Silliphant from a story by Ben Ray Redman. (1957; 25 minutes)    

2:30 pm  

The Guilt Trade

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “Wet Saturday”   
Starring Sir Cedric Hardwicke and John Williams; written by Marian Cockrell from a story by John Collier. (1956; 25 minutes) ]

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: “The Horseplayer”
Starring Claude Rains and Ed Gardner; written by Henry Slesar. (1961; 25 minutes)

Alfred Hitchcock Hour: “I Saw the Whole Thing”
Starring John Forsythe; written by Henry Slesar and Henry Cecil. (1962; 50 minutes) 

4:15 pm

Documentary

The Men Who Made the Movies
With Richard Schickel; narrated by Cliff Robertson. (1973; 60 minutes)