Alfred Hitchcock

Original and highly collectible self-portrait in profile sketched and signed by Alfred Hitchcock, on 3″ x 6″ parchment paper. Light toning to upper right corner, otherwise very fine condition.

SIR ALFRED HITCHCOCK (1899-1980) was an iconic and influential British filmmaker and producer, who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres.

After a substantial career in his native United Kingdom in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and, in 1956, became an American citizen, also retaining his British citizenship. Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films, in a career spanning six decades, from the silent era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the color era. As a director, he was among the most consistently recognizable by the general public, and was one of the most successful of his era. He remains one of the best-known and most popular filmmakers of all time.

In his youth Hitchcock was sent to the Jesuit Classic school St. Ignatius College in Enfield, London. He often described his childhood as being very lonely and sheltered, which was compounded by his weight issues. It is widely known that as a child, Hitchcock was once sent by his father to the local police station with a note asking the officer to lock him away for ten minutes as punishment for behaving badly. This idea of being harshly treated or wrongfully accused is frequently reflected in Hitchcock’s films.

Hitchcock’s mother would often make him address her while standing at the foot of her bed, especially if he behaved badly, forcing him to stand there for hours. These experiences of Hitchcock would later be used for the portrayal of the character of Norman Bates in his movie Psycho.

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