Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and its later iteration The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, graced television screens for a decade, from 1955 to 1965, captivating audiences with suspenseful tales and the Master of Suspense’s signature introductions. For those of us who discovered this classic series later, often through reruns, the allure of meticulously crafted mysteries and twist endings remains timeless. My own journey into the world of Hitchcock began, ironically, with his final film, Family Plot, in 1976. Soon after, I stumbled upon Alfred Hitchcock Presents in syndication, and like many others, was immediately drawn into its web of intrigue.
The quest to fully appreciate and explore a beloved TV series often leads to the desire for a comprehensive episode guide. While Star Trek fandom might have pioneered detailed episode listings, my initial encounter with such guides was in the pages of Rocket’s Blast Comic Collector (RBCC), particularly Don Rosa’s “Information Center” column in the mid-70s. These guides, alongside books like Gary Gerani’s Fantastic Television (1977), became essential tools for navigating the vast landscape of television history. However, a crucial piece was missing: a dedicated episode guide for Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
Driven by this gap, I embarked on a personal mission to compile my own Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode guide. Long before the internet age, this meant countless hours spent in libraries, meticulously examining microfilm rolls of the New York Times TV listings. Weekends were dedicated to trips to the Lincoln Center Library of the Performing Arts in New York City, poring over bound volumes of TV Guide for more granular details about each episode. It was during one of these research sessions, amidst stacks of TV Guides, that I had the surreal experience of sharing the library with actors Tony Randall and Jerry Stiller, each engaged in their own research endeavors.
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My library explorations also unearthed a significant article from the fall 1971 issue of Cinema magazine, titled “The Television Films of Alfred Hitchcock.” This scholarly piece, focusing on episodes directed by Hitchcock himself, demonstrated an early academic interest in the series. However, my own episode guide project faced an unexpected turn when RBCC began publishing their own Hitchcock guide in 1978. Despite initial disappointment, fueled by a phone call of encouragement from Don Rosa himself, I persevered, shifting my focus towards a more comprehensive book on the series.
The late 70s and early 80s offered late-night reruns of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a lifeline for dedicated fans. Setting alarms for the early hours to catch episodes like “The Dangerous People” and “A Night With the Boys” became a ritual. Around this time, publications like Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone Magazine started featuring detailed episode guides, and “companion” books for specific shows emerged, such as Marc Scott Zicree’s The Twilight Zone Companion and David J. Schow’s The Outer Limits: The Official Companion. These publications highlighted the growing appreciation for in-depth resources on television series.
A research trip to the CBS offices in New York granted access to their microfilm archives on the Hitchcock series, further enriching my understanding. However, the publication of John McCarty and Brian Kelleher’s Alfred Hitchcock Presents: An Illustrated Guide to the Ten-Year Television Career of the Master of Suspense in 1985 marked another turning point. While not perfect, this book was a groundbreaking compilation, leading me to reconsider my own extensive notes. It became an invaluable checklist, despite occasional inaccuracies and missing details like air dates and complete credits.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents experienced a revival in the late 80s with new episodes, but my book aspirations remained on hold. However, my passion for the original series endured. The USA network’s reruns of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour became evening staples after my marriage in 1988. In the 90s, cable networks like Nick at Nite and TV Land reintroduced Alfred Hitchcock Presents to new audiences, though these runs often focused on the early seasons.
The year 2001 saw the release of Martin Grams Jr. and Patrik Wikstrom’s monumental The Alfred Hitchcock Presents Companion. This comprehensive book, despite mixed reviews, became the definitive resource, surpassing previous publications in detail and scope. Then, in 2005, a dream came true for many fans: Universal released season one of Alfred Hitchcock Presents on DVD. The subsequent annual DVD releases of seasons two and three were eagerly anticipated, though later seasons faced delays. These DVD sets provided an unparalleled opportunity to revisit and study the series in detail.
My writing career evolved alongside my Hitchcock fandom. Books on Fredric Brown and Jack Finney led to online writing, including contributions to bare bones e-zine. This platform allowed me to delve into series like Thriller and eventually revisit Alfred Hitchcock Presents through the lens of specific writers like Fredric Brown and Robert Bloch. The accessibility of episodes online, through platforms like Hulu and YouTube, and fan-made DVD sets of later seasons, further fueled my research.
Ultimately, my long-held ambition to create a comprehensive guide to Alfred Hitchcock Presents and The Alfred Hitchcock Hour took shape as “The Hitchcock Project” on bare bones e-zine. This ongoing series of articles focuses on the episodes themselves, categorized by author, actor, or theme, rather than Hitchcock’s introductions. Detailed cast and crew information is readily available online, allowing the articles to concentrate on story analysis and interesting creative contributions. Images, sourced from magazine covers and DVD screen grabs, enhance each piece, and links to online viewing options or DVD purchases are included for reader convenience. A crucial element is reading the original short stories or books that inspired the episodes, enabling a deeper comparative analysis.
“The Hitchcock Project” is a labor of love, a journey through ten seasons of suspense, aiming to discuss every episode. It’s a testament to the enduring appeal of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the ongoing value of episode guides in navigating and appreciating the rich history of television. For anyone seeking a deeper understanding of this iconic series, resources like episode guides and companion books are invaluable tools, enriching the viewing experience and connecting fans with the legacy of the Master of Suspense.
