Hitch on the Hump: Mr. Alfred Hitchcock Live and In Person!

Hey folks. As I'm still a bit pressed for time in the holiday rush, I wanted to post something for Hitch on the Hump today so I thought I would scout around and see if I could find videos of any of Hitch's personal appearances on Television over the years. YouTube was a treasure trove of videos of all kinds, and I want to share three that I really enjoyed with you folks today. First off, here's Alfred on a 1954 episode of 'What's My Line?'. For the younguns out there, 'What's My Line?' was a game show wherein a three person blindfolded panel asks questions of someone in order to determine their profession, or in this case, their identity. When I first saw this I thought, "Well, that should be easy. As soon as he opens his mouth they will all know." Then it occurred to me in 1954 everyone didn't know what Hitchcock sounded like, and Alfred made allowances himself speaking in a rather broadly terrible French accent.

Next up I found this clip from the Dick Cavett show in 1970. I've seen this whole interview before, but this is an incredible slice right here. It starts off with Hitchcock talking about the MacGuffin before he moves on to discuss the merits of laxative commercials, the avian stars of The Birds, violence on television, nudity in the cinema, and finally the infamous "Actors are cattle." comment. 

Here's a clip from the 1963 television documentary series in which Hitchcock talks about how minor changes in a film can give it a whole new meaning. It's a wonderful clip, and Hitchcock casting himself as a "dirty old man" surely delighted the often ribald director to no end. It's also interesting to note that Hitchcock's responses and host Fletcher Markle's questions were filmed separately, the very issue Hitch discusses in this clip. 

I hope you enjoyed this roundup of Hitchcock clips, and I'll be back next week with a proper review. Plus next month I have two guest posts from a couple of wonderful folks who are set to blow you away. So I'll see you next week for that, and y'all join me back here tomorrow for the monthly Deadly Doll's Pick!