Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller “Psycho” was covertly referred to as “Production 9401″ or “Wimpy” — the name Wimpy coming from cameraman, Rex Wimpy, who appeared on clapboards, production sheets, and studio stills. Cast and crew (Hitch borrowed his same crew from his TV series, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents”) were forced to raise their right hand and sworn not to utter a word about the film. Hitchcock even guardedly withheld the climactic ending from the cast all the way up until it was actually shot. via


Alfred Hitchcock had a vacant cast chair marked “Mrs. Bates” placed eerily on the set of his 1960 “Psycho” throughout shooting, and even falsely reported to the press that he was auditioning for the role of Mrs. Bates to further add to the mystery around the film. – Image by © Sunset Boulevard/Corbis




Actress Janet Leigh and Hitchcock on the set of his chilling 1960 masterpiece, “Psycho”. The much-talked-about Janet Leigh bra scenes had a definite method to their mammory madness. In the film, prior to swiping 40K for her lover, the bra is white – symbolzing innocence. After the dirty deed, the bra is black– symboling her crossing over to the dark side. Same with her purse…


A young Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates, the role that dogged him for the rest of his acting career. When asked decades later if he would have turned down the role in retrospect, he noted that he’d absolutely do it all over again. “Pyscho” had many bird references– for example, Norman Bates was into stuffing birds (taxidermy, people…), Janet Leigh’s character was named Marion Crane, etc. “The Birds” would be Hitchcock’s next film.


Scene from Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” based on the novel by Robert Bloch, shows Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) by the Bates’ family home. — Image by © Underwood & Underwood/Corbis


The Bates’ house in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 film “Psycho” was modeled after Edward Hopper’s 1925 oil painting “House by the Railroad” — shown above in black & white, and hung at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.


A very young, and handsome Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in a Paramount Studios still– looking right through the camera with an extremely “Psycho”, cold, and vacant stare.



Director Alfred Hitchcock and actor Anthony Perkins on the set of the 1960′s chiller, “Psycho”.


Actress Janet Leigh on the set of “Psycho” directed by Alfred Hitchcock and released in 1960.



Alfred Hitchcock on the set of his 1960 masterpiece, “Psycho” during the unforgettable shower scene.


The actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins, in makeup as “Psycho” Director extraordinaire– Alfred Hitchcock.


“Ina et Hitchcock Harper’s Bazaar, Hollywood” by Jeanloup Sieff — shot in 1962 with model Ina Balke


“Ina et Hitchcock Harper’s Bazaar, Hollywood” by Jeanloup Sieff — shot in 1962 with model Ina Balke


“Ina et Hitchcock Harper’s Bazaar, Hollywood” by Jeanloup Sieff — shot in 1962 with model Ina Balke