Who was Alfred Hitchcock?
Alfred Hitchcock was an English film director known as the Master of Suspense. His films, including Psycho, Vertigo, Rear Window and The Birds, are among the most influential in cinema history.
Hitchcock was born in London in 1899. He began his career in the British film industry in the 1920s, directing early thrillers such as The Lodger and The 39 Steps.
In 1939, he moved to Hollywood. His first American film, Rebecca, won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1941.
Master of suspense
Hitchcock was famous for building tension, using clever camera work and surprising plot twists. The shower scene in Psycho, released in 1960, is one of the most famous scenes in film.
He often made brief cameo appearances in his own films, which became a game for audiences to spot.
He also hosted the television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Hitchcock was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director five times but never won. He was knighted in 1980 and died later that year. His films are still studied by filmmakers today.