It Began With The Lodger
It all began with his 1927 film, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog. When one of the actors didn't show up, Alfred Hitchcock put himself in the scene—and the rest is movie history. While many directors have made cameos in their own movies, none have done so more famously than Alfred Hitchcock. Hitch has cameos in 40 of his movies and not only are we going to tell you all of them—we're also going to provide you the exact minute in the movie where he appears.
The Lodger (1927)
0:04:44: Sitting at a desk in the newsroom with his back to the camera.
1:23:50: Next to Detective Joe in the mob scene (although this Hitchcock sighting is disputed).
Gainsborough Pictures, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927)
Easy Virtue (1928)
0:21:15: Carrying a walking stick, walking by the tennis courts.
Gainsborough Pictures, Easy Virtue (1927)
Blackmail (1929)
0:10:25: Reading a book on the subway and being bothered by a boy.
Murder! (1930)
0:59:45: Walking with a woman past the house in which the murder occurred.
Number Seventeen (1932)
0:51:25: On the bus—facing away—wearing a dark coat and hat (bouncing up and down).
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
0:33:25: Crossing the road in a trench coat as a bus passes by.
Gaumont British Picture, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
The 39 Steps (1935)
0:06:56: He's the man tossing a white cig box while a bus pulls up (we're noticing a lot of buses in Hitchcock's cameos).
Gaumont British Picture, The 39 Steps (1935)
Sabotage (1936)
0:08:56: Passing by the crowd in front of the Bijou.
Gaumont British Picture, Sabotage (1936)
Young And Innocent (1937)
0:15:00: A journalist holding a camera in front of the courthouse.
Gaumont British Picture, Young and Innocent (1937)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
1:32:31: Wearing a black coat and smoking in Victoria Station.
Gainsborough Pictures, The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Foreign Correspondent (1940)
0:12:44: After Joel McCrea departs from the hotel, Hitchcock can be seen in a coat and hat, reading a newspaper.
Walter Wanger Productions, Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Rebecca (1940)
2:06:57: After Jack Favell finishes a call, Hitchcock can be seen walking by the phone box with his back to the audience. Fun fact: At over two hours in, this is the latest in a movie that Hitchcock ever made a cameo.
Selznick International Pictures, Rebecca (1940)
Mr & Mrs Smith (1941)
0:42:57: Hitchcock passes Robert Montgomery in front of his building.
Suspicion (1941)
0:03:25: Walking a horse.
0:44:58: Mailing a letter.
Saboteur (1942)
1:04:45: Standing in front of "Cut Rate Drugs".
Shadow Of A Doubt (1943)
0:16:27: Playing cards on the train to Santa Rosa. His back is to the camera but we can see that he has a flush (spades).
Universal, Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Lifeboat (1944)
0:25:00: An ad in the newspaper for "Reduco Obesity Slayer" has "before" and "after" pictures—and there he is.
Twentieth Century, Lifeboat (1944)
Spellbound (1945)
0:39:01: Walking out of the elevator at the Empire State Hotel, carrying a violin case.
Selznick International Pictures, Spellbound (1945)
Notorious (1946)
1:04:44: Hitchcock can be seen drinking champagne at the party in Claude Rains' mansion. We then see him leaving as Cary Grant enters.
The Paradine Case (1947)
0:38:00: Leaving the train and carrying a cello case.
Selznick International Pictures, The Paradine Case (1947)
Rope (1948)
0:01:51: Just after his credit, near the end of the opening sequence, Hitchcock can be seen walking alongside a woman.
0:55:00: It isn't him in person—but in the background, there is a flashing red neon sign of his trademark profile.
Under Capricorn (1949)
0:02:11: Wearing a blue coat and brown top hat, with his back to the camera during the new governor's speech.
0:12:17: One of three men on the Government House steps.
Transatlantic Pictures, Under Capricorn (1949)
Stage Fright (1950)
0:39:49: When Jane Wyman is in her disguise as Marlene Dietrich's maid, rehearsing her cover—you can see Hitchcock turning to look at her.
Warner Bros., Stage Fright (1950)
Strangers On A Train (1951)
0:02:22: Farley Granger is reading a book. And who is that on the cover?
0:10:34: As Farley Granger gets off the train in his hometown, Hitchcock is getting on the train with a double bass.
Warner Bros., Strangers on a Train (1951)
I Confess (1953)
0:01:33: You can get a look at Hitchcock crossing the top of a flight of steps.
Warner Bros., I Confess (1953)
Dial M For Murder (1954)
0:13:13: In the class-reunion photo, you can see Hitchcock on the left side sitting at the same table as Swan and Wendice.
Warner Bros., Dial M for Murder (1954)
Rear Window (1954)
0:26:12: In the songwriter's apartment, Hitchcock is winding the clock by the fireplace.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Rear Window (1954)
To Catch A Thief (1955)
0:09:40: Who is that man sitting next to Cary Grant on the bus?
Paramount, To Catch a Thief (1955)
The Trouble With Harry (1955)
0:22:14: Seen through the window—Hitchcock is the man walking past the parked limousine.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, The Trouble with Harry (1955)
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
0:25:12: While the McKennas are watching the acrobats, Hitchcock appears to the left of them and puts his hands in his pockets.
Paramount, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
The Wrong Man (1956)
0:00:18: Hitchcock is seen in silhouette, narrating the film's prologue.
A biography of Hitchcock claims that the director chose to make an explicit appearance —rather than a cameo—to emphasize that The Wrong Man was a true story about a real person.
Warner Bros., The Wrong Man (1956)
Vertigo (1958)
0:11:22: Walking across a street with a trumpet case.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Vertigo (1958)
North By Northwest (1959)
0:02:09: Just after his credit moves off screen during the opening titles, you can see Hitchcock missing a bus.
MGM, North by Northwest (1959)
Psycho (1960)
0:06:59: Seen through an office window as Janet Leigh comes through the door. He's wearing a Stetson cowboy hat.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Psycho (1960)
The Birds (1963)
0:02:18: Walking out of the pet shop (with two of his actual dogs, Geoffrey and Stanley) as Tippi Hedren enters.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, The Birds (1963)
Marnie (1964)
0:05:00: Coming in from the left of the hotel corridor, right after Tippi Hedren passes by.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Marnie (1964)
Torn Curtain (1966)
0:08:00: Sitting in the hotel lobby with a baby on his knee.
Fun fact: The music playing during his cameo is an adaptation of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents theme.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Torn Curtain (1966)
Topaz (1969)
0:32:27: Hitchcock is being pushed in a wheelchair at the airport. He then stands up from the chair, shakes hands with another man, and walks off.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Topaz (1969)
Frenzy (1972)
0:02:24: At the very end of the opening credits, Hitchcock can be seen wearing a bowler hat and leaning on the riverside wall.
About a minute later, Hitchcock is the only one in the crowd not applauding the speaker.
Another minute after that—right after the victim washes ashore—Hitchcock is there standing next to a gray-haired man with a beard.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Frenzy (1972)
Family Plot (1976)
0:40:00: Hitchcock can be seen in silhouette through the door of the Registrar of Births and Deaths.
Alfred J. Hitchcock Productions, Family Plot (1976)
