Today (Wednesday) would be movie director Alfred Hitchcock’s 115 birthday. In honour of the late, great man, we found a selection of facts you may or may not know about the Leytonstone -born auteur. 

 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

1. He created some of the most intense psychological thrillers of all time. But when it came to his own fears, there was one thing which really frightened Hitch...eggs, runny eggs. He once said: "I’m frightened of eggs, worse than frightened, they revolt me. That white round thing without any holes … have you ever seen anything more revolting than an egg yolk breaking and spilling its yellow liquid? Blood is jolly, red. But egg yolk is yellow, revolting. I’ve never tasted it."

 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

2.    He was the voice of the Jaws ride at Universal Studios.

 


3. Hitchcock used only five words for his Oscar acceptance speech: Thank you, very much indeed.

 

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

4.  Hitchcock wanted Cary Grant to crawl into Abraham Lincoln’s nose in Mount Rushmore in the famous climatic scene of North By Northwest. Unfortunately Lincoln’s nostrils were considered "off limits". 

 

5.  Prior to filming, Hitchcock asked his assistant Peggy Robertson to buy every copy of the book Psycho was based on, so no-one would know how the final film ended.