Here's Alfred Hitchcock dressed up as Ringo Starr of The Beatles. What is the context of this photo, you might ask? I have no idea... and I'm almost happier not knowing. Actually, take away the drum kit and he looks more like Moe Howard from The Three Stooges more than anything else.
Hitch did a lot of goofy intros for his Alfred Hitchcock Presents TV episodes, and I think he was generally fine with poking fun at his image by doing things like this.
Ah! Okay, I know he had a great, very dry sense of humor but I'm not all that familiar with the TV show. I guess this must be a publicity still from that...
No, Hitchcock actually did intros and outros to each episode to talk about what went on in each one. They're actually pretty funny, and the bits actually made him very famous because for the first time, a famous American director became kind of a TV star because of his peculiar appearance and manner on his long-running show (which featured his name in the title).
Hitch loved to throw darts at the very idea of having sponsors and commercials. His series was often brilliant, loaded with great talent. Do not overlook. Gear fab fab gear.
As Vidiot wrote above, it was likely taken from one of the intros from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. However, I'm 99.99% sure the clip was also broadcast as part of an episode of USA Network's old "Night Flight" series, circa 1985 or 1986. One night, they ran a load of old B&W films – "A Trip to the Moon" using Pink Floyd's "Echoes" as its soundtrack, scenes from Wladyslaw Starewicz's bizarre stop-motion short film "The Mascot", Porky Pig banging his thumb with a hammer, plus so much more. (I happened to record the episode that night, and after repeat viewing, I was able to remember much of what was on that particular show.) Hitchcock as one of the Beatles was also part of the series of odd clips. YouTube has some "Night Flight" segments posted, but not the bit with AH.
Hey! I was right! It was on the "Cult Classics" episode of Night Flight! It's not up on YouTube, but it is available to see at Dailymotion. Here's the link: Night Flight - Episode 7 by Steve Wilcox - Dailymotion The Hitchcock thing is around the 4:15 (or so) point. Everything else mentioned above was also there. (Not too shabby recall for something I hadn't seen for some thirty odd years!)
I remember a couple clips from the Three Stooges' M-G-M shorts (which at the time were very difficult to see) being used on Night Flight. And it turns out, I happened to tape it that night and just recently found that tape. Quality is not great, and of course now I have the complete films themselves on DVD, but I thought that was pretty cool.
Night Flight was a pretty good show. I didn't watch it regularly, but always seemed to catch it when they were running old cartoons, or offbeat B&W "cult" stuff. They aired material I figured nobody else would be interested it. AFAICR, it was also shown at odd hours – something that would catch my eye when flipping channels. (I don't think I ever actually knew when it was scheduled. I'd only see it by chance.)
I remember those pithy remarks about commercials. I wonder if any of the advertisers ever complained? It sure wouldn't go over well now.
Ha! Hitchcock was a funny guy....love looking out for him in the movies as he walks past a window or something. This is my favorite pic of Hitchcock cooling off in the river Thames.
Hitch was a great drummer and mean bass player. He did some session work on Abbey Road shortly after Paul died.
