AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE SALUTE TO ALFRED HITCHCOCK, THE (TV)
Summary
In this special program, the American Film Institute salutes director Alfred Hitchcock. Henry Fonda, the previous year's honoree, opens the program with a clip that satirizes the Hollywood scene, from an episode of Hitchcock's famous television series. John Houseman then offers a brief history of Hitchcock's early days in cinema, followed by a clip from one of his silent films, "The Lodger," and from Britain's first film with sound, "Blackmail." Host Ingrid Bergman, describing him as "a gentlemen farmer who raises gooseflesh," presents clips from "The 39 Steps," "The Lady Vanishes," "Notorious," "To Catch a Thief," "Suspicion," "Strangers on a Train," "North by Northwest," "The Birds," "Foreign Correspondent," and two versions of "The Man Who Knew Too Much." Next, Anthony Perkins presents the famous shower scene from "Psycho," and introduces Janet Leigh who presents a series of Hitchcock's cameo appearances from his films, "Blackmail," "Young and Innocent," "Strangers on a Train," "The Paradine Case," "Stage Fright," "Lifeboat," "Dial M for Murder," "To Catch a Thief," "The Birds," "Torn Curtain," "Family Plot," and "North by Northwest." Jimmy Stewart then remarks on Hitchcock's attitude toward actors and his preference of action over words. Robert F. Blumofe, director of AFI-West, congratulates the Alfred Hitchcock fellowship winners; then, director Francois Truffaut recognizes Hitchcock's innovative techniques by presenting a clip of the chase scene on Mount Rushmore from "North by Northwest." Next, Charlton Heston, chairman of the Board of AFI, discusses the organization's accomplishments; then, John Forsythe concentrates on love scenes from Hitchcock films with clips from "Spellbound," "Rebecca," "Vertigo," and "To Catch a Thief." British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Jay, congratulates Hitchcock on behalf of his native country, and Bergman introduces the audience members who worked with Hitchcock over the years, including: Teresa Wright, Pat Hitchcock O'Connor, Norman Lloyd, Lord Sidney Bernstein, Jane Wyman, Edith Head, Rod Taylor, Vera Miles, Tippi Hedren, Sean Connery, Dame Judith Anderson, and Cary Grant. George Stevens, Jr., director of the AFI, praises Hitchcock's capacity for creating suspense using viewers' imagination, and presents clips from "Psycho," "Vertigo," "Notorious," "Dial M for Murder," and "Spellbound." After accepting the AFI's Lifetime Achievement Award from Stevens, Bergman gives Hitchcock a key that was a significant item from his movie, "Notorious." Commercials deleted.
This program contains minor technical problems. This represents the best copy of this program currently available to the Museum.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: March 12, 1979 Monday 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:14:00
- COLOR/B&W: Color/B&W
- CATALOG ID: T82:0564
- GENRE: Specials; Award presentations
- SUBJECT HEADING: Specials; Award presentations; Directors
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV, 1979
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- George Stevens … Producer
- Harrison Engle … Producer
- Michael B. Seligman … Associate Producer
- Marty Pasetta … Director
- Doug Smart … Direction (Misc.), Associate Director
- Sara Lukinson … Researcher
- Hal Kanter … Writer
- Nelson Riddle … Music (Misc. Credits), Music Director
- Ingrid Bergman … Host
- Alfred Hitchcock … Honoree
- Sidney Bernstein
- Robert F. Blumofe
- Sean Connery
- Henry Fonda
- John Forsythe
- Cary Grant
- Edith Head
- Tippi Hedren
- Charlton Heston
- John Houseman
- Peter Jay
- Janet Leigh
- Norman Lloyd
- Vera Miles
- Anthony Perkins
- George Stevens
- James Stewart
- Rod Taylor
- Francois Truffaut
- Teresa Wright
- Jane Wyman