20 Things You Somehow Missed In Alfred Hitchcock Movies
17. Hitchcock's Unplanned Cameo - The Lodger
The Lodger was truly a breakthrough film for Alfred Hitchcock, as it was his first commercial hit as well as his first true suspense film. It also marks the first time the director made a cameo in his own movie - even if that cameo was never planned.
The production was short on extras, so Hitchcock filled in for certain scenes, such as in the newsroom and as part of the crowd lynch scene. It ended becoming a staple for Alfred to briefly appear in all of his movies, thanks to this unplanned moment. As he continued to produce for pictures, his cameos became more and more creative – appearing in newspapers, within silhouette, etc.
Had the production of The Lodger acquired a larger ensemble, who knows if we were to ever see those signature Hitchcock cameos in any of his future works?