Happy Halloween! I first became aware of master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock from a parody of him on The Flintstones. I knew they were making fun of somebody, but I didn’t know who.
In this droll dual takeoff of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the Hitchcock feature film Rear Window, Fred is unnerved by his new neighbor Alvin Brickrock, a short, squat Britisher who can be heard arguing with his harridan of a wife. Then, one night, the arguing stops suddenly–and not long afterward, Mrs. Brickrock disappears. These and several other ominous incidents lead Fred and Barney to conclude that Alvin Brickrock is actually the notorious wife slayer Albert Bonehart. The satire is played to the hilt, concluding with Mr. Brickrock bidding the audience a fond “Good ev-e-ning.” ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Hitchcock was a unique personality, being equal parts artist, craftsman, impresario, and businessman. In 1940, long before his anthology TV show of suspenseful stories began in 1955, Hitchcock directed a radio adaptation of his British film ‘The Lodger,’ which is available for your listening pleasure on the audio player.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/OCT07/TheLodger.mp3]Showcased on a program called ‘Forecast,’ Hitchcock was helping audition what would later become the premier radio anthology series of suspenseful stories. It was called, aptly, ‘Suspense’, and it ran for 20 years, ending in 1962 as one of the very last radio drama programs.
Well, actually, no. I think the Hitchcock parody on The Flintstones pre-dated ‘The Birds.’ Good catch, and a curious one at that. Maybe it was known that it would be his next film.
Notice how “Alvin Brickrock” is holding a BIRD?” Was “The Birds” out yet? Hmm …