The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965) User Reviews (22)

Good Stuff

[galaxywest · 8/10 · 31 October 2010]

First of all, Alfred Hitchcock's introduction, station brake and wrap up monologues are worth the price of watching those commercials alone — which regularly were humorously ridiculed by Hitchcock himself. Watching these shows these many years later is therapy for the lightening fast world of the 21st century. Lots of husbands killing wives and wives killing husbands. And of course, then, nobody could get away with anything — if not in the story itself then in the ending wrap up by Hitchcock.

AND, it was an era when REAL ACTORS were on TV — not the pretty face empty nothing's on TV today. Living in impossible apartments and working in impossible work places and performing impossible plots.

92 episodes, well-directed

[MarieGabrielle · 9/10 · 20 February 2008]

and many now famous (and infamous) actors from the past and present. This show is suspenseful and similar to the shorter version, albeit the stories are better, more involved.

One story which is quirky and interesting is the episode where a drunken man loses everything. Tony Randall and Jayne Mansfield, 1962. Tony Randall delivers a perfect performance as frustrated ad executive (he and Mansfield reprising this role and story from the hysterical comedy "Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?"). Since this is Hitchcock, however, there is a twist and pathos to the storyline.

Worth owning on DVD and also watching in the U.S. on Chiller channel. 9/10.

A mixed bag of Great, Good, OK, and just plain boring episodes

[RogerMooreTheBestBond · 8/10 · 12 June 2020]

I've always enjoyed anthology shows like Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and the Twilight Zone. Overall the all of them had some really great episodes that I love to view over and over. I now have them all on DVD or Blu Ray. My favorite episodes have some humor sprinkled in the the mystery and suspense. Then the twist ending or shock ending that makes them better. Some of my favorites are "Final Vow" with Carol Lynley, "Diagnosis Danger" with Michael Parks, "Last Seen Wearing Blue Jeans" with Katherine Crawford, "Terror at Northfield" with Dick York, "See the Monkey Dance" with Efrem Zimbalist Jr., "A Matter of Murder" with Darren Mcgavin, "The Ordeal of Mrs. Snow" with Patricia Coolidge, "A Home Away From Home" with Ray Milland, "Nothing Ever Happens in Linvale" with Fess Parker(My favorite episode), "The Jar" with Pat Buttram. There are far too many of the shows that don't feel like a Hitchcock show or are down right boring. But the episodes I listed above are well worth watching.

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour-93 well directed episodes from the master of suspense

[raysond · 10/10 · 22 November 2013]

Even though it lasted three seasons,a lot of classic Hollywood greats and some new and established actors from the past and present came together for this anthology which was television's last attempt to revive great drama stories. And this is what The Alfred Hitchcock Hour did for an astounding 93 episodes,all in classic black and white. Hitchcock actually expanded his half-hour format into a hour long segment with gave it more time for character and story development as well as unexpected twists and surprises within the story lines. "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" originally ran for three seasons on two major television networks. First it aired on CBS-TV for 48 episodes that ran from September 20,1962 until July 3,1964. CBS canceled the series after two seasons,and from there NBC-TV picked up the series for its final season and the remaining 45 episodes that aired from October 5,1964 until May 10,1965. "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" still had the brief introduction from Hitchcock about tonight's story along with the sadistic wit and humor that you came to expect not to mention our narrator telling us the ending-which was wrap up by Hitchcock himself.

The thing about this show is that it expanded its format to a full hour in which the storyline,situations and unexpected plots and twists progress right along,but in the end it was great entertainment. Some of the finest directors were on board for this series for some of its finest episodes ranging from Alf Kjellin, to Joesph H. Newman, Bernard Girard, John Brahm, Joesph Pevney, Jack Smight, Leo Penn, David Friedkin, Leonard Horn, William Witney, Phillip Leacock, to Laslo Benedek, and Jerry Hopper to future Oscar winning directors ranging from Richard Donner, William Friedkin, and Sydney Pollack. Even Alfred Hitchcock directed one episode from this anthology series.

Some of the finest writers team up for astounding episodes ranging from future Oscar winning producer James Bridges to Richard Levinson, William D. Gordon, Richard Matheson, Ray Bradbury, Robert Bloch, Henry Slesar, David Friedkin, Morton S. Fine, Lukas Heller, to Stanley Kallis, Mann Rubin, Alvin Sargent, William Bast and H.G. Wells.

The actors ranged from newcomers like Bruce Dern, Robert Redford, to Bradford Dillman, Richard Dawson, Claude Akins, Sally Kellerman, William Shatner, Angie Dickinson, Robert Culp, Richard Basehart to Alejandro Rey, Tony Randall, Robert Duvall, James MacArthur to Barbara Eden, Roddy McDowell, Dick York, Fess Parker, Gena Rowlands, Leif Erickson, Jeremy Slate, Elizabeth Montgomery, Hari Rhodes, George C. Scott, Steve McQueen, Cliff Robertson and Ed Nelson to old-timers like Lillian Gish, Gloria Swanson, John Forsythe and Peter Lorre just to name a few that appear in various episodes.

One episode in particular was in Season 1 of the series that featured Tony Randall and Jayne Mansfield in which Tony Randall delivers a perfect performance as the frustrated ad executive who drinks too much and loses everything he has including his wife in "Hangover"(Season 1:Episode 12 that aired on December 6,1962)which dealt with the subject of alcoholism.

Others favorites episodes were Peter Fonda in "The Return of Verge Likens"(Season 3:Episode 1 that aired October 5,1964),and John Forsythe in "I Saw The Whole Thing"(Season 1:Episode 4-aired October 11,1962),to June Lockhart as a vengeful wife in "The Second Wife"(Season 3:Episode 27-aired April 26,1965). Other favorites included Christopher Lee in "The Sign of Satan"(Season 2:Episode 27-aired May 8,1964),Lillian Gish in "The Body In The Barn"(Season 2:Episode 32-aired July 3,1964),to the hilarious Bob Newhart in "How To Get Rid Of Your Wife"(Season 2:Episode 11-aired December 20,1963);Roddy McDowell and Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in "See The Monkey Dance"(Season 3:Episode 5-aired November 9,1964);to Frank Gorshin and Martin Landau in "The Second Verdict"(Season 2:Episode 30-aired May 29,1964),and Arthur Kennedy in "Change of Address"(Season 3:Episode 21-aired October 12,1964).

Two unknown actors Bruce Dern and Robert Redford appear in various episodes of the series and both of these actors would go on to bigger and better things in their careers. One of them would go on to becoming a big time Oscar-winning Hollywood producer and director(namely Robert Redford). Robert Redford appeared in two episodes "A Piece of the Action"(Season 1:Episode 1-aired September 20,1962),and "A Tangled Web" (Season 2:Episode 18-aired January 25,1963). Bruce Dern also appeared in two episodes of the series "A Lonely Place"(Season 3:Episode 6-aired November 16,1964),and "The Night Caller"(Season 2:Episode 15-aired January 31,1964).

The other classic episode of the series featured two well-established actors who were but known for their "rural" comedies.....Pat Buttram,who was a known for starring in Westerns in the 1930's and 1940's as later on as the oily salesman/con artist Mr. Haney on the television series "Green Acres",and George Lindsey,who was known as "Goober" from "The Andy Griffith Show" television series appeared together in a episode title "The Jar"(Season 2:Episode 17-aired February 14,1964). Veteran Hollywood legend Gloria Swanson appeared as a old woman in a haunted house title "Behind The Locked Door"(Season 2:Episode 22-aired March 27,1964),that also starred James MacArthur.

"The Alfred Hitchcock Hour" was next to the last of the great anthology series of the 1960's and it was the last attempt to established this in the age of television. When it was canceled by NBC on May 10,1965 the magic that was this was gone,and in its place came the onslaught of police dramas and espionage shows.

My all-time favorite television show

[peanutthegreat · 5 July 2002]

I occasionally hear of people making lists of the all-time best tv series (TV Guide did it recently), and they never seem to mention either of Hitchcock's Television series, even though these are the same people that call Hitchcock among the greatest directors. I watched this show all the time when I was younger (or so I seem to remember), but it does not seem to be on very often any more. Hitchcock's shows are much better than his movies, in my opinion. The thing about the show is that it is limited to only an hour, so the story is forced to progress more quickly, and keeps me interested more easily. My favorite episodes are "The Return of Verge Likens" with Peter Fonda, "The Man from Rio" with Peter Lorre and Steve McQueen, and "One More Mile to Go."

50s/60s Television

[PlasticActor · 10/10 · 28 December 2020]

They say the small things in life make a big difference and I am inclined to agree. It also makes fine acting. Films in the last 20-30 years costing up to 100 million. That takes a lot of footfall to break even. I recently bought a portable radio. Just turn a switch and move a dial for Mozart. Same with TV. Actor shining like never with so little time on screen.

I want to implore people to cancel all subscription plans and go for a few months through the Hitchcock TV library. I guarantee after seeing and hearing (some great music too, orchestra not synth) you will never venture back.

Start with: "Consider Her Ways" Great script (From real books and authors) and try to remember this was not written in 2020. Move on to a classic radio play turned to TV: The Evil of Adelaide Winters.

Happy viewing. Best wishes, Cliff Taylor

Same Moderator, Different Show

[Minerva_Meybridge · 8/10 · 25 October 2006]

Alfred Hitchock Presents ran half-hour shows, which stuck strictly to whodunits. The Alfred Hitchock hour tended more toward one-hour dramas with twist endings. As usual, each episode boasted a pageant of stars. Stories were not as tightly knit. Some episodes were laconic. This was television's last attempt at the Playhouse 90s, Alcoa/Goodyear TV Playhouses, the Loretta Young Shows and Kraft Mystery Theatres. It was the last of an age of television, which story lines lasted an entire hour, rather than being broken up into various story lines and woven subplots. Here were the the last of the great playwrights, in their eleventh hour, just before Fred Silverman turned television into tedium.

One Hour of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents!"

[ShelbyTMItchell · 10/10 · 20 September 2012]

Again the anthology series hosted by the Master of Suspense but it had ninety-four episodes and three seasons. But that is enough. As it is the same "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" but only expanded thirty minutes longer.

As it shows whodunits as well as before they were stars like Robert Redford. Really a great show and a great way of humor by Hitchcock.

If you noticed that he dressed in a suit for Alfred Hitchcock Presents but in the Hour thing, he dressed up in a tuxedo. As he really looked sharp in it. Not that I would mind the suit thing. But still, you can't go wrong with Hitch in a tuxedo.

Still a lot of people did not like the hour that much. But still, it is great though not better than the half-hour shows. Which tidy up things. Hour is much more acting and a lot of character development it seems.

Sometimes bigger is better....

[glitterrose · 10/10 · 23 November 2018]

Well, it would make sense to hop over here and give a review for this series since I just reviewed "Alfred Hitchcock Presents". I'd never watched the hour long episodes until I got into AHP as an adult. And I pretty much have the same feeling for this series as I do for AHP. It's so under appreciated and I don't really understand why? AHH has so many classic episodes that go hand in hand with each other when it concerns excellent writing and the performances given by the actors and actresses. I'm talking episodes that will stick with you, one of my best examples is "Lonely Place". And I'll also use that example for why I titled my subject header the way I did. That episode just had so much in it and it would've been impossible to cram that into the time span for an "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" episode. There needed to be more time in order to tell the episode properly.

Another example for the "bigger is better" involves one I recently watched called "Night Fever". This is another one of my favorite episodes and makes me a bit teary eyed at the end....needless to say I can relate to how the main character feels about herself. Anyway, I got online and watched the "Night Fever" remake they did in the 80s "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and I was more impressed with the hour long episode. Better writing, better performances from the actors and actresses.

And just like my review for AHP, AHH doesn't really get much appreciation when it concerns dvd releases. There's a few episodes I didn't like, overall I enjoyed the series and would love to own the series on dvd. No releases here in my country and I'm wary about buying releases from other countries that might not play once it's all said and done.

A More Even Quality

[midbrowcontrarian · 8/10 · 17 August 2021]

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour has generated two schools of thought. Some think the longer format allows for more character development while others maintain it results in episodes having to be padded. I would say compared to Alfred Hitchcock Presents, these are of a more even quality. I scored a few 9 or 10 in both series, but AHP had many more boring, even terrible episodes, though to be fair more than twice as many were made.

My ten favourites, in chronological order: 3 Night of the Owl. The story may rather lack believability, but compensated by great performances from Brian Keith (who seems to me like an understated John Wayne) and Patricia Breslin.

8 House Guest. Not entirely dissimilar to the above, decent family taken advantage of by a cunning crook.

23 The Lonely Hours. Obsessive, childless woman steals her landlady's baby, all female cast.

33 Home Away From Home. Atmospheric drama, mental patients imprison staff and take over asylum.

45 The Magic Shop. Much more sci-fi than usual Hitchcock. Half a dozen reviewers compare it to The Twilight Zone's It's a Good Life, for my money this is creepier and has more content.

50 Final Escape. Uncomplicated tale of a prisoner who will take almost any risk to escape. Without doubt the most shocking denouement.

65 Return of Verge Likens. Man plots revenge on local politician who killed his father, undeterred by objections from his easy going brother. Unanimously acclaimed by reviewers thus far.

75 Consider Her Ways. Another episode escaped from The Twilight Zone. A doctor under the influence of a new drug hallucinates about a future earth without men, and determines to prevent it.

84 Death Scene. This is not universally liked by other reviewers. I enjoyed it as a nod, whether intentional or not, to Sunset Boulevard, with private movie theatre, classy old car, and swimming pool.

92 Night Fever. An injured robber falls for his older nurse, but is he just trying to use her? I include this one mainly to question the groupthink of several reviewers who accept the storyline claim that Coleen Dewhurst is plain. She is over 40 but surely better looking than the villain's floozy like girlfriend briefly seen at the end. It's in the eye of the beholder of course, but maybe these guys would say Diana Doors was better looking than Diana Rigg?

Tremendous TV show

[searchanddestroy-1 · 7/10 · 22 June 2015]

I am of course pleased to have the whole TV series to watch, after seeing all the other episodes of the shorter series. These stories are all, with no exception, worth the ride, with great acting, writing and directing. Nothing to say about this. But I will only point out that, unlike the thirty minutes épisodes where there always was a twist, ironic ending, here it seems that the endings are, I would say, rather classical, with no real surprises. But I also admit that I have not seen them all yet. Maybe I'll get more surprises as I crave for so much in such tales. I'll wait. But I won't comment those episodes so far they have all been by other users.

I am sure that ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR is not as well known as AH PRESENTS. Such a shame. Even without a twist ending on every episode, it's very important to watch them, especially if you like this kind of stories.

I'M SURE VERY GOOD BUT SYNOPSIS GIVES AWAY TRICK ENDING!!!

[poetcomic1 · 8/10 · 12 July 2020]

How stupid can you get? The synopsis on IMDB gives the trick ending away for a full hour Hitchcock! I'm sure its great and I was REALLY looking forward to Teresa Wright and Dan Duryea but YOU RUINED IT.

Watch out for the pens;...

[searchanddestroy-1 · 7/10 · 10 January 2021]

In this series, each time you have some one sitting behind a desk: judge in a court room, police officer, secretary, bank clerk or president, executive, you can notice that this person ALWAYS holds a pen in his or her hand. Just a little fun fact. Not useful at all, just amusing.

What a Disappointment.

[everypathalliance · 2/10 · 1 March 2024]

I watched the entire series of 30 minute AH shows. The acting was impeccable, the stories were tight and writing superb.

In fact, I consider the 30 minute series to be some of the finest television ever made. Each story was so unique.

I was really anticipating diving into the hour long shows.

I tried 8 of these. I could not believe how bad they were.

BORING.

You can see the ending coming in the first 5 minutes. No real surprises or twists. The acting is just ok. The stories are all just downright depressing and the bad guy or girl frequently gets away with it. Don't waste your time. What a downer.

highight episode-Arthur Kennedy appreciation

[danielj_old999 · 1 September 2005]

I saw "Change of Address" several years ago and it stuck with me because of Arthur Kennedy's fabulous performance - up there with the best acting I've ever seen on television - don't miss it-he is superb, in a rare role in which he portrayed an unambiguously heinous individual (episode 321 - Oct. 64) Also, do not miss this great actor in the film "Too Late for Tears" - (1949) - with Lizabeth Scott as possibly the most repellent femme fatale in the history of the genre - this actor was superb at portraying the halfway decent man whose moral frailties could be uncovered with the scratch of a pin - he deserves to be more well remembered

Essentially, it's "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" just stretched out to an hour.

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 10 June 2021]

When I began watching the hour-long episodes of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", I assumed that most of the episodes were ones that really would have been better within a half hour time slot. This certainly was the problem with the one-hour "Twilight Zone" episodes. However, generally the longer time slot worked well, though clearly there were a few shows that felt overlong and just didn't work. A bigger problem were the season three shows, as many simply were inferior scripts....which isn't surprising considering both versions of the Hitchcock shows went on for a total of a decade. In other words, by season three, the series had run its course.

Now I am NOT saying the show is bad....it's actually excellent and very watchable today. But it also, like "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", had a fair share of loser episodes as well as winners. As long as you realize this and don't expect too much from every show, you'll be thrilled to see the shows...which currently are posted on several channels on my Roku and Amazon Fire devices.

THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR: Anthology Collection

[Jinxxa_Wolf · 10/10 · 1 March 2024]

THE ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR (1962-1965) was an awesome anthology series derived from various episodic short stories. It is a great show, that continues off the earlier show. The series is a mixture of many different genres and has a little in it for everyone. Mystery, Drama, Crime, and Horror, these stories are all very original and compelling. Keep you guessing and wondering and throroughly entertained.

"Series of unrelated short stories covering elements of crime, horror, drama, and comedy about people of different backgrounds committing murders, suicides, thefts, and other sorts of crime caused by certain motivations, perceived or not."

There aren't many great anthology series today that have the magic that this one had. This one is a classic and feature quality and highly memorable stories, casting, and writers. "Hitchcock Presents" along with "The Twilight Zone" are among the best anthology series out there. A great series for the collection! And a great follow up addition to the other Hitchcock shows.

Even The Best Episodes Are Much Too Long

[MogwaiMovieReviews · 6/10 · 5 July 2022]

The biggest flaw in this continuation of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents show is the length: instead of the instant delight of a short story idea, set up and then taken to the punchline in under half an hour, each episode is padded to almost the length of a B-movie. But very, very few of the scripts have enough twists, turns and character development to justify such treatment, so what we end up is a lot of quite dull almost-movies, instead. In the first season, "Final Vow" and "Ride The Nightmare" are probably the best, and very nearly rise above these limitations.

Fake AH Presents series

[searchanddestroy-1 · 7/10 · 1 January 2021]

I will tell for this SUSPICION series exactly the same I did for the other SUSPICION TV show, also running 45mn for each eps. Except for some stories which look like the good old AH Presents - 25mn - I mean with a real twist ending, this ALFRED HITCHCOCK HOUR session has actually nothing to do with AH PRESENTS; It is anthology, yes; crime oriented, yes, but that's all. The episodes look, for most of them, more like fifty minutes films, classical features with an expected ending, than what In waited for. This series bores me from time to time, not in every episode though. So I proceed in watching the whole stuff. But I preferred TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED, even the US part. it was not necessarily about crime schemes, but it was at least something unexpected. But acting and directing are more than excellent; I only speak of the stories.

I liked this tv show A LOT!

[JLB-4 · 11 August 1999]

For Alfred Hitchcock's centennial, Encore has been showing old reruns of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour tv show. I really have been enjoying them. Especially seeing Tony Randall and Jayne Mansfield, who co-starred together in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?, to team up again! I have only seen 4 but I am begging for more.:-)

Just my take...

[Mehki_Girl · 6/10 · 10 January 2021]

I gave the Alfred Hitchcock hour a pretty high rating (8) simply because I've always liked stories with a little bit of a twist. I gave the rating before I even watched any of the episodes, just because it was Hitchcock.

I'm bingewatching this through the pandemic and I'm probably going to lower my rating to around six stars, mostly because these are very uneven. And so far I can only think of two or three that were real standouts that I enjoyed and really had that Hitchcockian twist. Some of these don't have any twist at all and really shouldn't be part of the Hitchcock collection, so you will have some real duds in here that just sort of play out and then end.

The one that immediately comes to mind that I thought was outstanding is called, The Paragon. That one really held my attention - a real gem among some really bad stuff.

Unfortunately, switching to an hour format meant that a lot of these stories were stretched out and padded and not for the better.

I think the best thing about the series is the fact that we get to see some well-known stars before they were well known and we get to see them when they were very young.

I also want to point out that a lot of these really have not aged that well. I noticed initially that all the cast was white and then we start to see some Asians and we start to see some black characters, which was welcome. Hispanic actors were well presented and even actors that were Mexican were actually presented in a positive light. What was also nice is that these characters were just part of the scenes or had some lines in their scenes and they were not stereotypes. They are playing secretaries, doctors, mothers, the police. Yes, there's a maid or two but even then the characters are played with dignity. So kudos to Hitchcock for giving minority actors of that time parts that didn't play on stereotypes of their race.

The other thing I want to point out, even though I'm not a prude, but just became so oticeable as every single one of these I've seen so far, everybody drinks and smokes. I think out of the 45 or so episodes that I watched so far there are maybe three episodes where someone isn't knocking back a drink. It looks so strange looking back.A trend that I've noticed in more recent movies is there's always somebody vomiting. I think in one week alone I saw five scenes of vomiting so I guess there are trends.

Anyway, not so much a critique it's just some thoughts as I've been watching these...

The other thing of course is all the women are hysterical and all the men are their and all the men are their protectors.

There's a lot of overacting as well and I'm so glad that acting began to become more natural without the histrionics and the phony English upper crust fake accents that you would see and hear in a lot of American movies of that time and before.

Aurthur Kennedy

[js5905 · 25 April 2007]

Yes, Kennedy was most adept as the, "nice," bad guy who could become homicidal very easily under the right circumstances. most memorably opposite James Stewart, in, "Bend Of the River," and Glenn Ford, in "Day Of The Evil Gun." Kennedy worked steadily throughout the 40's and especially the 50's; occasionally cast as the leading man, notably in the post WWII film, "Bright Victory," with James Edwards, about a blinded war veteran overcoming racism. He was also good in "Crawlspace," about an elderly couple who take in a vagrant hippie; with drastic consequences. He was always effective as a second lead, to Kirk Douglas in, "Champion," and, "The Glass Menagerie." He could, however, rise above his material and be a serviceable leading man. Also good as detectives, officers, and authoritative figures. One of the best of the Warner Brothers' players.