Alfred Hitchcock

The universally acknowledged "Master of Suspense," Alfred Hitchcock was born Aug. 13, 1899, to a London greengrocer and his wife, and died April 29, 1980, in Los Angeles.

After designing film titles for movie pioneer Jesse Lasky, Hitchcock landed his first directorial assignment in 1922 and, in the late 1930s, signed a contract with Hollywood producer David O. Selznick. This pairing, while occasionally stormy, resulted in some of the best psychological thrillers ever made.

In a career that spanned 50 years, Hitchcock directed such classics as multiple Oscar winner Rebecca, Vertigo (starring Jimmy Stewart), Notorious (with Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman), North by Northwest and the hugely influential Psycho. Although he never won an Academy Award as Best Director, Hitchcock is cited as one of the greatest directorial influences filmmaking has ever known.

Psycho

1960 R

When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where twitchy manager Norman Bates cares for his housebound mother. The place seems quirky but fine until Marion decides to take a shower. Director Alfred Hitchcock's Oscar-nominated shocker has been terrifying viewers for decades -- and for good reason.