5. Alfred Hitchcock's first cameo was an accident, and it started a trend that became a trademark of his films. It has him appearing in a newsroom early in his fourth film, "The [Lodger]: A Story of London Fog" (1927). Two years later the fog is replaced by extortion that captures our famous director reading a book on a train in the 1929 film "[Blackmail]".
Hitchcock resorts to using one of his popular props, cigarettes, while watching Robert [Donat] take "The 39 Steps" in 1935, which he swaps for a camera in "The Young and the [Innocent]" in 1937. He's at Victoria Station when "The Lady [Vanishes]" in 1938 and slips past George [Sanders] during the filming of his first American film "Rebecca" in 1940.
He forgoes his traditional bowler hat for a sharp brimmed one as he strolls past Joel [McCrea] in "Foreign Correspondent" (1940) and, in his only comedy film, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (1941), his cameo is directed by none other than Carole [Lombard]. He's playing cards on a train in 1943's "[Shadow] of a Doubt", creates an ingenious cameo on "[Lifeboat]" (1944), which is set on the ocean and has a drink at a party hosted by the Claude [Rains] character in "Notorious" (1946).
Alfred, supposedly, manages to string out two cameos in his first colour film, 1948's "[Rope]", finds himself on the stairs of a government building in Australia in "Under [Capricorn]" (1944) and he makes a cheeky appearance staring at Jane [Wyman] in "Stage Fright" (1950). For our end credit, we see him hauling another of his favourite props, a musical instrument, onboard, to join "Strangers on a [Train]" (1951).
From Quiz Desperately Seeking Hitchcock
Answer:
As stated above, "The Lodger..." was the fourth movie that Hitchcock would direct, but it was his first thriller, and it has been described as "possibly the finest British production ever made. The story revolves around the hunt for Jack the Ripper and a landlady strongly suspects that her lodger is the wanted serial killer. Hitchcock is seen from behind, during the fifth minute of this film, while in a newsroom. It is believed to have been an unintentional cameo as an actor was supposed to perform the task, but he didn't show. So started a gimmick that became a sought-after tradition. Alfred's wife, Alma Reville, also makes a cameo appearance in the film.
In "Blackmail" Alice White (Anny Ondra) kills an artist who attempted to rape her and then removes all evidence of the crime. Only problem is that she was seen, and the witness is now trying to blackmail her. In what is considered to be one of his finest silent movies Hitchcock also produces one of his longest cameos. Approximately ten minutes into the film he is seen reading a book on board a London train and is getting annoyed at a pesky boy who won't leave him alone. In "The 39 Steps" Robert Donat's character, Hannay, finds himself on the run for a murder he did not commit. To clear his name, he needs to stop an international spy-ring from stealing top secret information. Approximately seven minutes into the film we see a large group of people leaving a theatre and, among them, is Hitchcock, clearly seen throwing a white cigarette packet onto the ground.
"The Young and the Innocent" reveals to us Robert Tisdall (Derrick de Marney) being arrested for the murder of his ex-lover. At the trial, he escapes from the courthouse and enlists the help of Erica Burgoyne (Nova Pilbeam) to clear his name. This action puts Erica's life and the reputation of her father, a police constable, at risk. The escape occurs sixteen minutes into the film and, as Tisdall rushes out of the courthouse, Hitchcock can be spotted trying to take a picture.
Why would anyone wish to kidnap a middle-aged English governess? This is the mystery, which turns into a conspiracy, that confronts Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood) in "The Lady Vanishes". The only person on the train that is prepared to help her is Gilbert Redman (Michael Redgrave), a man with whom Iris had an unpleasant experience the evening before. In this feature, Hitchcock does not get on the train, but he is spotted walking through Victoria Station, sans bowler hat but he is puffing away on a cigarette.
"Rebecca" is one of Hitchcock's most celebrated films, winning the Oscar for Best Picture. When Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) marries again, the second Mrs. de Winter (Joan Fontaine) finds that she not just up against a household that's giving her the cold shoulder, she's also competing against Rebecca, the ghost of Maxim's first wife. Toward the end of the film, Jack Favell (George Sanders), Rebecca's first cousin, is making a call from a telephone box and, whilst you have to look closely to spot him, you can see Hitchcock saunter past wearing his trademark bowler hat.
The title character in "Foreign Correspondent" is Joel McCrea's John Jones. As World War II is about to descend upon the world, Jones is a journalist who is desperately trying to expose enemy spies in the heart of London. At the twelve-minute mark of the film, he's leaving his hotel when he makes way for a very recognizable Alfred Hitchcock to walk past reading his newspaper.
Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery are the title characters in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" who have been happily married for the past three years... that is, until they learn that because of an unresolved state jurisdictional issue at the time of their wedding, their ceremony was invalid. Alfred Hitchcock, who was known for his meticulous attention to detail and his obsessive desire for every shot to be perfect received a taste of his own medicine here. When he filmed his very brief cameo, a stroll past Robert Montgomery's building, Carole Lombard was given the opportunity to direct the shot. Laughter abounded as she made the master film director repeat it several times until "she" felt it was "perfect".
In "Shadow of a Doubt", young Charlie Newton (Teresa Wright) is overjoyed when her Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) comes to visit, hoping that it will bring some excitement into her life. But some things seem a little odd and young Charlie starts to suspect that her favourite uncle may be a serial killer. For his cameo, Alfred Hitchcock is on board a train playing cards with another gentleman. Alfred has his back to the camera, so we get to see his hand and he's holding every spade, from two to the ace... an absolute winning hand. His opponent, who has no idea, informs him that his (Hitchcock's) position does not look good.
A merchant ship is torpedoed in "Lifeboat" and several crew members find themselves on board the titular craft. Trouble starts to brew when they rescue another man who proves to have been a member of the U-Boat crew that sank their ship. So, the question is, how does Alfred manage to make a cameo out in the middle of the ocean? To this end, Hitchcock's improvisation was a stroke of genius. A piece of newspaper is salvaged by a crew member and while he's reading it, facing the camera is an advertisement for a weight loss product that features Hitchcock as the obese model.
Alicia Huberman's (Ingrid Bergman) German father has just been convicted of treason in "Notorious", sending her life into a tailspin of booze and boys. Enter government agent T. R. Devlin (Cary Grant) who recruits her to spy on some of her father's connections in South America. Romance and danger are soon in the air for both of them. About an hour into the film, Alicia and Devlin enter a party being hosted by Alexander Sebastian (Claude Rains), whom Alicia is commissioned to seduce. Hitchcock is seen here, drinking champagne. On spotting Devlin he puts the glass down and leaves hurriedly.
In "Rope", Brandon and Phillip (John Dall and Farley Granger respectively) are two highly intelligent young men who have strangled their flat-mate, as an intellectual exercise, to prove that they could commit the perfect crime. They host a dinner party to commemorate their success, but only after dumping the body into a large chest and using that chest as a buffet table. However, one of their guests, their teacher, Rupert Cadell (James Stewart) feels that all is not well at the party and begins to suspect that the men have done something evil. Early in the film, after the opening credits, a man is seen walking down the street next to a woman. In the 2001 video "Rope Unleashed", filmmaker Arthur Laurents indicates that this is a Hitchcock cameo. However, the image is not clear and there are some who dispute this claim. What is not disputed arrives at the 55 minute mark of the movie. At this point, a red neon sign flickers on and clearly reveals Hitchcock's silhouette.
Hitchcock creates a historical drama in "Under Capricorn". It features Michael Wilding as Irishman Charles Adare who travels to colonial Australia to start a new life. He meets a powerful land owner in Sam Flusky (Joseph Cotten) who wishes to do a deal with him. When he is introduced to Flusky's wife Henrietta (Ingrid Bergman) he's stunned to find that she is his childhood sweetheart. Even more disturbing to Charles is that Henrietta is now an alcoholic and she is harbouring some dark secrets. Early on in the film, Hitchcock is one of three men, dressed in period costume, flanked by armed soldiers, standing on the steps of Government House.
Jonathan Cooper (Richard Todd) is wanted for the murder of Charlotte Inwood's (Marlene Dietrich) husband. Charlotte is a famed actress and, secretly, Jonathan's lover. On the run, Jonathan seeks help from Eve Gill (Jane Wyman), a woman who has a strong crush on him. When Eve finds out that Charlotte is the real murderer she starts to dig for incriminating evidence. In the process she meets Detective Wilfred Smith (Michael Wilding) and, to complicate her situation further, she falls in love with him. Thirty nine minutes into the film Eve, disguised as a maid to get into Charlotte's household, is practicing her cover when a man stops and looks at her directly. That man is none other than Alfred Hitchcock, producing one of his hammiest cameos.
"Strangers on a Train" introduces us to Guys Haines (Farley Granger) who wants to marry Anne Morton (Ruth Roman) but his promiscuous wife Miriam (Kasey Rogers) refuses to grant him a divorce. Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) is a psychopath who detests his father and wishes to see him dead. Guy and Bruno meet on a train and Bruno sells Guy the idea of swapping murders. Guy agrees, just to get rid of him, but things go awry when Bruno completes his half of the deal and is now pressuring Guy to do likewise. Two of Hitchcock's favourite props appear in this film - trains and a musical instrument. At the eleven minute mark of the film he is seen attempting to lift a double bass onto the train but the size and weight of the object makes it difficult for him and he nearly bumps into Guy as the latter is endeavouring to alight from the train.
Alfred Hitchcock directed more than fifty films during his career, and appeared in most of these in small cameo roles. Here are ten of those for you. Have fun! 
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