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Hitchcock Chronology: 1939

Overview

Image Gallery

Images from the Hitchcock Gallery (click to view larger versions or search for all relevant images)...

Month by Month

January

February

March

  • 4th - The Hitchcock family, along with Joan Harrison, set sail for their new lives in America aboard the RMS Queen Mary.[2][3]
  • 16th - The Hitchcock family and Joan Harrison leave New York by train, for a brief vacation in Florida and Havana.[4]
  • 22nd - The Hitchcock family and Joan Harrison fly from Havana, Cuba, into Miami, Florida, aboard an American Seaplane.[5]
  • 27th - The Hitchcocks arrive back in New York by train.[6]
  • 30th - Hitchcock gives a lecture at Columbia University, New York.[7]
  • 31st - The Hitchcocks leave New York by train, bound for Hollywood.[8]

April

  • 5th - The Hitchcocks arrive at the Santa Fe Railway Depot in Pasadena, California — known as the "Gateway to Hollywood" — where they are met by Myron Selznick.[9]
  • 13th - Hitchcock is a guest on The Royal Gelatin Hour, a radio variety show hosted by singer-bandleader Rudy Vallée. The other guests were American actress Kay Francis and English actor Eric Blore.[10]
  • Hitchcock cables Robert Donat urging him to consider the lead role of Maxim de Winter in Rebecca. Selznick is unconvinced — his list of potential actors includes Walter Pidgeon, Leslie Howard, Mervyn Douglas and William Powell.[11]

May

  • Auditions and screentests for the role on the second Mrs. de Winter in Rebecca begin. Amongst the actress considered: Vivien Leigh, Nova Pilbeam, Joan Fontaine, Margaret Sullivan, Loretta Young, Anita Louise, Anne Baxter, Jean Muir and Audrey Reynolds. David O. Selznick's preferred choice is Fontaine.[12]
  • Hitchcock visits British actor Ronald Coleman to try and tempt him to accept the role of Maxim de Winter in Rebecca.[13]
  • 25th - The Hitchcocks, who had entered the U.S. in March on the pretext of a 6-month pleasure visit, travel down to San Ysidro, San Diego, and cross over into Mexico. On returning over the border, they declare themselves as emigrants.

June

  • Early in June, Hitchcock submits a lengthy treatment of Rebecca to David O. Selznick, who is "shocked beyond words" at the changes Hitch had made to Daphne du Maurier's book. Selznick dictates a length memo to Hitchcock — "We bought Rebecca and we intend to make Rebecca."[14]
  • 7th - Writing for the New York Times, C.A. Lejeune reports that following the recent UK press showing of Jamaica Inn, Hitchcock talked via long-distance telephone to several of the British journalists. She estimates the call cost Hitchcock at least $500.[15]
  • Hitchcock submits a second lengthy treatment of Rebecca, prepared with Alma, Joan Harrison and Robert E Sherwood and running to 100 pages, to David O. Selznick. Again, Selznick is unimpressed.[16]

July

  • July and August are spent on the pre-production of Rebecca, with Hitchcock and Selznick finally coming to agreement over the screenplay.

August

September

October

November

December

  • Filming on Rebecca is completed and Hitchcock hands the footage over to David O. Selznick. The lack of coverage and alternative takes frustrates Selznick as he oversees the editing the film.[19]
  • Shortly after Christmas, a preview cut of Rebecca is shown a test audience, who react postively to the film.[20]

See Also...

Notes & References

  1. ↑ New York Times (09/Jan/1939) & (12/Feb/1939)
  2. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 330
  3. ↑ See passenger list.
  4. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 234
  5. ↑ The aircraft was recorded as NC 822-M and was piloted by Addison G. Person.
  6. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 234
  7. ↑ The Yale Book of Quotations (2006) edited by Fred R. Shapiro
  8. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 234
  9. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 234
  10. ↑ Radio listing in the San Antonio Express (13/Apr/1939)
  11. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 237
  12. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, pgg. 238-9
  13. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 238
  14. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 240
  15. ↑ New York Times (18/Jun/1939)
  16. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, pages 241-2
  17. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 248
  18. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 245
  19. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 253
  20. ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 253

Hitchcock Chronology
1890s 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899
1900s 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909
1910s 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919
1920s 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929
1930s 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939
1940s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949
1950s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959
1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979
1980s 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009
2010s 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
months - - Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun - -
months - - Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec - -
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