Hitchcock Chronology: Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Entries in the Hitchcock Chronology relating to Shadow of a Doubt (1943)...
1942
May
- Over lunch at the Brown Derby, author Gordon McDonell pitches a story idea to Hitchcock about a "handsome, successful, debonair" man who visits his family in a small Californian town only for his young niece to suspect that he might be a serial killer. Initially titled "Uncle Charlie", the story becomes Shadow of a Doubt. McDonnell's original story ends with the uncle falling off a cliff after a failed attempt to silence his niece.[1][2]
- 7th - After hearing Gordon McDonell's "Uncle Charlie" story outline, Jack H. Skirball green-lights Shadow of a Doubt as Hitchcock's second film for Universal.[3]
- 11th - The Hitchcocks complete an initial outline treatment for Shadow of a Doubt.[4]
- 13th - Thornton Wilder wires Hitchcock from New York to say he would like to write the screenplay for Shadow of a Doubt.[5]
- 21st - After meeting with Hitchcock and producer Jack H. Skirball, writer Thornton Wilder is hired to write Shadow of a Doubt for $15,000. Wilder completes 30 pages by the end of May.[6]
June
- Taking a short break from writing, Hitchcock and Thornton Wilder fly north to Santa Rosa to scout locations for Shadow of a Doubt.[7]
- 8th - Hitchcock sends a telegram to actress Joan Fontaine offering her the lead role in Shadow of a Doubt — "DEAR JOAN DO YOU WANT TO PLAY THE LEAD IN MY NEXT CONFIDENTIALLY BECAUSE S DOES NOT KNOW I'VE TELEGRAPHED YOU LOVE HITCH". However, she is unavailable.[8]
- 24th - Thornton Wilder heads back to New York, accompanied by Jack H. Skirball and Hitchcock En route, they complete the script for Shadow of a Doubt.[9]
- Hitchcock meets Teresa Wright and describes the entire plot of Shadow of a Doubt to her. She later recalls, "to have a master storyteller like Mr. Hitchcock tell you a story is a marvellous experience".[10]
July
- 30th - The Hitchcocks travel up to Santa Rosa to begin the production of Shadow of a Doubt.[11]
- 31st - Principal photography begins on Shadow of a Doubt in Santa Rosa.[12]
September
- After a month of location shooting in Santa Rosa, production on Shadow of a Doubt moves to stage 22 at Universal Studios to film interior sequences.[13]
October
- 28th - Principal photography on Shadow of a Doubt is completed.[14]
1943
January
- Shadow of a Doubt opens in cinemas across the US.[15]
- 12th - The New York première of Shadow of a Doubt takes place.[16]
- 25th - LIFE magazine carries a 7-page article about the location shooting of Shadow of a Doubt in Santa Rosa.[17][18]
1959
September
- 13th - Costume designer Adrian, who worked with Hitchcock on Shadow of a Doubt and Rope, dies of a heart attack aged 56.
1964
November
- Hitchcock registers an original story idea with the Writers Guild, outlining a plot that prequels Shadow of a Doubt and follows an attractive serial killer who murders rich widows, drawing from the real-life English serial killers John George Haigh, John Christie and Neville Heath. Towards the end of November, he meets with author Robert Bloch and tries to persuade the novelist to develop an original idea based on the idea — Bloch eventually declines, partly due to the low salary offered.[19]
1965
October
- 18th - Actor Henry Travers, who appeared in Shadow of a Doubt, dies aged 91.
1979
November
- 11th - Composer Dimitri Tiomkin, who worked with Hitchcock on Shadow of a Doubt, Strangers on a Train, I Confess and Dial M for Murder, dies aged 85.
1985
December
- 8th - Jack H. Skirball, who produced Saboteur and Shadow of a Doubt, dies aged 89.
2003
June
- 15th - Actor and writer Hume Cronyn, who acted in Shadow of a Doubt and Lifeboat, and worked on the screenplays of Rope and Under Capricorn, dies aged 91.
2005
March
- 6th - Actress Teresa Wright, who starred in Shadow of a Doubt, dies aged 86.
2009
February
- 27th - Illustrator Dorothea Holt, who worked with Hitchcock on Rebecca, Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, and The Man Who Knew Too Much, dies aged 94.
2010
August
- 2nd - Art director and production designer Robert F. Boyle, who worked with Hitchcock on Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, North by Northwest, The Birds and Marnie, dies aged 100.
References
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 307
- ↑ Wikipedia: Brown Derby
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 308
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 308
- ↑ American Cinematographer (1993) - Hitchcock's Mastery is Beyond Doubt in Shadow
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 309
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, pages 311-12
- ↑ The "S" stands for producer Jack H. Skirball. American Cinematographer (1993) - Hitchcock's Mastery is Beyond Doubt in Shadow
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 312
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, pages 316-17
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 318
- ↑ American Cinematographer (1993) - Hitchcock's Mastery is Beyond Doubt in Shadow
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 319
- ↑ American Cinematographer (1993) - Hitchcock's Mastery is Beyond Doubt in Shadow
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, page 3226
- ↑ http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/341154/Shadow-of-a-Doubt/
- ↑ Life (1943) - Shadow of a Doubt: $5,000 Production
- ↑ LIFE Magazine Archives on Google Books
- ↑ Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light (2003) by Patrick McGilligan, pages 657-58 & 660
