Most people who have seen this series remember Alfred Hitchcock's opening and closing narratives for the series. However, for each episode, more than one opening and closing was filmed, as Hitchcock's famous jibes at the sponsors were unappreciated in the European markets. So for each episode, Hitchcock filmed two openings and two closings: one would be for American viewings (jokes about sponsors) and the second would be for European showings (jokes about Americans, and not about sponsors). For most of the third season, Hitchcock even did the opening and closings in French and German, as he spoke both languages fluently.
Alfred Hitchcock drew the silhouette of himself featured in the opening credits. He began his movie career as an illustrator of title cards for silent movies.
Alfred Hitchcock directed seventeen episodes:
- Revenge (1955).
- Breakdown (1955).
- The Case of Mr. Pelham (1955).
- Back for Christmas (1956).
- Wet Saturday (1956).
- Mr. Blanchard's Secret (1956).
- One More Mile to Go (1957).
- The Perfect Crime (1957).
- Lamb to the Slaughter (1958).
- Dip in the Pool (1958).
- Poison (1958)
- Banquo's Chair (1959).
- Arthur (1959).
- The Crystal Trench (1959).
- Mrs. Bixby and the Colonel's Coat (1960).
- The Horseplayer (1961).
- Bang! You're Dead (1961).
The sponsors, who had great influence regarding the presentation of the show, insisted that for the episodes ending with the perpetrator "getting away with a crime," Alfred Hitchcock provide a statement in his closing monologue that would assure audiences that justice was served.
