Summary

• Alfred Hitchcock made cameo appearances in the majority of his movies, starting with an unintended appearance in The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog.
• Hitchcock's signature cameos often feature props like musical instruments and cigarettes, and he typically wears a bowler hat and coat.
• Spotting Alfred Hitchcock in his movies became a game for audiences and helped build him a cult following, making his films even more rewatchable.

Alfred Hitchcock was a prolific director with a career spanning decades, and during that time he made cameos in a majority of his movies. Famously known as the master of suspense, he also notably made an average of one film a year for most of his time in the industry. This gave him plenty of opportunities to make appearances in his own movies, a tradition that began by accident. Afterward, he continued making brief cameos in his films, up until his final feature released nearly 50 years later.

Appearing in some of Alfred Hitchcock's most rewatchable movies so rewarding.

40 The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927)

One of the most underrated silent movies, The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog features a cameo from director Alfred Hitchcock early on, around the five-minute mark. He is seen with his back to the camera in a newsroom. This is known to be his first cameo, and it was allegedly unintentional. After the actor who was supposed to play the part failed to appear, Hitchcock stepped in, and from then on it became a running gimmick for him to make cameos, and for audiences to look for him, in his movies. Hitchcock's wife and collaborator Alma Reville also has a cameo in this film.

39 Easy Virtue (1928)

Hitchcock can be seen walking across the tennis court about 20 minutes into his silent romance film Easy Virtue. Like his cameo in The Lodger: A Story of London Fog, Hitchcock's face never turns toward the camera in this appearance. Because he doesn't show his face, this is one of his more debatable cameos.

38 Blackmail (1929)

Alfred Hitchcock's cameo in Blackmail is undeniable, as he is seen reading on the train. In this silly interaction, the director becomes annoyed by a young traveler. In addition to being one of Hitchcock's best silent films, Blackmail features one of his longer cameo appearances, lasting about 20 seconds.

37 Murder! (1930)

In Murder!, Alfred Hitchcock es the house where the murder takes place. He's walking with a female companion while Sir John and Markham chat in the background. His face is clearly seen in this shot, making it another undeniable cameo.

36 Number Seventeen (1932)

One shot in Number Seventeen features Hitchcock bouncing up and down among other engers on a train. He faces the camera fully, making this one of his easier-to-recognize appearances, though it is very quick. While shrouded in darkness, his face is clearly visible.

35 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

Alfred Hitchcock wears a dark coat as he es in front of a bus in The Man Who Knew Too Much, and he blends seamlessly into the shot. Though he is hard to see, his silhouette moves through the shot with most of his face obscured in the black-and-white film. Hitchcock's fascination with transit in his cameos shines throughout his films, though this is the first time audiences see a bus in the shot.

34 The 39 Steps (1935)

Alfred Hitchcock throws a white cigarette box on the ground while the other characters are leaving the theater in The 39 Steps. This cameo happens around the seven-minute mark and also features screenwriter Charles Bennett. Cigarettes became a popular prop for Hitchcock in his later cameos.

33 Sabotage (1936)

In Sabotage, Alfred Hitchcock faces up as he walks in front of the Bijou. His shot comes after the lights are turned on, and a large crowd is gathered. This film is full of crowds, so it was easy for him to fade into a scene.

32 Young And Innocent (1937)

Posing as one of the photographers, Alfred Hitchcock can be spotted in Young and Innocent holding a camera outside a courthouse as the main character Robert Tisdall (Derrick De Marney) exits the building. This film is about a man on the run for a murder charge, hence why Hitchcock is outside the courthouse. It's also interesting that he is messing with a camera in the scene, a reference to his directorial skills.

31 The Lady Vanishes (1938)

In The Lady Vanishes, Alfred Hitchcock appears smoking a cigarette while walking through Victoria Station. He is wearing a black coat and moving his head in odd motions. This is another example of his use of cigarette props in his cameos.