Born in London, England, on August 13th, 1899 Alfred Joseph .

             Hitchcock was the son of William and Emma Hitchcock and .

             became known as "The Master of Suspense Thrillers." He .

             was raised as a strict Catholic and this often influenced his work. .

             He was educated at St-Ignatius College, a Jesuit institution, and .

             University of London, where he attended courses leading toward a .

             career as an electrical engineer. He also studied art, economics, .

             political science, and navigation. His first job after leaving the .

             University was with The Henley Telegraph and Cable Company. .

             He made technical calculations on electrical systems .

             installed by the company. After being with the company for a .

             considerable time, Alfred decided to move on and found himself .

             employment as a layout man in an advertising office in a London.

             department store. He was earning a salary of only fifteen shillings, .

             about three dollars and fifty cents a week. (Current Biography) .

             In 1923, he got his first chance at directing when the director .

             of, Always Tell Your Wife, became terribly ill and Alfred .

             performed his duty and completed the movie. The studio chiefs were so impressed with Hitchcock"s work that .

             they gave him his first assignment on November 13th, except then .

             came bad news and the studio had to close down its British .

             operation. He never completed his film. In his every day life he .

             was a writer, a title designer, and art director. After directing a .

             few movies, he was given the opportunity to direct a .

             British/German co-production called, The Pleasure Garden, in 1925, .

             which was filmed in Munich, Germany. (Grolier) After filming .

             The Pleasure Garden, Hitchcock directed: The Case of Lady .

             Camber, Champagne, The Farmer"s Wife, Juno and The Paycook, .

             The Manxman, Murder, Number 17, Rich and Strange, The Ring, .

             and The Skin Game. He also directed the first favorable English .

             talking picture, Blackmail. With some help from Michael Balcon .