Starting at the Bottom
He attempted to join the army after World War I, but he was rejected because of his weight. However, he was later able to sign up as a cadet in the Royal Engineers for a brief period of time. After the war, he started writing short stories, and they were published in his company’s in-house magazine.
Alfred Hitchcock, seated in a recliner, shaving, and reading while in his pajamas and robe, 1938. Photo By Everett Collection/Shutterstock
His love for storytelling helped spark an interest in photography, as well as in the new art of film. He landed a job as a title card designer in 1920 for a company that is now known as Paramount Pictures. Hitchcock worked his way up the ladder, and, within five short years, he was already producing silent films. In his later years, the director referred to silent films as the “purest form of cinema.”