Alfred Hitchcock's Top Collaborators: A Unique List

Clare Greet

Alfred Hitchcock's most frequent collaborator wasn't a Hollywood star, but the talented Clare Greet. Greet had a unique and enduring collaboration with Hitchcock, appearing in seven of his films, more than any other actor or actress. Her partnership with Hitchcock began in the silent film era with The Ring (1927), where she played the role of a fortune-teller. She would go on to play small roles in some of Hitchcock's most famous films, including Murder! (1930), where she played a theater troupe member, and Jamaica Inn (1939), where she played a small but memorable role, adding to the film's tension. Greta will forever remain in history as Alfred Hitchcock's most prominent collaborator.

Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck in Spellbound

Leo G. Carroll

Leo G. Carroll's collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock, spanning six films, made him one of the director's most frequent and pivotal actors. In Rebecca (1940), his first Hitchcock role, Carroll played Dr. Baker, a minor yet significant character who added a layer of mystery to the story. He took on a more substantial role in Spellbound (1945) as Dr. Murchison, a psychiatrist with concealed motives, integral to the film's suspense. Lastly, in North by Northwest (1959), one of Hitchcock's best thrillers, Carroll played the role of The Professor. Carroll would later play a character based on Hitchcock himself in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952).

Jeff sitting in a wheelchair with Lisa lying in front of him in Rear Window

John Longden

John Longden is noted for his significant collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock in the early stages of the legendary director's career, starring in a total of six films. Longden's work with Hitchcock began with the lead role in Blackmail (1929), the first successful full-length European talkie. This film marked a crucial point in both their careers, showcasing Hitchcock's innovative use of sound and Longden's versatile acting skills. Longden continued to work with Hitchcock, starring in a further 5 films. His contributions to these early Hitchcock films helped establish what would become the director's famed suspenseful style.

Grace Kelly and Anthony Dawson in "Dial M for Murder."

Donald Calthrop

Donald Calthrop starred in five of Hitchcock's early films. His collaboration with the famed director began with Blackmail in 1929, Britain's first full-length sound film. In this groundbreaking movie, Calthrop portrayed the character of Tracy, a criminal whose actions set the story's central conflict into motion. Following Blackmail, Calthrop appeared in Murder! (1930), where he played the role of Ion Stewart. Calthrop's collaboration with Hitchcock continued with Number Seventeen (1932), one of Hitchcock's lesser-known thrillers. He also played minor roles in Juno and the Paycock (1930) and Elstree Calling (1930).

Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in formal wear in To Catch A Thief

Cary Grant

Alfred Hitchcock and Cary Grant's collaboration resulted in some of the finest thrillers, each leaving a lasting impact on American cinema. They made four movies together, starting with Suspicion (1941), where Grant starred alongside Joan Fontaine. The movie explores a tense marital relationship marred by suspicion and fear. Grant's portrayal of a potentially dangerous husband was a departure from his usual charming roles. North by Northwest (1959) is perhaps their most iconic collaboration, with one of the most memorable scenes in cinematic history where enemies chase Grant's character in a crop-duster plane.

Grace Kelly in Rear Window

James Stewart

James Stewart is one of Alfred Hitchcock's most famous collaborators. Their partnership began with the 1948 film Rope (1948), Hitchcock's first in Technicolor. Alfred Hitchcock and James Stewart's collaboration resulted in several highly acclaimed movies. One of their most popular works is Rear Window (1954), where James Stewart starred alongside Grace Kelly. Their final collaboration was Vertigo (1958), a film that was initially met with mixed responses but was later recognized as a masterpiece, and was even named the greatest film ever made by the British Film Institute.

Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly in Rear Window standing together gazing with intent interest at something off screen

Phyllis Konstam

Despite her fabulous acting talent, Phyllis Konstam was never the lead in any of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, playing only supportive or secondary roles in his films. In Blackmail (1929), she portrayed a friend of the main character, Alice, who becomes entangled in a web of crime and deceit after Alice kills a man. In Murder! (1930), she played a significant role in the central murder mystery, providing key clues to the resolution of the crime. She also appeared in The Skin Game (1931), further cementing her position as a talented actress in Hitchcock's early sound films.

Edmund Gwenn in Foreign Correspondent

Edmund Gwenn

The Academy Award-winning actor Edmund Gwenn starred in Alfred Hitchcock's 1931 version of the 1921 silent film The Skin Game, where Gwenn played the character of Mr. Hornblower, who is a wealthy industrialist. He then appeared in Waltzes from Vienna (1934), a biographical musical about Johann Strauss II. However, it was his small role as a Cockney assassin in Foreign Correspondent (1940), a thrilling spy movie, that solidified Gwenn's status in Hitchcock's cinematic world.

Phyllis Konstam in Murder!

Grace Kelly

Grace Kelly is renowned for her collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock. Her big-screen debut came in 1952 with High Noon, a celebrated Western starring Gary Cooper. Hitchcock, captivated by Kelly's talent, cast her in Dial M for Murder (1954), where her performance was widely praised. Kelly's role in Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954) alongside James Stewart further cemented her status as Rear Window is considered among the best murder mysteries of all time. Kelly eventually left Hollywood in exchange for royalty after she married the Prince of Monaco in 1956.

James Stewart as John Scottie Ferguson dangling from a building in Vertigo