John Collier on TV Part Nine: Alfred Hitchcock Presents/The Alfred Hitchcock Hour-Overview/Episode Guide/Rankings

by Jack Seabrook

"Back for Christmas"

John Collier was involved, either as writer of the original story or as writer of the teleplay, in seven episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and one episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. Oddly enough, the first five episodes were all based on his short stories and had teleplays written by others, while the last three episodes were his teleplays based on stories by others. Collier never adapted one of his own stories for the Hitchcock series.

Highlights of the Collier episodes included fine performances by John Williams in "Back for Christmas" and "Wet Saturday" and by Robert Emhardt in "De Mortuis," a great ensemble cast in "Anniversary Gift," and location filming in "I Spy."

Unfortunately, the quality of the episodes started high but declined over the years, reaching its lowest point with the three shows where Collier wrote the teleplays. He does not seem to have been a regular contributor to the series and one could argue that the adaptations he did were random assignments that were not indicative of his talents.

Episode Guide:

Episode title-“Back for Christmas”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-4 March 1956
Teleplay by-Francis Cockrell
Based on-“Back for Christmas” by John Collier
First print appearance-The New Yorker 7 October 1939
Notes
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Available on DVD?-Yes

"Wet Saturday"

Episode title-“Wet Saturday”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-30 September 1956
Teleplay by-Marian Cockrell
Based on-“Wet Saturday” by John Collier
First print appearance-The New Yorker 16 July 1938
Notes
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Available on DVD?-Yes

"De Mortuis"

Episode title-“De Mortuis”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-14 October 1956
Teleplay by-Francis Cockrell
Based on-“De Mortuis” by John Collier
First print appearance-The New Yorker 18 July 1942
Notes
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Available on DVD?-Yes

"None Are So Blind"

Episode title-“None Are So Blind”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-28 October 1956
Teleplay by-James Cavanagh
Based on-“None Are So Blind” by John Collier
First print appearance-The New Yorker 31 March 1956
Notes
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Available on DVD?-Yes

"Anniversary Gift"

Episode title-“Anniversary Gift”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-1 November 1959
Teleplay by-Harold Swanton
Based on-“Anniversary Gift” by John Collier
First print appearance-Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine April 1959
Notes
Watch episode-unavailable online
Available on DVD?-Yes

"Maria"

Episode title-“Maria”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-24 October 1961
Teleplay by-John Collier
Based on-“Jizzle” by John Wyndham
First print appearance-Collier's 8 January 1949
Notes
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Available on DVD?-No

"I Spy"

Episode title-“I Spy”
Series-Alfred Hitchcock Presents
Broadcast date-5 December 1961
Teleplay by-John Collier
Based on-“I Spy” by John Mortimer
First performance-BBC Third Programme (radio play) 19 November 1957
Notes
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Available on DVD?-No

"The Magic Shop"

Episode title-“The Magic Shop”
Series-The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
Broadcast date-10 January 1964
Teleplay by-John Collier
Based on-“The Magic Shop” by H.G. Wells
First print appearance-The Strand June 1903
Notes
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Available on DVD?-No

And finally, rankings (from best to worst):

“Back for Christmas”
“Anniversary Gift”

“Wet Saturday”

“De Mortuis”
“I Spy”

“Maria”

“The Magic Shop”
“None Are So Blind”

COMING IN TWO WEEKS: THE HITCHCOCK PROJECT--AN INTRODUCTION