Alfred Hitchcock Was a Fraidy-cat

For some, the spookiness of Halloween and the month’s accompanying horror movies is exactly what they look forward to each October. For others, the thrill comes not from horror, but from suspense. Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) was the director of some of the most suspenseful movies of all time. The movies were seldom overtly violent: Psycho, for example, was filmed in black and white. That meant that when Janet Leigh gets stabbed in the shower, the film crew was able to use diluted chocolate syrup for blood, and you see it running down the tub drain, not spurting from her body. Nevertheless, the scene is one of the most studied in filmography for the fear it induces.

Which makes it all the more interesting that Alfred Hitchcock was a fraidy-cat. He told one interviewer that he was afraid of crowds, burglars, people arguing, violence, and darkness. He claimed to be afraid of his own movies, noting, “I never go to see them. I don’t know how people can bear to watch my movies.”

But he had a special fear of eggs, known as ovophobia. “Worse than frightened – they revolt me. That white round thing without any holes, and when you break it, inside there’s that yellow thing, round, without any holes… Brr! …Have you ever seen anything more revolting than an egg yolk breaking and spilling its yellow liquid? Blood is jolly, red. But egg yolk is yellow, revolting. I’ve never tasted it.” And yet in saying that, he was being incredibly na?ve, because it has also been noted that his favorite breakfast was Quiche Lorraine – a dish featuring eggs as its main ingredient.

But fears aren’t logical, are they? What are yours?

This post is an edited excerpt from yesterday’s e-newsletter, Wait Lifters – uplifting content for every kind of downtime. If you enjoyed it, please share it.

Kathy Laurenhue, M.A, C.H.P., is the creator and CEO of Wiser Now, Inc., dedicated to fostering wellbeing in people of all ages. Known for her practical and lighthearted approach, she is the author of multiple books and newsletters, dozens of training courses and webinars, and hundreds of trivia quizzes, word, games, and discussion exercises. Check out the many offerings of her Wiser Now, Inc. website, her CreatingDelight.com ?website (focused on creating fun and goodwill), and her Caregiving website?(focused on both givers and receivers). She welcomes your feedback at [email protected].?