Alfred Hitchcock began making cameo appearances in his films purely by accident. In an early film, the cast needed one additional actor so he decided to play the small part himself. That was the beginning of a tradition that lasted throughout his directorial career. The list below documents Hitchcock's appearances.

The Lodger (1926)
At a desk in a newsroom and later in the crowd watching an arrest.

Easy Virtue (1927)
Walking past a tennis court with a walking stick.

Blackmail (1929)
Being bothered by a small boy as he reads a book in the subway.

Murder (1930)
Walking past the house where the murder was committed.

The 39 Steps (1935)
Tossing litter while Robert Donat and Lucie Mannheim run from the theater.

Young and Innocent (1937)
Outside the courthouse holding a camera.

The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Wearing a black coat and smoking a cigarette in Victoria Station.

Rebecca (1940)
Walking near the phone booth just after George Sanders makes a call.

Foreign Correspondent (1940)
Reading a newspaper after Joel McCrea leaves his hotel.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)
Walking past Robert Montgomery in front of his building.

Suspicion (1941)
Mailing a letter at the village postbox.

Saboteur (1942)
Standing in front of Cut Rate Drugs in New York.

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
Playing cards on a train to Santa Rosa.

Lifeboat (1944)
In the before and after pictures in a newspaper ad for Reduco Obesity Slayer.

Spellbound (1945)
Getting off the elevator with a violin case at the Empire Hotel.

Notorious (1946)
Sipping champagne at a party in Claude Rains' mansion.

The Paradine Case (1948)
Leaving the train with a cello case at Cumberland Station.

Rope (1948)
Through an apartment window as a neon sign.

Under Capricorn (1949)
At the parade in the town square wearing a blue coat and brown hat; later on the steps of Government House.

Stage Fright (1950)
Turning to look at Jane Wyman in her disguise as Marlene Dietrich's maid.

Strangers on a Train (1951)
Boarding the train with a bass fiddle after Farly Granger.

I Confess (1953)
Crossing the top of a staircase immediately after the opening credits.

Dial M for Murder (1954)
In a photo in Grace Kelly's apartment.

Rear Window (1954)
Winding a clock in the songwriter's apartment.

To Catch a Thief (1955)
Sitting next to Cary Grant on a bus.

The Trouble with Harry (1955)
Walking past a parked limousine.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
Watching acrobats in the Morrocan marketplace just before the murder.

The Wrong Man (1956)
Narrating the film's prologue.

Vertigo (1958)
Walking in the street wearing a gray suit.

North by Northwest (1959)
Missing a bus during the opening credits.

Psycho (1960)
Through Janet Leigh's window as she returns to her office, wearing a cowboy hat.

The Birds (1963)
Leaving the pet shop with two dogs as Tippi Hedren enters.

Marnie (1964)
Entering a hotel corridor just after Tippi Hedren passes through.

Torn Curtain (1966)
sitting in the Hotel d'Angleterre lobby with a baby.

Topaz (1969)
At the airport, he gets up from a wheelchair and shakes hands with a man, then walks away.

Frenzy (1972)
The only person in the crowd not applauding the speaker.

Family Plot (1976)
In silhouette through the office door of the Registrar of Births & Deaths.