The Worst Episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

#1 Worst Episode
Click to reveal
5.8/10(419 votes)
#1 - Thou Still Unravished Bride
S3:E223/22/1965
On a transatlantic cruise Sally Benner falls in love with a London policeman named Tommy Bonn. On the eve of their wedding, Sally gets cold feet and takes a walk in the London fog. Tommy grows worried because there has recently been a number of stranglings in London. He and his partner Stephen Leslie go looking for her. The find a man named Clarke and suspect that he is the strangler. Clarke tells them that he has just murdered a woman that matches Sally's descriptions. He tells them that he dumped the body into a river. Tommy returns to tells is family, but is shocked when he finds Sally alive and well. Sally tells him that the wedding is back on. Clarke, however, was the strangler and the body of his victim is dredged out of the water.
Director:David Friedkin
Writers:Morton S. Fine, Avram Davidson
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:David Friedkin
Writers:Morton S. Fine, Avram Davidson
6.1/10(411 votes)
#2 - The McGregor Affair
S3:E711/23/1964
During the year 1827 in Edinburgh, Scotland, John McGregor must take care od his alcoholic wife Aggie. He works for Dr. Knox and must lug large boxes of tanbark to his medical academy. When John learns that the boxes actually contain the murdered victims of two bodysnatchers Burke and Hare, he decides to get rid of his wife by getting her drunk and leaving her on the body snatcher's doorstep. The plan is successful, but John is overtaken by remorse. Unfortunately, he ends up to be Burke and Hare's next victim.
Director:David Friedkin
Writers:Morton S. Fine, Sidney Rowland
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:David Friedkin
Writers:Morton S. Fine, Sidney Rowland
6.1/10(418 votes)
#3 - Triumph
S3:E912/14/1964
Brother Thomas Fitzgibbon is a bumbling medical missionary that is living in India with his scheming wife Mary. When a new missionary Brother John Sprague and his wife Lucy arrive and disturb Mary's ambitious plans for her husband, she decides to kill them in order to protect her family's future.
Director:Harvey Hart
Writers:Arthur A. Ross, Robert Branson
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Harvey Hart
Writers:Arthur A. Ross, Robert Branson
6.1/10(437 votes)
#4 - The Monkey's Paw - A Retelling
S3:E264/19/1965
Paul and Anne White visit the Bahamas when their son Howard is scheduled to race in the local Grand Prix. Before the race a Gypsy woman gives Paul a moneky's paw whcih according to legend can grant its bearer three wishes. Paul is desperate for money and makes a wish for money. Unfortunately, he gets the money in the form of a insurance settlement when his son is killed in a fiery crash during the race. Anne is struck with grief and forces Paul to wish his son back to life. Paul does so, but soon regrets it when he realizes what condition his son will be in. He uses the third wish to send his son back to his grave.
Director:Robert Stevens
Writers:Morton S. Fine, W.W. Jacobs, Anthony Terpiloff, David Friedkin
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Robert Stevens
Writers:Morton S. Fine, W.W. Jacobs, Anthony Terpiloff, David Friedkin
6.3/10(491 votes)
#5 - A Nice Touch
S2:E210/4/1963
Larry Duke is an actor making his motion picture debut in Hollwood when he gets a phone call from his New York girlfriend Janice Brandt. Janice is an olderwoman who sacraficed her marriage and Hollywood career in order to advance Larry's career. She informs Larry that her husband Ed followed her to New York showed up drunk at her apartment and was knocked unconscious in a scuffle. Larry convinces Janice to smother Ed with a pillow so that she can come back to Hollywood. She agrees and reluctantly commits murder. In Hollywood, Larry calls the police and tells them about the murder in New York. He then head upstairs where he joins his new bride who he married to further advance his Hollywood career.
Director:Joseph Pevney
Writer:Mann Rubin
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Joseph Pevney
Writer:Mann Rubin
6.4/10(411 votes)
#6 - Starring the Defense
S2:E711/15/1963
Miles Crawford is a former actor turned lawyer. He gets an oppotunity to practice both professions when his son Tod is arrested an put on trial for murder. Tod is guilty but Miles makes an impassioned summation that manages to sway both the judge and the jury. Unfortunately, the prosecutor is a movie fan and he points out that Miles's summation was lifted word for word from a old movie in which Crawford played a defense attorney in charge of a case very similar to the one he is in charge of now.
Director:Joseph Pevney
Writer:Henry Slesar
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Joseph Pevney
Writer:Henry Slesar

TRENDING NOW

The 20 BEST Episodes of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour

READ

6.4/10(402 votes)
#7 - Thanatos Palace Hotel
S3:E152/1/1965
After Robert Manner's attempt to kill himself is ruined by a fireman's net, he is invited to join a suicide club headquartered at the Thanatos Palace Hotel. The members of the club have agreed to kill each. The catach is that the victim never knows who the killer will be and never knows when the murder will occur. Robert joins the club, but falls in love with one of its members Ariane Shaw. He gets a new lease on life and decides to undermine the club in order to prevent his own death.
Director:László Benedek
Writer:Arthur A. Ross
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:László Benedek
Writer:Arthur A. Ross
6.6/10(470 votes)
#8 - I'll Be Judge, I'll Be Jury
S1:E212/15/1963
Laura Needham is murdered while vacationing in Mexico. Her husband Mark discovers that the police are holding as a suspect an American named Theodore Bond. Mark wants something to be done, but the police are helpless because they cannot prove their case. Mark decides to get the proof, but he is murdered by Bond instead. Mark's in-laws, Alex and Louise Trevor take it open themselves to bring Bond to justice. They set up a trap with Louise as bait and catch Bond attempting to committed murder.
Director:James Sheldon
Writer:Lukas Heller
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:James Sheldon
Writer:Lukas Heller
6.6/10(452 votes)
#9 - Death and the Joyful Woman
S1:E274/12/1963
Luis Aguilar is a rich wine merchant who disowns his son when he refuses to marry beautiful vineyard owner Kitty Norris. At a party, however, Luis agrees to give his destitute son $5000 if boy can drink him under the table. Drinking his own wine called "Joyful Woman" Luis humiliates his son by outdrinking him. After the contest, Luis hits on Kitty who resists and pushes him down the stairs. When Luis's secretary Ruth witnesses the event she jealously kills Luis in the hope that Kitty will be blamed. Ruth wanted Luis all for herself. Unfortunately for Ruth, a waiter discovers the body and figures out that Luis did not die in a fall. Ruth knocks him unconscious and puts his body into a wine vat. She begins to fill the vat slowly with water. Later the police find Luis's body and begin the search for the waiter who was also the son of George Felse, an investigating police officer. The police can't locate the waiter but discoverd a now guilt-ridden Ruth who has tried to commit suicide...
Director:John Brahm
Writer:James Bridges
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:John Brahm
Writer:James Bridges
6.6/10(377 votes)
#10 - Completely Foolproof
S3:E233/29/1965
Joe Brisson is a crooked land developer who is shocked when his wife Lisa informs him that she wants a divorce. Lisa tells him that she wants three-fourths of his extensive holdings or she will go to the police with evidence of his shady land deals. Joe refuses to pay and convinces his wife's boyfriend, Bobby Davenport, to kill her in return for the cancellation of a large debt. Joe heads off to Europe on a cruise ship. Before leaving he tells Bobby that he will call Lisa from the ship at a certain time. When Lisa goes to answer the phone, Bobby will kill her. Everything goes according to plan, but when Joe is hanging up the phone a man enters his cabin. He shoots and kills Joe after telling him that he was hired by Lisa.
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writers:Anthony Terpiloff, Andrew Benedict
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writers:Anthony Terpiloff, Andrew Benedict
6.7/10(512 votes)
#11 - Bonfire
S1:E1312/13/1962
Robert Evans is a revivalist preacher who is desperate for money to build his own church. He romances a rich woman named Naomi Freshwater and kills her. Some time later, Robert meets Naomi's neice Laura. He tries to romance her as well, but she is not interested. When Laura discovers that Robert killed her aunt, the preacher kills her and stuffs her body in a trunk. He drags the trunk to a pit and sets it on fire. Later, as Robert is delivering a sermon, it begins to rain. The rain puts out the fire and the contents of the burned trunk are revealed. Robert is promptly arrested and charged with murder.
Director:Joseph Pevney
Writers:Alfred Hayes, William D. Gordon
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Joseph Pevney
Writers:Alfred Hayes, William D. Gordon
6.7/10(489 votes)
#12 - You'll Be the Death of Me
S2:E410/18/1963
During a lovers' quarrel Dandy Arthur kills his ex-girlfriend. Unfortunately, a button torn from her coats lands in his pocket during the struggle. His wife finds the button and Dandy sets out to kill her as well. Eventually, however, Dandy gives himself away by talking too much and is arrested by the police.
Director:Robert Douglas
Writer:William D. Gordon
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Robert Douglas
Writer:William D. Gordon
6.7/10(407 votes)
#13 - Ten Minutes from Now
S2:E265/1/1964
Donnelly Rhodes (as James Bellington) Lonny Chapman (as Lt. Wymar) Lou Jacobi (as Dr. Glover) Neile Adams (as Sgt. Louise Marklen) Jess Kirkpatrick (as Thomas Grindley) Sandra Gould (as Secretary) Betty Harford (as Woman in Museum) Harold Ayer (as Salesman) Police become suspicious of an unsuccessful artist named James Bellington after a city commissioner of parks and recreation recieves a series of bomb threats. Bellington tries to met the official. Since he is carrying a box that might be a bomb, the police stop him. They discover that the box only contains art supplies. Later, at an art museum Bellington is again stopped for carry a suspicious package whcih turns out to be harmless. The police force Bellington to see a psychiatrist and Bellington tells the psychiatrist that his next bomb threat will be real. The police stop a bomb carrying Bellington at the museum. He gives everyone in the museum ten minutes to get out and they do.
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writers:Arthur A. Ross, Jack Richie
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writers:Arthur A. Ross, Jack Richie
6.7/10(517 votes)
#14 - The Sign of Satan
S2:E275/8/1964
Karl Jorla is a European horror movie star that is contracted by a Hollywood studio to appear in his first American film. The producers of the film watch a demo film of Jorla as the leader of a satanic cult and feel that he will be perfect for their new film. After he comes to America, Jorla becomes worried that real satanists are after him. He thinks they may want to kill him for allowing his demo film to be shown. Jorla is given around the clock protection by the studio, but he is almost killed anyway. Jorla manages to convince the studio to allow him to stay at a secret location unknown to anyone but him. The studio agrees, but later become worried when he doesn't show up for the first day of filming. The director begins to film scenes around him, until Jorla suddenly appears on the set. He moans an address in Topanga Canyon and disappears. The police are called and everyone goes to the address where the find Jorla beaten to death.
Director:Robert Douglas
Writers:Robert Bloch, Barré Lyndon
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Robert Douglas
Writers:Robert Bloch, Barré Lyndon
6.7/10(429 votes)
#15 - The Life Work of Juan Diaz
S3:E410/26/1964
Juan Diaz is dying and penniless. His last wish is that he can provide financial security for his family. About a year later, a gravedigger named Alejandro exhumes Juan's corpse to make room in the cemetery. He has it mummified and sotries it in a crypt with a number of other mummies. Juan wife, Maria, discovers Alejandro plan and steals Juan's body. She hangs it in the house and tells tourists that it is a authentic Mexican mummy. Money from the tourists pays for food and clothing for Maria and her three children. Eventually, however, Maria is overcome by the ghoulishness of what she has done. She begs for forgiveness, but a gleam in the eye of the corpses body reveals that Juan approves of what she has done.
Director:Norman Lloyd
Writer:Ray Bradbury
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Norman Lloyd
Writer:Ray Bradbury
6.7/10(441 votes)
#16 - Misadventure
S3:E812/7/1964
Eva is the wife of a miserly businessman named Henry. Eva, who has been cheating on Henry, is tricked into planning a murder him by a mysterious stranger named George who gets into their house by pretending to be a gas man. The two plan the perfect crime, until the last possible moment when George decides to murder Eva and makes it look like her husband is responsible. George is really Colin the long lost brother of Henry. He framed his brother because, years ago, Henry wouldn't loan him money for his wife's expensive surgery. She died and he has been waiting for his revenge ever since.
Director:Joseph M. Newman
Writer:Lewis Davidson
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Joseph M. Newman
Writer:Lewis Davidson
6.7/10(444 votes)
#17 - The Crimson Witness
S3:E121/4/1965
Ernest Mullett is a playboy who loses his job, his wife, and his girlfriend to his hated overachieving brother Farnum Mullett. Ernest's hatred turns to murder when he decides to reenact the biblical story of Cain and Abel.
Director:David Friedkin
Writers:Morton S. Fine, Nigel Elliston
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:David Friedkin
Writers:Morton S. Fine, Nigel Elliston
6.8/10(559 votes)
#18 - A Tangled Web
S1:E181/25/1963
David Chesterman is a thief whose girlfriend Maria is cheating on him with his partner Carl Gault. Carl has fallen in love with Maria and plans to get rid of David. He tells David about the body of rich man who is loaded with jewelry. David goes to rob the corpse, but is discovered by a guard. Later, the guard is found dead by the police. David tells Maria that he is innovent, but he decides to hide out for a while and leaves Maria with Carl. Carl informs the police of David's location and he is arrested for murder. As David is about to be sentence Maria gets away from Carl by stabbing him. She heads to the court building convinced that David is innocent. In the court building she climbs out on a ledge and threatens to jump unless David is brought to her and is allowed to tell the truth about the entire robbery. David is brought to her, but he reveals that he did kill the guard. Knowing that he will go to prison, David begs her for forgiveness.
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writer:James Bridges
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writer:James Bridges
6.9/10(820 votes)
#19 - Don't Look Behind You
S1:E29/27/1962
At a college campus, two young girls are killed while strolling through a nearby forest. Suspicion falls on a chemistry professor and an intense and brooding music professor named Edwin Volck. Harold, a psychology professor, convinces his fiancee Daphne to act as bait to help trap the killer. The trap succeeds and Volck is revealed as the killer. Harold, however, becomes worried. He believes that the killers bloodlust may have inspired other less obvious psychos on campus. Daphne realizes that Harold has been speculating about himself when he suddenly attacks her. She is rescued by the chemistry professor. The chemistry professor had been watching Harold's behavior since the beginning believing that he was a possible psychopath.
Director:John Brahm
Writer:Barré Lyndon
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:John Brahm
Writer:Barré Lyndon
6.9/10(450 votes)
#20 - Diagnosis: Danger
S1:E223/1/1963
An outbreak of anthrax in Los Angeles threatens to panic the city until the health department's Dr. Dan Dana arrives to track down the source of the disease. With this assistance of his boss Dr. Oliver and Deputy Sheriff Judd, he discovers that the disease comes from a pair of bongos purchased in Mexico by a now dead drummer.
Director:Sydney Pollack
Writer:Roland Kibbee
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Sydney Pollack
Writer:Roland Kibbee
6.9/10(454 votes)
#21 - The Dividing Wall
S2:E912/6/1963
Fred Kruger, Al Norman, and Terry are three ex-convicts who are now gainfully employed as garage mechanics. One day, they decide to break into a payroll office. They are unable to open the safe, so the take it with them to the garage. Unfortunately, the safe contains, not only money, but also a lethal radioactive isotope which, if released, could poison the city.
Director:Bernard Girard
Writer:Joel Murcott
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Bernard Girard
Writer:Joel Murcott
6.9/10(463 votes)
#22 - Beyond the Sea of Death
S2:E141/24/1964
Grace Renford is a wealthy and attractive woman who is interested in meeting a man who will love her, not for her money, but for what she is. So she pretends to be a middle class woman after corresponding with a young engineer named Keith Holloway, who she met through an ad in a spiritualism magazine.
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writers:Alfred Hayes, William D. Gordon
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Alf Kjellin
Writers:Alfred Hayes, William D. Gordon
6.9/10(415 votes)
#23 - Anyone for Murder?
S2:E203/13/1964
James Parkerson is a psychology professor who places an ad in the newspaper offering advice on how to murder one's spouse. He gets a response from the police, but manages to convince them that he is merely gathering research for an experiment. Later, he is contacted by a man named Robert Johnson who is searching for a way to kill his lover's husband. From Johnson's description of his lover and her husband, Parkerson realizes that Johnson is talking about his wife Doris and himself. Johnson is planning to kill him, but doesn't seem to realize that his target and the man on the phone are one and the same. Parkerson hires a hitman named Bingham to kill Johnson. Unfortunately, Johnson kills the hitman. Johnson realizes that Parkerson knows about him so he contacts Doris. He tells her that they should kill Parkerson and then make it look like the hitman did it. Unfortunately, Doris still loves her husband and has no plans to kill him.
Director:Leo Penn
Writers:Arthur A. Ross, Jack Ritchie
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Leo Penn
Writers:Arthur A. Ross, Jack Ritchie
6.9/10(456 votes)
#24 - Beast in View
S2:E213/20/1964
After being the repeated victim of harassing phone calls, Helen Clarvoe asks a lawyer Paul Blackshear to investigate a woman named Dorothy Johnson who may be behind the calls. Dorothy blames Helen for the break-up of her wedding engagement. Paul investigates and finds the unexpected.
Director:Joseph M. Newman
Writers:James Bridges, Margaret Millar
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Director:Joseph M. Newman
Writers:James Bridges, Margaret Millar
7.0/10(620 votes)
#25 - Night of the Owl
S1:E310/4/1962
Jim Mallory is a forest ranger who along with his wife Linda, have adopted a girl named Anne. The couple have never told Anne that her parents died in a bizarre murder-suicide for fear that the news might disturb her. A blackmailer contacts Jim and demands money. He says that he will tell Anne the secret of her past if Jim doesn't pay up. Jim agrees to pay, but informs the police. The blackmailers figure out that something is up and change the site of the money drop. Later the blackmailers get into an argument and one of them is killed. When the police find the body, they suspect Jim Mallory. Jim manages to catch the blackmailer to clear his name, but he doesn't get to him in time to stop her from telling Anne the secret about her parents. Anne is troubled by the news, but manages to take it in stride. She tells the Mallorys that she loves them and has always considered them her real parents.
Directors:Alan Crosland, Jr.
Writer:Richard Fielder
Be the first to start the conversation for this episode
Directors:Alan Crosland, Jr.
Writer:Richard Fielder