Good Evening, and Good Knight

Sometimes, you just need a break from the morass that is Trump World to recharge, and this seems a good palate cleanser.

Many decades back, during what I call my “dark days,” I worked in movie publicity.  At one point, I was the head publicity writer at Universal Pictures.  It actually had some high points to it – like working on certain movies like E.T. and On Golden Pond and Sophie’s Choice.  But one particularly leaps out among the rest.  That’s when I attended the knighting ceremony for Alfred Hitchcock.  Really.  Well, sort of.  But really.
 
It was in January, 1980.  Hitchcock had been knighted, but it was too difficult for him to get back to England for the official affair.  Instead, they held an event at a screening room at the Universal studios, where he had his office.  (After he passed away a few months later, his long-time secretary Sue Gauthier came to work in our department.  I got to know her a bit, and it was a treat talking with her.  She never gave interviews -- but I convinced her to do one with my childhood friend Patrick Goldstein who wrote for the L.A. Times, which she agreed to as long as I sat in on it.  As far as I know, it was the only interview she ever did.)
 
I don’t know if they had a full ceremony at Universal, or just held a press conference.  My recollection is that they did have something official first, handled by either the British Ambassador or British Counsel, I forget, though I think the latter.  However, it was held during working hours, and I couldn’t get away from the office.  But as soon as my lunch break started, I raced over.  (I’d asked others on staff if they wanted to join me, and was flabbergasted that no one wanted to.  My God, this was the “knighting ceremony” of Alfred Hitchock!  A four-minute walk away!  How on earth could someone working at a movie studio not want to be there??)
 
Whatever happened earlier, I got there for the Q&A.  I was discussing this the other day with Greg VanBuskirk, and said that though I vividly remember the occasion, I only remember one specific thing from the event.  Some reporter asked a bizarrely pathetic question -- "Sir Alfred, now that you've been knighted, do you think this will affect your relationship with your wife?"
 
Yes, really.  You could feel the entire room tense and some almost inaudible mumbles of "Yeeeesh" filled the air around me in the make.  And most people were probably filled with the same thought: How in the world would he respond?? And then, after a moment, he said -- and please read this with the voice of Alfred Hitchcock in your mind --
 
"I certainly hope so."
 
The room exploded with laughter.
 
A short while later, Greg wrote back to me.  He’s done some searching on YouTube and actually found a CBS news story of the knighting event – and it included footage of it.  But better…no, make it “more amazing” than that – they actually had footage of that question and answer!!  The one thing I’ve remembered and told as a fond memory for over 40 years.
 
And next best of all is that it confirms my memory from four decades ago.  I got it right.  The only difference is that he doesn’t say “certainly.”  Proof that I wasn’t lying.  Vindication.  They really, truly did hold the knighting event for Alfred Hitchcock on the Universal lot, and he really, honestly had that great response.

(He also has another great response with a tremendous, quick-witted pun that most of the people in the room miss.  It comes when he's asked what does a maker of mystery do when he's been made a "Sir"?)
 
And with thanks to Dr. Buzz, here is the video.