Born 125 years ago: Alfred Hitchcock

He was born on August 13, 1899 in London's district of Leytonstone. 44 years after his death, Alfred Hitchcock remains a monument of cinema. Beyond the countless film classics he directed, he also knew how to promote his own image. During film shoots, he'd also enjoy posing alongside his films' stars — such as here in 1950 with Marlene Dietrich.

Proof of his enduring popularity, new books on Hitchcock still hit the market today. Among them is "Alfred Hitchcock: The Complete Films" released by art book publisher Taschen in different languages in 2019. "Psycho" is of course among the director's 53 works detailed in the book written by film historian Paul Ducan.

Hitchcock was more than the director of "The Birds" and "Psycho." He was already active during the silent film era. Some of his early works have however disappeared, such as the 1926 German-British production "The Mountain Eagle," shot in the Tyrolean Alps. This remaining photo from the set shows the budding master in the foreground; next to him on the right is his future wife, Alma Reville.

In the 1930s, the young director created his first masterpieces. "The 39 Steps" from 1935 is one of them. It's an elegant espionage crime story, starring Madeleine Carroll and Robert Donat. Already then, it was clear that beyond the plot itself, Hitchcock focused on creating a breathtaking cinematographic style and an unusual combination of suspense and humor.

Even though his style evolved over the years, one aspect remained constant in Hitchcock's work: his selection of charismatic — often blonde — actresses. From the start, he was skilled at picking the right star for the right role. Grace Kelly, seen here on the set of "Dial M for Murder," was one of his favorite actresses.

As gloomy and frightening as many of his films were, Hitchcock was usually relaxed and cheerful while filming — especially when the cameras were turned towards him. He is shown here on the set of "Vertigo" with Kim Novak. The work from 1958 appears on most movie critics' Top 10 lists of best films ever made.

Most of Alfred Hitchcock's films are fortunately still available to watch on DVD or Blu-Ray, or on streaming platforms. And beyond the movies themselves, stills from classics such as "The Birds" (1963) are so powerful that they fill up entire pages of books dedicated to the director.

The books also show how the director, renowned above all as the master of suspense, never lost his sense of humor as he aged. The influential filmmaker is shown here having fun with actor Bruce Dern on the set of his final film, "Family Plot," from 1976.

Throughout the decades, Hitchcock's movies haven't lost their appeal. Shown here is a still from the movie "Psycho," with Janet Leigh and John Gavin. The work's black-and-white cinematography still inspires filmmakers to this day — and likely will for years to come.