The Hitchcock Gays

Spencer Robelen

In this limited series, Spencer Robelen investigates queer themes and gay characters in the films of Alfred Hitchcock. But in doing so, he also rediscovers the origins of his own queerness, including his hilarious obsession with Hitchcock movies as a kid. Part memoir, part film club, this podcast is the gay movie scavenger hunt you never knew you needed.

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August 10 · 7 min
Updates and Comebacks
In honor of Alfred Hitchcock's 127th birthday, we're announcing that The Hitchcock Gays is making a return! We'll be releasing a few mini-episodes in the near future called "Comebacks," where I'll review some books recently written about Hitch and his films. If we're lucky, maybe some of the authors will join us for interviews. I also share an update on a childhood memory that I originally talked about in Episode 1: Introduction to an Obsession back in 2024. Special Thanks to Our Patreon Subscribers Charles Balkcom Virginia Becker Caroline C. Kim Capel Jeff Chase Tyler Chatham Rachel Dean Katy Freeman Rachel G. Dorothy Hindman Karim Kentfield La Lune Mallory & Jens Markus & April Mom & Dad Nicolette Puckett Jack Schlesinger Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#12
Sep 2, 2025 · 10 min
Episode 12: Conclusion
In our final episode, we come full circle—discussing the end of Alfred Hitchcock's career, as well as the end of this podcast. CreditsWritten, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com. Thanks toCarl Boehm, Caroline C., Charles Balkcom, Dorothy Hindman, Jack Schlesinger, Jeff Chase, Karim Kentfield, Lauren Guiteras, Mallory and Jens, Markus, Nikki Puckett, Rachel G., Rachel Dean, Tyler Chatham, Virginia Becker, and of course, my Mom, Dad, and sister. Special thanks to Michele O'Brien, Skye Stoyer, Grey, Shoshana Greenburg, and Kyle Turner for all their help behind the scenes.
#11
Aug 12, 2025 · 34 min
Episode 11: Now the Fun Begins
This episode contains spoilers for the film Rope. In our penultimate episode, we discuss Alfred Hitchcock's first movie as an independent filmmaker—Rope from 1948. Inspired by a true story murderous gays, this classy but unsettling drama remains one of the greatest works of queer cinema, despite being made during one of Hollywood's most conservative periods. CreditsWritten, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
Jul 15, 2025 · 36 min
Supplemental: Discussing "The Queer Film Guide" with Kyle Turner
Author Kyle Turner joins us to discuss his book The Queer Film Guide and how Alfred Hitchcock's films made it okay for us to think about naughty things. CreditsWritten, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#10
Jun 20, 2025 · 30 min
Episode 10: The Passion of Tippi Hedren (Part 2)
This episode contains spoilers for the film Marnie. There is also discussion of sexual harassment and assault, so listener discretion is advised. In part two of "The Passion of Tippi Hedren," we discuss Tippi's suffering (both on-screen and off-screen) during the making of 1964's Marnie, which is considered by many to be last great Hitchcock film. Both ahead of its time and uncomfortably antiquated, Marnie serves as a kind of gay conversion story that has a lot to say about gender and feminism. CreditsWritten, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#9
May 22, 2025 · 33 min
Episode 9: The Passion of Tippi Hedren (Part 1)
This episode contains spoilers for the film The Birds. Tippi Hedren was a single mother working as a model in the early '60s. But when Alfred Hitchcock saw her in a TV ad, he plucked her from obscurity and turned her into a Hollywood star. In this two-part episode, we examine the timeless appeal of Tippi Hedren, from her days suffering as Hitchcock's greatest obsession to her eventual apotheosis as an icon for the gay community. In part one, we discuss her rise to fame in The Birds, a horror film that eerily predicts the coming of Stonewall and gay liberation. References Smith, Bob. "The Birds as a Pre-Stonewall Parable." The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, 2001. Maw, Laura. "Loving Annie Hayworth." It Came From the Closet, 2022. Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#8
Apr 29, 2025 · 35 min
Episode 8: A Boy's Best Friend is His Mother
This episode contains spoilers for the films Murder! and Psycho. The "mama's boy" and "domineering mother" tropes reach a terrifying zenith in Psycho, Alfred Hitchcock's game-changing masterpiece from 1960. In this episode, we examine the gay iconography of actor Anthony Perkins, Hitchcock's surprising relationship with drag, and that time my childhood friends gifted me a homemade Hitchcock movie. Murder!, Hitchcock's British whodunnit from 1930, is also discussed. Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
Apr 8, 2025 · 6 min
Entr'acte and book recommendations
As we prepare for the "second act" of The Hitchcock Gays, Spencer takes you behind the scenes to share some books that were integral to the research of this series. Also, a big shout-out to our Patreon subscribers! Book Recommendations The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light Split Image: The Life of Anthony Perkins Tippi: A Memoir Intimate Violence: Hitchcock, Sex, and Queer Theory Behind the Screen: How Gays and Lesbians Shaped Hollywood, 1910-1969 It Came from the Closet: Queer Reflections on Horror Special Thanks to Our Patreon Subscribers Mallory & Jens Jack Schlesinger Karim Kentfield Lauren Guiteras Nicolette Puckett Rachel G. Tyler Chatham Virginia Becker Caroline Dorothy Hindman Jeff Chase Markus Rachel Dean Mom & Dad Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
Feb 11, 2025 · 1 hr 20 min
Supplemental: Scene to Song
Shoshana Greenberg returns the favor and hosts me on her podcast, Scene to Song! We discuss musicals, Episode 5 of The Hitchcock Gays (plus all the topics I neglected to include in it), and things we're looking forward to in the theatre world. ~ Scene to Song Episode 116: Musical Theater in the Films of Alfred Hitchcock Originally aired December 9, 2024 In this episode, composer, lyricist, and playwright Spencer Robelen discusses musical theater in the films of Alfred Hitchcock, from his early silent movies to Waltzes from Vienna to Stage Fright to The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). We also talk about the song "Miss Up-to-Date" from his 1929 film Blackmail. You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you'd like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at "Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast." And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald. Music played in this episode: "Like a Star in the Sky" from Waltzes from Vienna"With All My Heart" from Waltzes from Vienna "The Laziest Gal in Town" by Cole Porter, sung by Marlene Dietrich in Stage Fright "Que Sera Sera" by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, sung by Doris Day in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) "Miss Up-to-Date" by Billy Mayerl and Frank Eyton, sung by Cyril Ritchard in Blackmail
Dec 31, 2024 · 3 min
Intermission...and a warning
Like Dial "M" for Murder, we're going to take a short intermission. You may not hear from me for a few weeks, but know that I am working on the last few episodes of the series. I also want to share a warning with all of you as we head into 2025. Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
Dec 10, 2024 · 41 min
Supplemental: Discussing "Spellbound" with Shoshana Greenberg
Alfred Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945) is a movie that everyone enjoys but can't seem to remember—which is ironic considering that it's about amnesia. Musical threatre writer and podcaster Shoshana Greenberg shows us how this convoluted psychological-thriller is actually a touching, feminist romance with an inspiring, demisexual heroine. Check out Shoshana's website and subscribe to her podcast, Scene to Song! Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#7
Nov 19, 2024 · 28 min
Episode 7: These Gays are Trying to Murder Me
As we continue to explore the gay villains in Hitchcock's mid-career films, we find that both Rear Window (1954) and North by Northwest (1959) have a lot to say about getting married and getting murdered. Also, do I look "heavyish" to you? Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
Oct 29, 2024 · 1 hr 9 min
Supplemental: Hitchcocktober with Carl Boehm
My dear friend and former film teacher, Carl Boehm, joins me to celebrate "Hitchcocktober" and discuss my rankings of the 50+ Alfred Hitchcock films still in print. (There will be spoilers.) The full interview is available here to Benefactors on Patreon. The Display by Carl Boehm is available here in hardcover, softcover, and audiobook. Read Spencer's ranking of every Hitchcock film here on Letterboxd. Credits Produced and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#6
Oct 8, 2024 · 24 min
Episode 6: The Queers are Among Us
At the very start of the Lavender Scare—a period of intense homophobia within the U.S. government—Hitchcock released a film noir thriller that perfectly encapsulated the paranoia of the time: Strangers on a Train. We explore its blatant queer coding, and how its undeniable subtext makes it one of Hitchcock's gayest films. We also discuss Shadow of Doubt, Hitchcock's unassuming family drama that suggests none of us are safe from the things we fear the most. Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#5
Sep 17, 2024 · 30 min
Episode 5: Hitchcock's Musicals?
One wouldn't normally associate musical theatre with Alfred Hitchcock, but it wasn't a foreign genre to him. Musical numbers take center stage in many of his films (The Pleasure Garden, Elstree Calling, Stage Fright) and singing can play an integral role in others (The Man Who Knew Too Much from 1956). And of course, who could forget Waltzes from Vienna, Hitchcock's first — and only — musical comedy film? Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
Aug 27, 2024 · 49 min
Supplemental: Discussing "Vertigo" with Grey
Vertigo (1958) is either the greatest film ever made or the campy manifestation of Hitchcock's sexism/misogyny. Regardless, it is very much a straight man's film. But special guest Grey—writer, sass monster, and proud Brooklynite—shows us the solace that queer people can find in the film's examination of trauma, suicide, and destroying the things we love. Follow Grey on Instagram! If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, help is available. Call 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Credits Produced and hosted by Spencer Robelen. "Will I See Tomorrow?" - Lyrics by Grey and music by Spencer Robelen Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#4
Aug 6, 2024 · 26 min
Episode 4: Joan Fontaine vs. The Lesbians
What are the odds that actress Joan Fontaine would be menaced by queers in two back-to-back Hitchcock films? In this episode, we shine a light on Alfred Hitchcock's most prominent lesbian characters in Rebecca (1940) and Suspicion (1941). We also find butch and sapphic themes in his lesser-known silent films Champagne (1928) and Easy Virtue (1927). Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#3
Jul 18, 2024 · 29 min
Episode 3: Buddies, Beards, and Bros
Alfred Hitchcock's espionage films of the 1930s contain a surprising amount of queer themes, from secret identities to cottageing. We take a look at Secret Agent (1936), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), and The Lady Vanishes (1938) for "othered" characters hiding in plain sight. Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#2
Jun 27, 2024 · 13 min
Episode 2: The Pansy's Coming from Inside the House
Alfred Hitchcock's career took off in 1927 when he directed The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog. We discuss this silent film and its queer imagery, as well as its star, Ivor Novello, who was one of the hottest (and gayest) performers of the British stage and screen. Downhill, Hitchcock's subsequent film with Ivor Novello, is also discussed. References 1) "Keep the Home Fires Burning," music and lyrics by Ivor Novello, 1917 recording 2) Painting of Ivor Novello by Emil Veresmith 3) The Avenger's triangle compared with the "Silence = Death" triangle Credits Written, produced, and hosted by Spencer Robelen. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.
#1
Jun 13, 2024 · 15 min
Episode 1: Introduction to an Obsession
The Hitchcock Gays is a podcast about queer themes and gay characters in the films of Alfred Hitchcock. But before we get to that, you should probably learn a little bit about your host—a bisexual composer-lyricist-playwright who was weirdly obsessed with Hitchcock in elementary school. Special thanks to Dorie Spangler, Tyler Chatham, and Michele O'Brien. Artwork by Skye Stoyer. Episode transcript available here. Follow The Hitchcock Gays on Instagram and X. Support the show on Spencer Robelen's Patreon! Contact us at hitchcockgays@gmail.com.

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