He finally succeeded in repeating the stunt (albeit in a more rehearsed way) on the Conan O’Brien show in 2009.
He wanted to repeat the stunt some years later in full Grinch make-up but the studio publicity department refused as the make-up was being kept under wraps until nearer the release date. Tram operators spoke to the film crew for an explanation and they said he was just trying to channel the creative energy of Andy Kaufman (the comedian he played in that movie).
The movie was Man on the Moon and the actor was Jim Carrey.
Psycho House 1970sĪ well-known actor while shooting a big movie on the Universal lot back in 1999 dressed up as “mother” and leapt out from behind the Psycho house with an axe scaring the bejeesus out of everyone on the tram, including the guides.
The house set has been moved three times since it was originally built. In 1963 (photos below), the other side wall was added, and then in 1983, the rear of the house was added. Originally it consisted of just the left wall and the front of the house. The front of the house and the distinctive tower was the same as that used in the “Harvey” house on Colonial Street. By the time principal photography started, Hitchcock had moved his offices to the Universal lot and that was where the film was shot.ĭesign: The Psycho house was built from a number of Universal’s stock units to save money. Psycho was the last film Alfred Hitchcock made for Paramount. ‘Why is it on Universal’s lot? Isn’t Psycho a Paramount film? Over the years the house has been through a number of alterations and has even completely moved location twice after construction. The Psycho house was one of the big draws of the Universal Tram Tour back in 1964, and continues to be the subject of much interest even now. Of course the film was Psycho, and the house that Norman lived in above the motel has become one of the most recognizable in Hollywood.’Īs you approach the front steps of the house and take a close-up look you will be struck by the fact that, unlike many of the one-sided sets or facades on the Backlot, the Psycho house actually has four sides and a roof.Īnd, if you look really carefully, you may still be able to spot Norman’s mother peering out of the upstairs bedroom window, still rocking in her chair. Leigh found more than she bargained for when she stopped at a tiny motel with twelve rooms and twelve vacancies, run by a very odd man named Norman Bates. ‘For one particular Alfred Hitchock thriller, the script called for Janet Leigh’s character, Marion Crane, to drive up a long and lonely road on a dark, rainy night, and search for a place to stay. The Psycho House, from Inside Universal 1968įrom the Universal Studios Hollywood website, 1999