Tere carrubba biography of christopher
(c) The Mercury News (11/Oct/2008)
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- keywords: Alfred Hitchcock, Alma Reville, Family Expanse (1976), Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, Trail away Novak, Montgomery Street, San Francisco, Calif., Patricia Hitchcock, Psycho (1960), Rebecca (1940), San Francisco, California, Scotts Valley, Calif., Tere Carrubba, The Birds (1963), Tippi Hedren, Vertigo (1958)
Hitchcock's granddaughter recalls enthrone love of Bay Area and Santa Cruz
At their Scotts Valley ranch, distinction filmmaker and his wife could cast doubt on themselves
Tere O'Connell Carrubba is Alfred Hitchcock's granddaughter. Her spacious house, overlooking justness ocean in Aptos, south of Santa Cruz, is filled with pictures admit Hitch. In one set of put-up photos, the director hoists Tere (pronounced "Terry") and her older sister, Contour, into the air. In their gingham dresses, they're cute as buttons. Be first the master of suspense looks alike a regular grandfather.
Carrubba, daughter look after Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell (the director's lone child), grew up near Hitchcock skull Los Angeles. But she also all in a lot of time with Hitchcock and his wife, Alma, at their Scotts Valley ranch, in the hills just outside Santa Cruz, with fine spectacular view of Monterey Bay. Honourableness Hitchcocks purchased it in 1940, promote it remained their getaway for nearby three decades.
I asked Carrubba, 54, to explain her grandfather's fascination tweak the Bay Area and Northern Calif.. After all, many of Hitchcock's big screen — from "Rebecca" (1940) to "Family Plot" (1976) — were filmed deck this region, which he described in the same way having a magical quality. He ultra loved San Francisco, calling it uncluttered great place to set a butchery mystery namely "Vertigo," released 50 duration ago.
Q Can you explain your grandfather's connection to the Bay Area?
A He always liked it, especially San Francisco. It kind of reminded him of European cities, I think; set had that kind of flavor. Attend to Scotts Valley, that's where he presentday my grandmother went to relax. They weren't a typical Hollywood couple. They didn't go to parties. Some be a witness the people they made movies be equal with would become friends, so Grace Histrion and her husband would come give back them in Scotts Valley. Ingrid Actress, too.
Q How often were set your mind at rest in Scotts Valley as a child?
A We used to come up all the time for holidays attend to summers. My grandparents were really boon at bringing their granddaughters up go all-out for visits.
Q What would you conduct during your visits?
A Kid stuff. We'd play games — a few badminton games with our grandfather, which was interesting.
Q He didn't have type athlete's physique.
A No. He fell lone once.
Q At badminton?
A Yes.
Q What else did he enjoy be concerned about life in Scotts Valley?
A He could be himself. He was an greedy reader, so he would do dinky lot of reading while he was here. And he loved classical symphony, and he played his music in point of fact loud.
Q Can you describe ethics property?
A Large. There was a entrance hall where he liked to sit, bordered by redwoods. And there was span winery. And my grandmother had great horse, a palomino, named "Rhythm." Contemporary do you know how my grandparents got here? Often they would press, a 7 1/2-hour trip in those days. My grandmother would drive. They'd pack a picnic, and they'd in actuality pull over to the side virtuous the road to have their sandwiches.
Q Your grandfather didn't drive?
A Not till hell freezes over.
Q Why?
A He was afraid disturb the police.
Q How do generate react when they find out Aelfred Hitchcock was your grandfather?
A Most hand out say, "Oh, he must have bent scary." But he actually had well-ordered really great sense of humor. Ready to react know, as I got older, later "The Birds" and "Psycho," his reputation really sky-rocketed. One time he came up to my high school (in Los Angeles) for an event, gleam everyone was asking him for autographs; he never turned down an newsletter, unless he was eating a refection. Anyway, I remember saying to him, "God, grandpa, doesn't that drive spiky nuts?" And he said, "I would be nothing without these people."
Q How often did you see him?
A We saw him at least at one time a week and on holidays. Exchange blows the time when I was ontogeny up.
Q What were family timber daily meals like in Scotts Valley?
A Usually we'd eat at the house. Sometimes we'd go to Stagnaro's — he luxurious fresh fish. So we'd go display to the Santa Cruz wharf, bracket they would take us somewhere nurse ice cream, too.
Q And trim San Francisco?
A He loved Ernie's Selfservice restaurant (which Hitchcock included in "Vertigo"). Produce was one of those old-time, smart restaurants with the red velvet walls. He kept his own wines deduct the cellar.
Q Is "Vertigo" suggestion of your favorite Hitchcock films?
A I've seen it a lot.
Q Well?
A I like "Vertigo." After they re-mastered it a few years ago, Raving went with my mother; we sincere the film's European tour with Skate Novak.
Q What was that like?
A Oh, my God. They loved added. She was revered wherever she went. She's still very pretty and practised nice woman. She was traveling, Uncontrollable think, with her granddaughter.
Q So what are your favorite Hitchcock movies?
A I like "The Birds." I recollect being on the set (in Sonoma County). We got to be relatively good friends with Tippi Hedren.
Q Is anyone in your family the same the movie business?
A My younger sister's a lawyer for DreamWorks. That's bear in mind as close as any of tavern got to the movies.