Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins the unforgettable Narman Bates in Psycho

The Unforgettable perfodmance of Anthony Perkins in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho made Anthony Perkings an international recognized actors in horror genre.

The Early live of Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins was born in 1932 in New York, his father Osgood Perkins was a film and theater actor. Anthony Perkins attended the Brooks school, the Browne & Nichols School, Columbia Unversity and Rollins School.

The Career of Anthony Perkins

(a). Before the Psycho film

Anthony Perkins started his career in the film “The Actress” (George Cukor,1953). The film is based on the Ruth Gordon’s theatrical play “Years ago”. The film Actress is about dreams and desires of a young woman from Boston to start a theatrical career in Broadway, New York. She is very young and she wants to drop - out school and go to New York. She has to overcame great obstacles as hers fathers resistance, the hard live in a mega city like New York and finally the theatrical system of auditions. Anthony Perkins plays the part of Fred Whitemarsh a film debutant and he received a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year for his performance in the Actress film.

In 1956 Anthony Perkins participates in film Friendly Persuacion (William Wyler, 1956). The Friendly Persuacion is a Civil War film based on the same name novel (1945) by Michael Wilson. The Friendly Persuacion is a film about the dilemma to participate in a war because you need to support your family or not to participate because it’s against your religious, ethical and family values, principals and beliefs. Anthony Perkins plays the part of John Bindwell, the elder son of a Quaker family, he is trapped in the above mentioned dilemma, he has to choose between his hate for violence and the need for survival, the need to protect his family and to join the armed forces and fight for his life. The performance of Anthony Perkins was amazing, unforgettable and incomparable and he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in Supporting Role.

In 1957 Anthony Perkins participate in the autobiographical film “Fear Strikes Out”. Anthony Perkins portrays the legendary trouble maker Boston Red Sox baseball player Jimmy Piershall. The fear strikes out, was directed by Robert Mulligan and was distributed by Paramount Pictures.

The Career of Anthony Perkins as Musician

Anthony Perkins had released three pop music albums in 1957 and 1958 as “Tony Perkins”. I need to highlight that his singel “Moon Light Swim” it was a great hit in U.S.A. and peaked at 24th position on the Billboard hot 100 in 1957.

(b) The Career of Anthony Perkings - Before the Psycho Film Pt. 2

In 1958 Anthony Perkins participate in the film version of the Thorton Wildre’s (American novelist and playwright) theatrical play “The Matchmaker”. The script was adapted by John Michael Hayes and it was directed by Joseph Anthony.

Anthony Perkin’s Theater career

Anthony Perkins was also a great theatrical actor. His exceptional performance in “Look Homeward, Angel” on Brodaway (New York) was considered one of the best theatrical performances in 1958 and Anthony Perkins was nominated for a tony Award for Best Actor in Play.

Among the most remarkable theater performances of Anthony Perkins are (a) Desire over the Elms (1958) with Sophia Loren, (b) Tall Story (1960) where he played the role of a basketball player.

Anthony Perkin’s in Psycho film

“I ‘m Norman Bates, welcome to our hotel”

Anthony Perkins was cast by Alfred Hitchcock for the part of Norman Bates. His performance as Norman Bates is one of the best ever in horror genre. Really unforgettable acting. The enormous commercial and artistic success of Psycho film gained Perkins an enormous International fame and recognition as an actor.

Obviously the part of Norman Bates in Psycho was the highest pick in Anthony Perkin’s career. After Psycho film the Hollywood career of Anthony Perkins went into permanent decline. He has offered parts in European film projects and he playd the part of Norman Bates other three times in Psycho II, Psycho IV and finally at the prequel Psycho III (he also directed the last film)

Elias Stoikos