Scenes for an Alfred Hitchcock Movie Were Shot in Danbury in 1950

In October of 1950, legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock was in Danbury, CT shooting scenes for his new movie, "Strangers on a Train."

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When it comes to modern TV and film, I like to think I have a good handle on such things but I had no idea this took place in the Hat City. I learned this from a Facebook post from October 2023 by Jim Stoops that read:

"A scene from Alfred Hitchcock's, Strangers on a Train, was filmed at Danbury Train Station in 1950." 

His post checks out, it really happened right here in the D-Block. Stoop's post also woke up the Facebook users who shared their own memories

Rev Pat Kriss wrote: "In Strangers on a Train, there is one scene shot at the shop that's on the corner of West Street and Main Street, right across from the Civil War monument. . In the background you can see our church, First Congregational Church." 

Anotonio Lopes Lagarto said: "The movie Rachel Rachel was directed by Paul Newman and his wife was the star of the movie I met them in the building on Osborn St. that was being used for rehearsals and indoor scenes!!"

Pat Ganio Wallach: "A group of us went to the train station to watch. We saw Farley Granger step off the train . He lit a cigarette and several girls ran to retrieve the match. True story."

Tom Michael said: "My friend Walt Brosz was was the guy carrying the bags off the train in the movie. Hitchcock hired him when he saw him working at the train station. I met Walt several years after the picture was made. He was a mailmen in Danbury than." 

Stan Madayda: "The Danbury Railway Museum has a small exhibit including some candid photos taken by a student from the college. When the Museum was just getting started a couple of us accompanied a Hitchcock enthusiast over to Hancock Hall where one of the where one of the railroad workers that was an extra was residing. He shared a lot of information but I don't think we ever got the transcript. Apparently Hitchcock liked the location because of the curved track and canopy."

I've never seen "Strangers on a Train" but I'd always heard about it. Most of Hitchcock's work is famous but this movie is the one I've heard referenced the most.

"Strangers on a Train" starred:

• Robert Walker as "Bruno Anthony"
• Farley Granger as "Guy Haines"
• Patricia Hitchcock as "Barbara Morton"
• Ruth Roman -as "Ann Morton"

The movie was released by Warner Brothers in 1951 and it was deemed a success at the box office and by most critics.

This is the plot description according to IMDB:

"A psychopathic man tries to forcibly persuade a tennis star to agree to his theory that two strangers can get away with murder by submitting to his plan to kill the other's most-hated person." 

I love old movies and TV but it always comes with a side effect. After watching old film I walk around speaking with the old-timey movie accent. I don't know what made folks say "Yeah see" or" "hey there fella" but I wish it was a thing still.

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