10/5/13

PSYCHO HOUSE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS


Alfred Hitchock's 1960 cinematic masterpiece Psycho, although originally distributed by Paramount, was financed by Hitchcock himself, and filmed at Universal Studios using the Revue Studios television crew from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It was filmed on a tight budget, and accordingly, the exterior sets built for the film...the Bates Motel and home...were partly constructed from studio "stock units," including in the case of the Bates home, a tower and front wall portion borrowed from an existing house set on the backlot's Colonial Street. The Bates home, or "Psycho House" as it has come be known, was built as a two-walled exterior facade, as it would be filmed only from a vantage point within a 90 degree span. 

The "Psycho House" became an iconic symbol of eerieness, and has appeared in countless films (including two Psycho sequels), television shows and advertisements. The set still stands on the Universal backlot fifty years later, although modified and twice relocated over the years. The original Bates Motel set no longer exists, but a reconstructed version of the motel has accompanied the home on the backlot and as a part of the studio tour for decades. 
Bates home as seen in <i>Psycho</i> (1960) 
The Bates home from Psycho 
The Bates home as seen in the film. 

Bates home set in early 1960's 
The set for Psycho's Bates home in the early 1960's 
Psycho's Bates home set is seen here as originally constructed, with no right-side or rear wall. 
courtesy Bison Archives 

The Harvey House on Universal's Colonial Street 
The "Harvey" House on Universal's "Colonial Street" 
The tower section of the Harvey/Allison House on the backlot's "Colonial Street" was
removed in 1959 and used in the construction of the Bates home set for Psycho

courtesy Bison Archives 

More images from the original Psycho
Bates Motel and home 
Bates Motel and home
Bates home (with 'Mother' in the window) 
Bates home (with "Mother" in window)
Alfred Hitchcock and Bates home set 
Alfred Hitchcock and Bates home set - from the film's trailer
Alfred Hitchcock and Bates Motel 
Alfred Hitchcock and Bates Motel - from the film's trailer



Psycho House 
Psycho House Set and Laramie Street mid-1960's 
The Psycho house is seen here in the mid-1960's, now with a right-side wall which was
constructed specifically for the set's appearance in the 1964 film Invitation to a Gunfighter

courtesy Bison Archives 
(thanks to Dennis Dickens for Invitation to a Gunfighter details) 


Psycho House in Laredo (1965-66) 
The Psycho House in the 1965-66 television series Laredo 
scan courtesy Francesco Nigro 


rear view of <i>Psycho</i> House in 1971 
Rear view of Psycho House in 1971 
This photograph of the rear of the Psycho house set was shot in 1971 
courtesy of and Copyright © Nguyen Ngoc Chinh from his Flickr photostream- used with permission 


Psycho House in the early 1970's 
The Psycho House in the early 1970's 
courtesy Francesco Nigro 


Psycho House (with animated bat) in <i>Night Gallery</i> in 1971 
Psycho House Set in the Night Gallery installment "A Question of Fear" (1971) 
The Psycho house, including a bat added by animation, is seen here in 1971 in the
TV series Night Gallery

(this image has been heavily brightened from its original appearance, which was essentially a silhouette...hence its grainy appearance) 



Psycho House in Emergency! in 1972 
Psycho House Set in Emergency! episode "Brushfire" (1972) 
The Psycho house, including the road which ran between the Bates Motel and the house,
is seen here in 1972 in the TV series Emergency!




Psycho House in mid-1970's 
Psycho House Set in the mid-1970's 
The Psycho house is seen here in the mid-1970's, still in its original location on
the backlot, above Laramie Street. 

courtesy Bison Archives 


Psycho House in Captains and the Kings (1976) 
A restored Psycho House in the 1976 mini-series Captains and the Kings 
The Psycho house is seen here after a restoration and the addition of a larger,
wrap-around porch, both for the 1976 mini-series "Captains and the Kings" 

scan courtesy Francesco Nigro 


<i>Psycho</i> House in May, 1979 
Psycho House in May, 1979 
This photograph of the Psycho house set in its original location was shot on May 26, 1979 
courtesy of and Copyright © Piet Schreuders from his Flickr photostream - used with permission 
(see a similar photo on Flickr shot by Joseph Butindari two years later) 


Psycho House in 1980 
Psycho House in 1980 
courtesy Bison Archives 


Psycho House being dismantled in December 1980 
Psycho House being dismantled in December, 1980 
After occupying the ridge above "Laramie Street" for over twenty years, the Psycho House
was dismantled in December of 1980, and later reassembled elsewhere on the lot for
the filming of Pyscho II (1983). 

courtesy of and Copyright © Mark Brindle - used with permission 


Psycho House Replica in Modern Problems (1981)
Psycho House Replica in 1981 in <i>Modern Problems</i>Psycho House Replica in 1981 in <i>Modern Problems</i>
For the 1981 Chevy Chase comedy Modern Problems, a somewhat convincing replica of the
Pyscho House was constructed along a beach. Many, including the author of this web site,
have initially believed this to be the original set transported to a beach and reassembled for
the film, but detailed comparison of house features and proportions reveals that this is in fact a replica.
(thanks to John Trimble and Francesco Nigro for their observations on this subject)



<i>Psycho</i> House during repairs - July 9, 1982 
Psycho House during repairs in July, 1982 
This photograph of the Psycho house was shot on July 9, 1982 while the set was partially assembled outside the backlot's carpentry shop for repairs. 
courtesy of and Copyright © Douglas Hill - www.douglashillphotography.com - used with permission 


Universal Studios Florida <i>Psycho IV</i> Set in July, 1993 
Universal Studios Florida Bates Mansion set for Psycho IV (1990) - July, 1993 
This photograph of a duplicate Bates Mansion set at Universal Studios Florida was shot on July 12, 1993. The set was demolished in 1998. 
courtesy of and Copyright © John Burke from his Flickr photostream - used with permission 


More Photos of the Psycho House and Bates Motel
(scans courtesy Bison Archives)
(after clicking on a thumbnail, you may use the left & right arrow keys to navigate from one enlarged image to another)
Psycho House set circa 1960 
Psycho House set circa 1960
Psycho House in 1980 
Psycho House in 1980
Psycho House in 1983 
1983 publicity photo for Psycho II
Psycho House in 1983 
Actress Vera Miles in 1983 photo from Psycho II
Psycho House in 1985 - Psycho III production 
Psycho House in 1985 - Psycho III production
Psycho House in 1985 
Psycho House in 1985
Psycho House in 1987 
Psycho House in 1987
Psycho House in 1992 
Psycho House in 1992
Psycho House in 1994 
Psycho House in 1994
Psycho House and Bates Motel in 1994 
Psycho House and Bates Motel in 1994





July 1966 Inventory Proof Photos (photos circa 1964) 
Psycho House and Bates Motel 
courtesy Bison Archives 
(click any image for an enlargement) 
Psycho HouseBates MotelPsycho House
Bates MotelPsycho HouseBates Motel


<i>Psycho</i> House in 1983 
The Psycho House on November 7, 1983 
The Psycho House is seen here as photographed by Gregory Melle on November 7, 1983.
Click here to view this photo in CanadaGood's Flickr photostream. 

courtesy of and Copyright © Gregory Melle - used with permission 

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