The Hitch-Hiker Overview:

The Hitch-Hiker (1953) was a Drama - Film Noir Film directed by Ida Lupino and produced by Christian Nyby and Collier Young.

The Hitch-Hiker was inducted into the National Film Registry in 1998.

BlogHub Articles:

Day 3 of Noirvember: Emmett Myers in The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

By shadowsandsatin on Nov 3, 2021 From Shadows and Satin

Keep your eyes open. Today?s Noirvember post shines the spotlight on the ever-so creepy Emmett Myers of The Hitch-Hiker (1953). WHAT?S THE HITCH-HIKER ABOUT? Two buddies ? Roy Collins (Edmond O?Brien) and Gilbert Bowen (Frank Lovejoy) ? on a weekend fishing trip, catch more than they intended when t... Read full article


Noir Nook: Ripped from the Headlines ? The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

By Karen Burroughs Hannsberry on Jun 10, 2021 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Noir Nook: Ripped from the Headlines ? The Hitch-Hiker (1953) The Hitch-Hiker (1953) Ever seen an episode of the classic TV show Perry Mason? Remember Mason?s weekly nemesis, Hamilton Burger, played by William Talman? Well, you should check out Talman?s character in the 1953 noir The Hitch-Hik... Read full article


YouTube Noir — Noirvember Day 30: The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

By shadowsandsatin on Nov 30, 2020 From Shadows and Satin

Can you believe that this is the last day of Noirvember? Seriously, where does the time go? Ah, well ? no use moaning over spent months. We?ve got more important things to do. I?m wrapping up my YouTube noir series with The Hitch-Hiker (1953). Interestingly (to me, at least), it?s my second consecut... Read full article


“The Hitch-Hiker,” a taunt film noir directed by Ida Lupino

By Stephen Reginald on Oct 23, 2020 From Classic Movie Man

“The Hitch-Hiker,” a taunt film noir directed by Ida Lupino The Hitch-Hiker (1953) is a film noir directed by Ida Lupino and starring Edmund O’Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman. The movie is based on the true-crime spree of psychopathic murderer Billy Cook. The cinemato... Read full article


What’s Streaming in Sept on the CMH Channel at Best Classics Ever? Angel and the Bad Man, The Hitch-Hiker, His Girl Friday and More

By Annmarie Gatti on Sep 3, 2020 From Classic Movie Hub Blog

Our Sept Picks on the Classic Movie Hub ChannelOver 40 Titles Streaming Free All Month Long! It’s that time again… We have our monthly free streaming picks for our Classic Movie Hub Channel at Best Classics Ever (BCE) – the mega streaming channel for classic movies and TV shows... Read full article


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Quotes from

Roy Collins: You stink, Myers! You smell! Just like your clothes! Sure, you'll make it to Graymas, but they'll catch up with you and put you out of your misery. You haven't got a chance. You haven't got a thing except that gun! You'd better hang onto it because without it, you're finished!


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Facts about

The movie's poster was as #23 of "The 25 Best Movie Posters Ever" by Premiere.
In an interview Talman recalled an incident that happened shortly after the release of The Hitch-Hiker (1953), in which he gave a chilling portrayal of escaped murderer and serial killer Emmett Meyers.He was driving his convertible in Los Angeles with the top down, and he stopped at a red light. Another driver in a convertible who was stopped next to him stared at him for a few seconds, then said, "You're the hitchhiker, right?" Talman nodded, indicating that he was. The other driver got out of his car, went over to Talman's car and slapped him across the face, then got back in his car and drove off. In recalling the story, Talman said, "You know, I never won an Academy Award but I guess that was about as close as I ever will come to one."
Based upon an incident that happened in California in the early 1950s. A man named Billy Cook murdered a family of five, including three children, and then killed a traveling salesman. He then kidnapped two hunters and took them across the border into Mexico, intending to kill them, too, but before he could he was captured by Mexican police and subsequently extradited to the US, where he was tried for the murders, convicted, and died in the gas chamber at San Quentin on Dec. 12, 1952.
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National Film Registry

The Hitch-Hiker

Released 1953
Inducted 1998
(Sound)




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Also directed by Ida Lupino




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Also produced by Collier Young




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Also released in 1953




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