9/13/1916 Roald Dahl arrives

September 13, 1913.  Ask any fan of Alfred hItchcock's TV show about their favorite episodes and they are very likely to recall "Lamb to the Slaughter," based on a short story by Roald Dahl. Another Dahl/Hitchcock  favorite was "The Man From the South," starring Peter Lorre as a gambler with a strnage obsession.

Today Dahl is best remembered for his children's books (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, The BFG, etc. ) but he was a master of the suspenseful, sardonic short story.

1/3/1960 Man From The South

January 3, 1960.  Alfred Hitchcock.  Roald Dahl.  Steve McQueen.  Peter Lorre. 

How's that for a line-up?

On this day Alfred Hitchcock Presents offered "Man From The South," based on a short story by Roald Dahl.  McQueen plays a gambler who meets a strange man (Lorre, of course) who offers a bizarre bet: If McQueen's cigarette lighter lights ten times in a row, he wins the man's car; if it doesn't Lorre will cut off the gambler's finger.  Creepy?  Oh yeah...

You can see it here.