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New York Times (25/Aug/1994) - Joan Harrison, a Screenwriter and Producer, Is Dead at 83

(c) The New York Times (25/Aug/1994)

Joan Harrison, a Screenwriter And Producer, Is Dead at 83

Joan Harrison, a producer and screenwriter who helped write the scripts for "Rebecca," "Foreign Correspondent" and other films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, died on Aug. 14 in London. She was 83.

Miss Harrison was born in Guildford, Surrey, England, where her father published two local newspapers. After attending boarding school in Kent, she received an honor's degree in philosophy, politics and economics at St. Hugh's College, Oxford, where she occasionally reviewed films for the student newspaper. She later studied at the Sorbonne.

In 1933, she was hired as a secretary by Hitchcock, who was at work on "The Man Who Knew Too Much." A poor secretary by her own description, she soon graduated to reading books and scripts, writing synopses and contributing to scripts. She received her first writing credit on Hitchcock's "Jamaica Inn." From Hitchcock to Hollywood

In 1939, Miss Harrison accompanied Hitchcock to Hollywood, working as his assistant and as a writer on "Rebecca," "Suspicion," "Saboteur" and "Shadow of a Doubt."

In 1941, Miss Harrison went out on her own and was hired by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to write the script for "The Sun Is My Undoing." In 1943, she was hired as a producer at Universal, where her first film was "Phantom Lady," a melodrama starring Franchot Tone. In 1944, she produced and shared the screenwriting credit for "Dark Waters," a thriller starring Merle Oberon.

In the 1940's and 50's, she produced the mystery thrillers "Third Eye," "Uncle Harry," "Nocturne," "Ride the Pink Horse," "Once More, My Darling," "Eye Witness" and "Circle of Danger."

From 1955 to 1962, she produced the television series "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." With Norman Lloyd, she was responsible for selecting stories, hiring writers and directors, casting and supervising the production of each episode. She also produced the television series "Journey Into the Unknown."

She is survived by her husband, the mystery writer Eric Ambler.

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