Christina Lane, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Cinematic Arts, University of Miami, tells the story of Joan Harrison who became Hollywood’s most powerful female writer-producer of the 1940s. Her career evolved from humble beginnings as Alfred Hitchcock’s secretary to becoming a close collaborator, critically shaping his brand as the “Master of Suspense.” Harrison went on to produce numerous Hollywood features before becoming a television pioneer. Ultimately, “the female Hitchcock” earned an unmatched reputation as a female executive in Golden Age Hollywood.
