Fascinating Never Before Seen Photo Surfaces: Martin Balsam as Arbogast, 1960

One of the things I've taken to notice about the 1960 Psycho is how, in the promotional photo materials, Martin Balsam, who played Arbogast the private eye, was practically ignored by Paramount.

Numerous production photos were taken and released of Anthony Perkins and of Janet Leigh. Vera Miles and John Gavin got a few "solo" photos, some together, and some with Janet Leigh.

But Martin Balsam...as a supporting actor of little resume at the time(despite being in 12 Angry Men and numerous TV productions) merited...nothing. Or almost nothing.

This was all remedied in 1998 when Oscar nominee William H. Macy played Arbogast in the remake. Macy appeared in numerous production photos -- including one where he stands at the bottom of a staircase.

Balsam seemed to make it into one -- and only one -- lobby card photo for 1960 Psycho: standing across the motel office desk opposite Anthony Perkins, with something in his hand(Marion's photo? The detective's license?)

That's all Balsam got..in the beginning.

Over the years, I found two more photos, years apart, from 1960:

TWO: Balsam on the porch with Anthony Perkins in the darkness, their faces brightly lit, everything else dark. (This photo I have only seen in Robin Wood's "Hitchcock's Films Revisited.") Balsam's expression is kind of comical -- maybe that's why this photo got little distribution.

THREE: A "staged photo" of Balsam hanging over a chair (turned backwards), wearing Arbogast's outfit and hat, a cigarette in his hand. It looks like rather an "afterthought" photo-- Balsam isn't even showing shirtsleeves under his coat sleeves, as if he pulled on the coat with a short sleeved shirt. (This photo first appeared to me in 1998, as part of the Psycho remake promotion, alongside a shot of William Macy.0

Well, that was over two decades ago.

But this week, I finally found ANOTHER photo of Balsam as Arbogast. And it is a very interesting one. Here's why:

The photo seems to be an "informal candid" that reveals the fakery of the "soundstage version" of the Bates Motel.

Keep in mind that Hitchcock built the facade of the Bates Motel TWICE:

a. The backlot version for exterior shots, especially in the daytime.
b. A soundstage version to allow for dialogue to be recorded on the motel porch.

In this photo, Balsam is standing in front of a Bates Motel door..but right NEXT to that door is...a WALL of Cabin One -- with the famous flower pattern that became a creepy part of the background to the shower stabbing.

One assumes that the Cabin One inside wall was allowed to run out PAST the motel set so that things could be photographed without moving walls.

This photo of Balsam is available "reversed" as well..and the "reversed" version looks like the proper angle on where Balsam is standing.

I'm no good with links here, but the photo can be found on the "Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho" Facebook page.

Historic in two ways:

Finally, another photo of Balsam making Psycho. (It seems there is ALWAYS one more photo turning up of SOMEONE working on Psycho -- Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh...)

Finally, a "behind the scenes look" at the set walls for the Bates Motel and Cabin One, mashed together as one.