Murder! (1930 film) names of the two principal characters. The portrayal of the character Sir John Mernier was loosely based on that of the actor Gerald du Maurier, who was a friend of Hitchcock. Hitchcock later adapted three novels written by du Maurier's daughter Daphne du Maurier: "Jamaica Inn", "Rebecca" and "The Birds". Hitchcock makes his cameo appearance in the film as a man walking past the murder victim's house. The film's sets were designed by the art director John Mead. The German language version of the film, "Mary", was shot simultaneously on the same set with German speaking actors. Miles Mander reprised
Sooty shearwater birds; in 2009 the number was estimated to be closer to 40 per cage. On August 18, 1961, the "Santa Cruz Sentinel" reported that thousands of crazed sooty shearwaters were sighted on the shores of North Monterey Bay in California, regurgitating anchovies, flying into objects, and dying on the streets. The incident sparked the interest of local resident Alfred Hitchcock, along with a story about spooky bird behavior by British writer Daphne du Maurier, helping to inspire Hitchcock's 1963 thriller "The Birds", a cautionary tale of nature revolting against man. The film is now ranked among the American Film Institute's