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
Philip MacDonald and Michael Hogan adapted the novel "Rebecca" by Daphne du Maurier, from which Robert E. Sherwood and Joan Harrison created the screenplay for "Rebecca", the 1940 film. Sherwood and Harrison were nominated for an Academy Award. In later years MacDonald wrote television scripts for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" ("Malice Domestic", 1957) and "Perry Mason" ("The Case of the Terrified Typist", 1958). His novel "Patrol" was issued as one of the first twenty Penguin Books, and, as "W.J. Stuart", he wrote the novelisation of the 1956 science fiction film "Forbidden Planet". MacDonald also infrequently dabbled in science fiction under his own name,