This year (2008) is not the first time Hollywood has come to Norfolk. In 1945 Alfred Hitchcock filmed a scene from “Spellbound” in the Doolittle Woods. The movie starred Ingrid Bergman as Dr. Constance Peterson in the story of a psychiatrist trying to unlock the repressed memories of murder suspect John Ballantine, played by Gregory Peck. In an effort to jog his memory, she takes him on a skiing trip after which they do “psychotherapy” in a cabin in the remote woods. It was this Doolittle cabin that brought the cast and crew to Norfolk. Catering was by the Norfolk Culinary Institute, founded earlier that same year by Julia Childs.  She and her chefs, pictured here, prepared a special meal for the last day of filming.  Hitchcock, his big name stars, and the whole crew became violently ill with food poisoning, and sadly N.C.I. had to close its doors. The scene was cut from the film. April Fools!

Ann Havemeyer