Vera Miles: The Hitchcock Blonde Who Got Away

by Christopher McKittrick

Captivating, talented, and beautiful, Vera Miles was destined for fame. Within a few years of making her way to Hollywood in 1949, she starred in such films as The Rose Bowl Story (1952), Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955), and Wichita (1955). Her frequent television performances so enthralled Alfred Hitchcock that he chose her to be Grace Kelly's successor for roles in The Wrong Man (1956) and the iconic film Psycho (1960). She also starred in John Ford's The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Miles's illustrious film and television career spanned nearly fifty years in Hollywood, and yet she is still considered one of the most unsung film actresses of her era.

Vera The Hitchcock Blonde Who Got Away is the first full-length biography of the talented performer's life and extensive body of work. Integrating historical interviews and archival materials, author Christopher McKittrick reveals the struggles Miles faced as a working mother in the 1950s and 1960s and why she was compelled to step away from the lead role in Vertigo—a choice that irrevocably sundered her relationship with Hitchcock. Yet Miles would go on to appear in nearly two hundred television shows, including The Twilight Zone, The Fugitive, Ironside, and The Virginian, as well as numerous Disney films. She would work with some of the most talented actors in Hollywood—John Wayne, Bob Hope, and James Stewart among them—and would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. By highlighting Miles as the lead in her own story, McKittrick amplifies the voice of this remarkable and prolific actress who was far more than just a footnote in Hitchcock's film legacy.

Genres: Biography

312 pages, Hardcover

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Christopher McKittrick is a published author of fiction and non-fiction and a contributor to entertainment websites. Christopher and his work have been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Observer, Newsday, USAToday.com, CNBC.com, Time.com, RollingStone.com, and dozens of entertainment and news websites. He has also appeared on television on HLN's How It Really Happened and has been interviewed on several podcasts and radio shows, including WOR Tonight on WOR, The Lisa Show on BYU Radio and Warren in the Morning on WKNY.

Reviews

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

For this and other book reviews, visit www.bargain-sleuth.com

Thanks to Edelweiss and University Press of Kentucky for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I knew almost nothing about Vera Miles, who starred in two Hitchcock films, The Wrong Man, and Psycho, so I was ready to dive in and learn more about one of Hitch’s blondes. I had no idea the depth and breadth of Miles’ film and TV work! She really hustled and was awarded many roles in television on in film before Hitch signed her on to be a replacement for Grace Kelly, who retired from acting when she married Prince Rainier in 1956.

Hitch was very happy with her work on The Wrong Man and soon cast her in his next film, Vertigo. However, Miles had the audacity to get pregnant and had to drop out of the film. Hitch couldn’t believe it and said some pretty disparaging things about her in the press. However, he still had Vera under contract and eventually cast her as Janet Leigh’s sister in Psycho. As Marion Crane’s relentless sister, Miles delivered the goods and was regarded highly for her performance. In fact, the majority of reviews of her acting through the years all say what an accomplished actor she was, whether it was on a TV program or in films like The Searchers or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Miles’ performances stood out.

The book is not just about Vera Miles and her acting career. It also delves into her personal life. Married several times, had some kids, married again and converted to Mormonism, it’s all in this book. Miles’ thoughts about Hollywood (too many salacious things for her liking), as well as her work after Psycho, is all in the book. I had no idea until reading the book that she is still alive at the age of 94!

If you’re a fan of Hitchcock films or the Golden Age of the movies, I’d highly recommend this book! A solid four stars. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Zach Koenig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vera Miles is one of the great actresses in cinema—collaborating with the likes of John Ford, Alfred Hitchcock, & Rod Serling in projects like The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence, The Twilight Zone, & Psycho. Christopher McKittrick’s “Vera Miles: The Hitchcock Blonde Who Got Away” is a solid recap of Miles’ long Hollywood career—if more a “collection of notes/research” as opposed to what I would consider a full bio.

Basically, McKittrick provides excellent Miles career coverage here—scanning through what had to be a voluminous amount of old Hollywood trade publications to piece together the official (or sometimes non-official, like gossip columns) story behind her career trajectory. If you want to know what Miles did and when, this is the book for you.

Is there much personal or interview-style coverage in “Hitchcock Blonde”? Not really. This was a little disappointing for me considering the subject is still alive as of this review writing (September 2025). As such, it is tough for me to call the book a biography in the way I define that term. There are no thoughts from Miles herself or in-depth interviews with her contemporaries. This is strictly a “from the archives” sort of work.

Overall, I can give “Hitchcock Blonde” a solid 3 stars—if no more. McKittrick will provide you with all the career info you’ve ever wanted to know about Vera Miles—and then some! But if you are looking for “deep color” of any kind, you might be a little disappointed.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vera Miles’ name was familiar to me as I’d seen a few of her movies, but I really didn’t know much about her. I had no idea how extensive her body of was and had no knowledge of her personal life. It was interesting to hear how her priority was her family over her career and she didn’t regret missing out on opportunities by having one. She led an interesting life and it was good to have a book focused on her instead of her being a mention in someone else’s story.

Thank you to the author, University Press of Kentucky, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Anne Hartley Pfohl · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a devastatingly boring book about a wonderful actress whose work I have always enjoyed on TV and in film. I have never read a more boring book in my life. While the subject is worthy, the execution is terrible. How did this get published? Vera Miles deserves a much better biography than this.

[Christine Mathieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not bad, but not great either, so I rated it 3 stars.