Jimmy Page, 1957
The original Bates house appeared in a few episodes of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” prior to appearing in PSYCHO, so this photo may have been taken before the motel was built. Originally, the structure was closer to the main lot. When Universal decided to add the house to the studio tour (probably around 1965 or so, when PSYCHO was rereleased), they dismantled the entire house, moved it across the lot and rebuilt it on its current location.
Notice the castle in the background- the arched doorway at the top of the stairs (roughly center top of the photo) appeared in a number of horror films, including THE BLACK CASTLE and HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN (the steps that Glenn Strange carried Karloff down in the end). And just above the archway, peeking out from between some trees, is the original “Cotton Blossom” from Whale’s SHOW BOAT.
