Which writer wrote the screenplay for Hitchcock's Psycho?

Which writer wrote the screenplay for Hitchcock’s Psycho? The answer is Joseph Stefano.

Joseph Stefano wrote the screenplay for Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. His script adapted Robert Bloch’s 1959 novel but made important changes, especially in the presentation of Norman Bates and the structure of the story. Stefano’s version begins with Marion Crane’s theft and flight before shifting the audience’s attention to the isolated Bates Motel.

Hitchcock first considered a draft by James P. Cavanagh, but reportedly felt it lacked the tension and shape he wanted. Stefano’s approach helped make Norman, played by Anthony Perkins, more sympathetic and psychologically accessible than the middle-aged, more overtly unstable figure in Bloch’s novel.

The screenplay also removed several elements from the book, including Norman’s alcoholism, spiritualism and interest in pornography. Psycho became a landmark of horror cinema after its 1960 release, aided by Bernard Herrmann’s famous string-score and the carefully constructed shower sequence. A frequent mix-up is Ben Hecht, who wrote Hitchcock’s Notorious, not Psycho.