| Norman Bates | |
|---|---|
| Psycho character | |
 Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in a publicity photo for Psycho (1960) | |
| First appearance | Psycho (1959 novel) |
| Last appearance | Psycho: Sanitarium (novel) |
| Created by | Robert Bloch |
| Portrayed by | Others:
|
| In-universe information | |
| Alias | Mother Robert Newman |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Former owner of the Bates Motel |
| Family |
|
| Spouse | Dr. Constance "Connie" Forbes-Bates (wife, films) |
Norman Bates is a fictional character created by American author Robert Bloch as the main protagonist in his 1959 horror novel Psycho. He has an alter, Mother, who takes from the form of his abusive mother, and later victim, Norma, who in his daily life runs the Bates Motel.
He was portrayed by Anthony Perkins in the 1960 version of Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock and in the Psycho franchise. He was also portrayed by Vince Vaughn in the 1998 version of Psycho, and by Freddie Highmore in the television series Bates Motel (2013–2017).[1]
Unlike the franchise produced by Universal Studios, Norman is not the principal antagonist in Bloch's subsequent novels and is succeeded by copycat killers who assume Norman's identity after his death in Psycho II (1982), although he does return and in the licensed continuation novel Psycho: Sanitarium (2016) by Chet Williamson. There is a wide-ranging assumption that the character was directly inspired by the Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein. With Psycho being optioned for film adaptation as a direct result of media attention on Gein, Bloch later revealed he was inspired more by the circumstances surrounding Gein's case—the idea that "the man next door may be a monster unsuspected even in the gossip-ridden microcosm of small-town life." Years later, when the full details of Gein's crimes were revealed, he was struck by "how closely the imaginary character I'd created resembled the real Ed Gein both in overt act and apparent motivation."[2]
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Cruz, Gilbert (March 25, 2013). "We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes: On Norman Bates and Psycho's Four Sequels". Vulture.com. New York City: New York Media. Retrieved August 9, 2017.
- ^ Guran, Paula (August 1999). "BEHIND THE BATES MOTEL: Robert Bloch". Dark Echo Horror Online. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2018.