43 Facts About Norman Bates

Norman Bates is a fictional character created by American author Robert Bloch as the main antagonist in his 1959 thriller novel Psycho.

Norman Bates 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.

Norman Bates was portrayed by Anthony Perkins in the 1960 version of Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock and in the Psycho franchise.

Norman Bates was portrayed by Vince Vaughn in the 1998 version of Psycho, and by Freddie Highmore in the television series Bates Motel.

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, although he does return in the licensed continuation novel Psycho: Sanitarium by Chet Williamson, and the comic book series Son of Psycho.

Norman Bates is smitten with her, and shyly asks her to have dinner with him in the house.

Norman Bates defies her and eats dinner with Marion anyway, but lashes out at her when she suggests that he institutionalize his mother.

Norman Bates is finally caught when Marion's sister Lila and boyfriend, Sam Loomis, arrive at the motel looking for her.

Norman Bates is declared insane and sent to an institution, where "Mother" takes complete, and permanent, control of his mind: he becomes his mother.

Meanwhile, Dr Adam Claiborne, who discovered Norman Bates's corpse, assumes his personality and goes on a killing spree.

In Bloch's 1991 sequel to his second novel, Psycho House, Norman appears only as a novelty animatronic on display in the Bates Motel, which has been converted into a tourist attraction.

Disappearances begin occurring in the asylum, with the victims being those that were a threat towards Norman Bates and wanted to bring him harm.

The incident traumatizes Norman Bates and puts him back into a catatonic state.

In 1983's Psycho II, the first sequel to the original film, Norman Bates is released from the institution twenty-two years after his arrest, seemingly cured.

However, a series of mysterious murders occurs, as well as strange appearances and messages from his mother, and Norman Bates slowly loses his grip on sanity.

In 1986's Psycho III, set a month later, Norman Bates continues to struggle, unsuccessfully, against "Mother"'s dominion.

Norman Bates finds another love interest named Maureen Coyle, who eventually dies at "Mother"'s hand.

Norman Bates then kidnapped the child Norman, believing him to be her own, but she was arrested and institutionalized, leaving Norman to be raised by Norma.

Norman Bates is then arrested and put back in the institution.

Psycho IV: The Beginning, the final film in the series, retcons the revelations of the second and third film, supplying that Norman Bates's father was stung to death by bees and removing all references to Emma Spool.

When his wife becomes pregnant, he lures her to his mother's house and tries to kill her, wanting to prevent another of his "cursed" line from being born into the world; the film implies that Mrs Norman Bates suffered from schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder and passed the illnesses on to her son.

Norman Bates almost dies in the flames before willing himself to get out, apparently defeating his illness at long last; he is finally free of his mother's voice, which demands to be let out.

Norman Bates befriends Alex West, a fellow inmate who had murdered his stepfather, and wills ownership of the titular motel to him before dying of old age.

Norman Bates kills his abusive father, Sam, while in a dissociative state, and Norma moves them from Arizona, where he was born and raised, to White Pine Bay, Oregon, to protect him.

When Norman Bates's sanity begins to deteriorate, Norma marries the town sheriff, Alex Romero, so she can use his insurance coverage to pay for Norman Bates's treatment.

Romero arrives at the house in time to revive Norman Bates, but finds that Norma is already dead.

Meanwhile, Norman Bates cannot bear losing his mother, so he digs up her corpse and assumes her personality to preserve the illusion of her being alive.

Two years later, Norman Bates is running the motel and living alone in the house with Norma's corpse, which he keeps frozen and preserved in the cellar.

Norman Bates falls for Madeline Loomis, a lonely woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Norma, and whose husband Sam is cheating on her.

Norman Bates finally begins to suspect that "Mother" is not real, and she confirms that he created her in his mind to deal with things that he could not, such as his abusive father.

When Sam's mistress Marion Crane checks into the motel, Norman Bates has dinner with her and tells her that Sam is married.

Dylan comes to see Norman Bates after learning of Norma's death, and they get into a fight that ends with Norman Bates assaulting his half-brother at "Mother"'s instigation.

Terrified of what he might do, Norman Bates calls 911 and confesses to murdering Sam.

When Norman Bates finally admits to himself that he killed Norma, "Mother" appears to him and tells him she is leaving, as there is no longer anything she can protect him from.

Norman Bates calls Dylan and invites him over for a "family dinner", complete with Norma's corpse seated at the head of the table.

Second, it has been indicated by several people, including Noel Carter and Chris Steinbrunner, as well as allegedly by Bloch himself, that Norman Bates was partly based on Calvin Beck, publisher of Castle of Frankenstein.

Norman Bates is aware that "Mother" disapproves of these authors as being against religion.

Norman Bates was portrayed by Anthony Perkins in Hitchcock's seminal 1960 film adaptation of Bloch's novel and its three sequels.

Norman Bates portrayed Norman, albeit more lightheartedly, in a 1990 commercial for Oatmeal Crisp cereal.

Norman Bates appears in the 1992 three-issue comic book adaptation of the 1960 film Psycho released by Innovation Publishing.

Norman Bates is ranked as the second-greatest villain on the American Film Institute's list of the top 100 film heroes and villains, behind Hannibal Lecter and before Darth Vader.

In 2008, Norman Bates was selected by Empire Magazine as one of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters.

Norman Bates ranked number 4 on Premiere magazine's list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time.