TCM ESSENTIALS: VOLUME II

TCM: The Essentials Volume 2, 52 More Must-See Movies and Why They Matter by Jeremy Arnold and Foreword by Ben Mankiewicz

Films from Volume I included a foreword by TCM Host Robert Osborne and highlighted the following selections:

The pleasure of knowing that TCM’s and Robert Osborne’s personal selections for classic films essential to the aficionados of national and international cinema circles would begin to be chronicled in book form, a physical media of which I am indeed fond, delighted me as well as many other friends of TCM.

Jeremy Arnold, an author awarded the honor of chronicling the first edition, also has taken the helm for the second edition, which includes a forward by Ben Mankiewicz, now a focal point of hosting responsibilities on the network since the death of TCM’s original host, Robert Osborne.

Mankiewicz also moonlights (or daylights) on CBS Sunday Morning with interviews of industry professionals like Mel Brooks, Elliot Gould, and most recently director of Mank, David Fincher, and star Amanda Seyfried.

Cohosts of TCM also include Noir Alley kingpin Eddie Muller, Writer Alicia Malone, Red Carpet Veteran Dave Karger, and Professor Jacqueline Stewart.

Stirred by my initial glance at the contents, I was pleased to discover more of my favorites appeared in Volume II than I recalled from Volume I. An added list of all films appearing on TCM’s Essentials programs is also included, which had not been added to Volume I, certainly a plus for the serious TCM fan who has been relatively faithful to the series.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a personal favorite of mine, and one that fans often claim for a top ten list, is highlighted with one of Robert Osborne’s quotes that seems unusually poignant considering how Tierney was one of Osborne’s delights. He even had the portrait of Tierney as Laura in his personal memorabilia collection:

“I’m a great, great, Gene Tierney fan; she can do no wrong. She had played a successful business woman in Laura and [was] strong in Leave Her to Heaven, and here she was, the number one dramatic sar at Twentieth CenturyFox, cast against type as a very gentle, very kind [and]compassionate woman….”

I was indeed happy that the low-budget, high-quality of Ride The High Country with Joel McCrea and Randolph Scott was featured in this book and garnered the recognition it deserves as the coda to two high-profile careers in the Western genre. The quote from Mariette Hartley is also a nice summary of her experiences with the two old pros. Is it a genre that actually deserves its own “Western Essentials” volume, Running Press?

Author Jeremy Arnold with Wyatt McCrea at the TCM Film Festival in 2018….

As for the addition of Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), I would have much rather have seen Auntie Mame, Stalag 17, Rebecca, The Blue Dahlia, Gilda, Meet John Doe, The African Queen, Gigi, The Bad and The Beautiful, or A Letter to Three Wives make Volume II. I’ve always been kind of “Meh” about Hannah and Her Sisters. A man disrespecting personal or emotional boundaries unsettles me and just sits a little to close to Allen’s own issues, personal or professional, even though I’ve enjoyed many of his other films.

But I must be grateful for A Face In The Crowd‘s inclusion with Andy Griffith’s stunningly attention-grabbing performance. TCM Remembers even though the Academy left Griffith out of their Oscar’s In Memoriam telecast sequence after his death. Night Of The Hunter‘s inclusion should also delight cinephiles and critics who enjoy Charles Laughton’s only directorial offering. The addition of William Wyler’s Dodsworth is also a highlight, a nod and a wave to Robert Osborne’s personal favorite. Another reason to cherish this edition is a photo of Thelma Ritter with Doris Day from Pillow Talk.

Former Essential Hosts Molly Haskell, Sally Field, Alec Baldwin, Rose McGowan, William Friedkin, Sydney Pollack, Carrie Fisher, Drew Barrymore, and current Essential Host Brad Bird have relevant comments sprinkled throughout the entries, as well as Robert Osborne’s archived mentions. The What To Look For feature is also included with all the entries with this edition.

I couldn’t have been so discerning about what I enjoyed and did appreciate with Volume II unless author Jeremy Arnold and the editors had added the full Essentials films list. I appreciate that inclusion in this volume as a complete reference list is a nicely added tool for readers.

If you have always been a fan of TCM’s The Essentials, Volume II should be added to your personal film collection bookshelf.

THE OPPOSITE SEX: Are You Going To Sydney’s?

Are You Going to Sydney’s?

In 1956’s The Opposite Sex, Sydney’s is the spa salon standing in for New York’s Elizabeth Arden, when miracles occur and ladies transform themselves into carbon copies of the latest style icons….

 

Olga, played by Bewitched’s Alice Pearce, is the nail filer who dips her brush into a vat of poisoned Jungle Red. She sets off the sexy series of events with her gossipy updates for nosy clients whose sideline is undermining the status quo of the sanctioned social set.

Clients come to Sydney’s be coiffed, patted, massaged and dried in the upscale haven for hellions on heels. Like everyone’s favorite Maleficent,* Sylvia is ready to spread dirt like a dragster at a tractor pull and  doesn’t disappoint. Stepping out of Roz Russell’s role in the original The Women, Dolores Gray rebirths the part as the Marvel Comics version of the evil twin, more stylish and more venomous than originally conceived. Hiding behind slick crepe de chine, chilly chiffon, and Belgian Lace helps the naughty keep the haughty.

Ann Miller, in a role where she doesn’t dance or sing, manages to enthrall us anyway with her snappy dialogue delivery and her winsome, well-dressed ways. Agnes Moorehead connects with her love of lavender and lilac in her Helen Rose creations and doesn’t see such colorful ensembles again until she greets Samantha as Endora.

Agnes Moorehead gown…

The singing, dancing June Allyson elicits our pity as Kay, and Leslie Nielsen plays it straight as her wandering Broadway-producer husband long before his comedic successes in Airplane and The Naked Gun films. Joan Collins creates her first cold-hearted, sexy vamp, which she revealed to Robert Osborne became the precursor to her Alexis iteration in Dynasty during her introduction to The Opposite Sex on TCM.

Don’t miss that “Yellow Gold” number!

Three New York ladies hop the train to Reno, Nevada, one of the few places in the 1950’s where a six-week divorce can be granted for those women who need to move on with their lives, their wardrobes and their new sparklers. Charlotte Greenwood makes her final screen appearance in The Opposite Sex as the owner of the guest ranch where divorcees go to stow away for the waiting period. It ain’t easy keepin’ them gals from derailing their locomotives, leaving behind a memento, or keeping their gloves off of a handsome, singing ranch hand, like Buck Winston, played by former baseballer Jeff Richards.

Ooh. Jeff Richards!

Ooh! Look! A Bananyanaire!

 

Screenwriter Fay Kanin, who scripted such films as Rhapsody (1954) and Teacher’s Pet (1958), also crafted award-winning television movies like Heartsounds (1979) , Friendly Fire (1979) and Hustling (1975) to her credit. Kanin, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences from 1979-1983, reportedly didn’t much care for the final film of The Opposite Sex, but made an appropriate update of Clare Booth Luce’s play for the attitudes of 1950’s. An activist for film preservation and a leader of the cinema community, her legacy as a woman of conviction and an arbiter of good taste lives on.

Comparing this film with 1939’s The Women is an easy exercise in sharpening a reviewer’s more critical sense, but enjoying the musical romps, the flouncy Helen Rose creations, and the landscapes of Leslie Nielsen and Jeff Richards allows viewers to accept The Opposite Sex on its own terms, the only way to unabashedly relish this film. Stylish back-biting, shiny, red nails, and the underbelly of the upper crust always contrasts well with mermaid gowns, cowboys, and well-dressed redemption.

 

It’s a party!

See you at the poolside screening of The Opposite Sex on Friday night 8 p.m. on April 11. Illeana Douglas and Dennis Miller are scheduled to introduce the film.

“The smog will be so refreshing!”

*SLEEPING BEAUTY  (1959) is screening at the #TCMFF2019 at noon on Friday in the Egyptian, too!

Learn more about The Opposite Sex (1956) and That Darn Smack from Christy’s Inkwells here.

More about the fabulous Fay Kanin here.

The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York compares and contrasts the 1939 and 1956 films, the designers and the stars here. 

Still A Giant

The long awaited chronicle of the personal and professional journey of a 20th Century template for quintessential Hollywood male has arrived. The quest of Rock Hudson for acceptance and recognition has long since ceased, but the fascination with such a “gorgeous hunk of man” continues. All That Heaven Allows, the ultimate biography of Hudson by Mark Griffin and the title of one of Hudson’s more successful Hollywood films, is just the solution for readers and fans who still happen to be hoarding those Christmas and Valentine’s day gift cards. Those fans seeking a delicious read to fill those boring moments between the latest social media frenzy and a visit from the Sandman is just a click away on Amazon or a jaunt to the local page proprietor.

In-depth interviews with Hollywood insiders, friends and family of Hudson, and historians hold court to tell a tale of the rise to the summit of world-wide fame. Like one of the Rocky mountains of Colorado, Hudson’s professional summit was well-served by his own physical height and personal magnetism. Griffin’s research and details remind us of Rock’s charisma with onscreen partners like Doris Day, Elizabeth Taylor, and colleague John Wayne, and explores his more difficult moments on screen with the queen of clean, Julie Andrews. Detailed research and polished prose float the reader along the waves of Hudson’s peaks-and-valleys existence in the forefront of media hype and behind closed doors.

Hudson’s difficult childhood, his burgeoning, complicated sexuality, and his private life peopled with sybaritic sycophants spurred the late TCM host and friend Robert Osborne to frankly comment about Hudson’s final years. Piper Laurie, a close friend of Hudson’s for many years, reveals aspects of Hudson’s character to endear him even further to his fans.

In George Stevens’ film of Edna Ferber’s Giant, Bick Benedict, a thinly veiled alter ego of the larger-than-life Houston wildcatter Glenn McCarthy, lived large, but espoused a more traditional family man’s attitude, tempered with more acceptance by his wife Leslie, portrayed by future long-time friend Elizabeth Taylor. James Dean, as Jett Rink, played the darker, more emotionally plagued persona embedded in McCarthy’s complex personality.

It was no fluke that Hudson aligned with Benedict in the collective mind of Hollywood casting as he also lived large, albeit in varied social circles. Hudson initially charmed all he met, yet he continually struggled to become a success and stay one. At the end of his life, he still worried about his career, and refused to accept his own infallibility, just like any other traditional American hero.

 

Mark Griffin is the author of A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli.  Griffin, whose writing has appeared in scores of publications, including The Boston Globe, recently appeared in the documentary Gene Kelly: To Live and Dance.  He lives in Maine.

 

Mark Griffin’s website.

Interview with Mark Griffin on Vincent Minelli…

Interview with Mark Griffin on Rock Hudson and All That Heaven Allows on PBS’ Fresh Air….

All That Heaven Allows is soon to be a major motion picture!

Inspiration For 2019–Turner Classic Movies Film Festival 2018!

The hurly-burly of hustling down Hollywood Boulevard hasn’t altered much from pass holder forays down the busiest street in LA in 2017. The hawkers and gawkers, snake-handlers and CD sellers, presenters and pass holders all navigate the obstacle course while snapping photos of their favorite star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  The haves are constantly juxtaposed against the have nots, and sometimes the have nots are not what they seem.

On my first day, Tuesday, April 25, I found that a man who appeared to be in his mid-30s had asked me for money so he could buy food. I told him I would be happy to buy him a meal at the local fast-food establishment that I was preparing to patronize. He looked at me with disgust, waved me away, and obviously wasn’t as hungry as he appeared to be.  Of course, I shrugged off the incident. It might just happen again. The first rule of Hollywood Boulevard is… “don’t talk about Hollywood Boulevard.” Stick to the movies, the presenters, the high cost of a refreshing beverage poolside. We can always talk about Hollywood Boulevard later.

Mary Astor has fans celebrating her life and struggles in interviews and a documentary film by director Alexa Foreman, Scandal:The Trial Of Mary Astor, which had its world premiere at the TCM Film Fest….(photo courtesy of Miss Paula who chose the special Mary Astor brew at a local java joint in honor of the documentary screening)

Wednesday afternoon at Larry Edmunds Bookshop, the premiere bookstore on Hollywood Boulevard, Director Foreman participated in an SRO Q & A with yours truly to celebrate the Mary Astor doc…

Andrew Yang, great grandson of Mary Astor, shared lifelike dolls of the classic film star with the audience, which are produced by his company…

Cora Sue Collins, Barbara Rush and author Meredith Ponedel wait for Kelly Kitchens’ social media party to commence. Actor Ted Donaldson also attended.

Social media garden party pass holders focus on an interview with Cora Sue Collins and Barbara Rush conducted by author Danny Miller…

Festival pass holders actually started dribbling into the Hollywood Roosevelt Lobby on Monday, and by Tuesday, the more dedicated had already plunked down their credit cards at the HRH Reservation Desk hoping they wouldn’t be charged for the entire contents of their mini-bar before they checked out. Notice the look of uncertainty and disbelief as the hotel guest signs the blank credit card authorization form the seconds before a digitized plastic room key is presented. Not only is their expression unsettling, but some of the signatures are even a little wobbly. But all fear and trepidation melts once the guest has left luggage in the room, and ridden down the elevator to greet friends schmoozing and lounging in the lobby.

Lobby love with writer and gadabout Kim Luperi and TCM’s ever effervescent Shannon Clute…

Media-fest pre-party finds TCM Backlot commercial cutie Beth Ann Gallagher and TCM Host Alicia Malone clinching before the fest frenzy…..

Host Scott McGee, Turner Portfolio 360 Brand Strategy and General Manager Jennifer Dorian, and FilmStruck Guru and Senior Vice President of Programming and Production, Charles Tabesh…

The first order of business at the TCM Film Festival is usually a Meet The TCM Panel, and this year was no different, only a few of the players changed.

Getting ready to par-tay with Julia Ricci, Priscilla’s hubby, Jeff Lundenberger, Priscilla Smith and Patrick Goff…

Chinese Multiplex Mania with Danny Reid, Joel Williams, Jessica Pickens, Kendahl Cruver, and Christy….

All anxieties disappear once pass holders greet old friends from previous festivals, reconnecting with a family of choosing instead of a group of genetic links who do not necessarily connect emotionally with classic film, travel, sitting in the dark for extended periods of time, or mountains of pre-popped popcorn and Twizzlers.

Andrew Yang, great-grandson of Mary Astor, with friend in Club TCM….

Hollywood legend Norma Weingarten Pisar, Diane Baker, actress and close friend of Robert Osborne, TCM Programmer Dennis Millay, and Kelly Brady lobbying for a photo-op. Pisar is the daughter of Jessie Marmestan, a USC/MGM doctor, goddaughter of Norma Shearer, step-daughter of Lawrence Weingarten, and ex-wife of Sam Pisar, and has been involved in many creative endeavors in LA.

Cinemaven Theresa Brown, perpetual TCMFF Florida Fan Sam Mahin, and Paula “Cinema Detroit,” #TCMParty doyenne grab a moment to pose in the Chinese Multiplex Lobby, always a popular gathering spot for fest-themed displays…

Fans ready for the Red Carpet Rumba near the entrance to the TCL Chinese Theater, formerly and always Grauman’s to classic film fans…

Credentialed Media mavens (L to R), Kim Luperi, Michelle Conte, a perky but unknown credentialed media gal, The Nitrate Diva’s Nora Fiore, and (Front) Journeys in Classic Film’s Kristen Lopez, gather for the race down the TCMFF Red Carpet 2018…

PR whiz Liz Kelly is ready for celebs!

TCM’s Duchess Of Social Media Marya Gates, Raquel Stelcher, and Asbury Park, New Jersey’s Jeff Lundenberger….

And the celebs are off to the races!!

Juliet Mills and husband Maxwell Caulfield…

New TCM Host Dave Karger engages with media…

Author Alan K. Rode, Michael Curtiz: A Life In Film, greets a journalist and fan …

TCM VP and Brand Activation and Partnership whiz Genevieve McGillicuddy enjoys the cheering crowd with the RC Host…

Mario Van Peebles escorts his father, Melvin Van Peebles, who told yours truly that being at the TCMFF was ” the most love I ever had with my clothes on!”

TCM’s Jennifer Dorian reiterated the future vision for the network after Coleman Breland, President Of Turner Classic Movies and Turner Content Experiences, outlined the detailed plans for connecting with fan interests, expanding content choices and remembering the enormous impact that former TCM Host Robert Osborne had on the network…

Wyatt McCrea, grandson of classic film heartthrob Joel McCrea, laughs at a journalist’s comment..

Pola Changnon, TCM SVP Of Marketing, Creative and Brand Services, shared her excitement for this year’s special guests and screenings…

Noir Alley Kingpin Eddie Muller emotes…

Rosanna Arquette, happy about the Bill Cosby conviction earlier in the day stated, “Justice was done today!”

Writer and presenter Cari Beauchamp is interviewed by TCM’s Kristen Welch in front of the cheering fan gallery…

Actor and comedian Dennis Miller seriously readies for the next barrage of questions…

Writer, author and Treasures from the Disney Vault Host Leonard Maltin is always ready to share…

Animated Ruta Lee talked, laughed, and shared with all the journalists, the most energetic and democratic of special guests…

2018 Oscar-winning costume designer Mark Bridges introduced Gigi at the festival…

Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey shared their love for the epic Zeffirelli film, Romeo and Juliet…

First Robert Osborne Award recipient Martin Scorsese, founder of The Film Foundation and the World Cinema Project, rushes down the runway to prepare for the ceremony…

The opening night Red Carpet Gala Premiere of The Producers was preceded by a new event, heralding a memorial to an esteemed, honored man revered by all fans of Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne. The festival website defines the event:

Turner Classic Movies is proud to honor our late host, Robert Osborne, with the creation of the Robert Osborne Award. This annual award will be presented at the TCM Classic Film Festival to an individual whose work has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic films alive and thriving for generations to come.

The presentation of the first Robert Osborne Memorial Award, presented by Leonardo Di Caprio, went to esteemed director, writer, and film historian, Martin Scorsese. Scorsese walked down the Red Carpet quickly with an escort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVt7yPeYe8o

Pass holders don’t care about the drunks, the drug addicts, the beggars or the trash up and down the street. Yes, they give out money, pay for food, and generally try to be respectful of the people in the parade that they constantly wish they could pass by. Die-hard fans attending the TCM Film Festival care about having a communal, family-oriented gathering with like-minded friends who share common ideas and beliefs. Strategizing the mine field of Hollywood Boulevard is nothing when we pass holders consider what will be shared at the end of a trek to the Egyptian or back up the boulevard to the Chinese. Walk, Don’t Run the next time an opportunity is offered to be with friends from all over the world who want to share experiences like the annual spring convention on Hollywood, Boulevard.

The world premiere screening of Scandal:The Trial Of Mary Astor saw Host Gary Freedman and Director Alexa Foreman wistful as they remembered their good friend Robert Osborne ….

Java jaunt before Stage Door’s screening at The Egyptian…

Director Sean Cameron showing some pass holder passion….

And there’s always the thrill of the Hand and Footprint Ceremony at the TCL Chinese Forecourt…

Academy-Award Winner Cicely Tyson waits for her moment in the hand and footprint sunshine with director, actor, and producer Tyler Perry….

Cicely Tyson listens to fans and photogs shouting “hurrahs” as she takes time to make it right…

Closing night party huzzahs in Club TCM…. and spilling into the lobby…

Marion Davies’ biographer and fest presenter Lara Fowler with credentialed media Kristin Sales…

Canada’s Heather Dagorne, The Bay Area’s Miss Paula, and Minnesota’s Vickie “Vickster” Gleason…

Christy with Disney historian and author J.B. Kaufman….

PR gal Kelly Kitchens, Susan Godfrey, and Minnesota’s Vickie Gleason…

Everybody had to have their photo op with Sheryl Birkner…

Classic Movie Hub’s AnnMarie Gatti and cousin Doreen…

Theresa Brown, Sam Mahin, and Ana Eire…

Mark Wickersham, Kelly Kitchens Wickersham and Lawrence Kaplowitz…

TCM’s Dennis Millay and jet-setting fangirl Jackie Brady….

Authors Sloan De Forest, Must See Sci-Fi, and Jeremy Arnold, The Essentials- 52 Must See Movies. Warner’s new book about Christmas-themed films comes out soon …

Director Alexa Foreman and Dan from Florida…

Jocelyn Dunphy and good friend Lenore K…

Jasmine, Alan and Chris…

Diana Panda and yours truly…

Two Laura’s, one Mike, and one Jasmine…

Aurora Bugallo and Kaci Kielmar bookend a happy couple…

Larry and Monika Henreid dining in style…

Larry’s Brigade, almost all pals from The TCM Message Boards, The Silver Screen Oasis, and the first fest in 2010…

Beautiful Diane Baker….

Journeys in Classic Film’s Kristen Lopez and Christy….

Selfie with Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Jeff Lundenberger, Christy, and Jeff Tambor of Larry Edmunds Bookshop …

Kelly Brady and Miss Paula….

With the ever kinetic Jack Fields…

Wendy Mahaffey and Heather Dagorne ready for next year…

Well, the party’s over for 2018. Pretty soon we’ll be partying like it’s 2019!

TCM FILM FESTIVAL PASS HISTORY—A few updates….

I had a few moments to update an earlier article concerning the TCM Film Festival, pass history, and updates for annoucnements, special guests, and films.

This is not a comprehensive list, and there may be errors, but it’s definitely a loose guideline timeline, and accompanying photos are not necessarily linked by the years in which they were initially created.

2010        2010         2010         2010        2010          2010           2010           2010             

The First TCM Film Festival was originally announced on September 9, 2009.

With Mrs. Peter Fonda, the man himself, Shirlee Fonda, and Robert Wolders on April 27, 2013….

Pass sales began 11-18, early incentive of $100 discount if passed purchased before 12-18 -2010

Films announced March 9, 2010.

Panel topics and panel guests March 18, 2010.

Christopher Plummer in 2015….

Spotlight Pass Contest began in March ….

Spotlight Passes sold out on February 18

Behind the scenes with Robert Osborne at the Hand and Footprint ceremony for Jerry Lewis in 2014….

2011      2011       2011        2011       2011      2011       2011       2011     2011       

Tippi Hedren and The Birds, selected films announcement on 12-11-2010

Film updates on 12-20-2010

Film festival update on 1-31-11

Social media fans with TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in 2014….

2012      2012     2012      2012     2012     2012    2012    2012    2012     2012   

Film update on 1-31

Kim Novak announcement 3-6

Film and Special Guest updates on 3-8

Panel updates 3-19

Richard Lewis, Jerry Lewis, Illeana Douglas and celebrity fan crack smiles in 2014…

2013      2013      2013     2013       2013     2013      2013      2013     2013      2013         

Dates announced 10-10-2012

Spotlight Passes sold out on November 16

(Earliest on record and one day after sales began.)

Films and panels update on 1-17-14 Special Guests announcement on 4-17-13

Social media fans with TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz in 2012,,,,,

2014     2014      2014    2014    2014    2014     2014     2014     2014     2014    2014   The 20TH Anniversary Party!

Dates announced on October 2, 2013.

Festival promo video released on 10-2-2013

Quincy Jones announcement on 12-5-2013

Oklahoma! and Special Guests announced on 2-13-2013

Maureen O’Hara and other special guests announced on 2-5-13  Classic passes sold out before the festival.   Gone With The Wind, Why Worry? and The Wizard of Oz announced as screenings on 10-29

Essential passes sold out on 11-4-2013

Panel updates on Thursday, 3-13-2014 

  

Popular Bay Area fan Paula, Mr. Osborne’s first cousin Susan, and Senior TCM researcher Alexa Foreman prior to Robert Osborne’s surprise tribute in 2014…

2015      2015    2015     2015     2015    2015   2015    2015    2015    

TCM’s Scott McGee visits the Hollywood Time Machine on 9-27-14 and announces that a festival update is coming “soon.”

Hollywood Roosevelt sold out on 10-2-14

Announcement of festival theme and 4 Restorations coming to the festival on 11-4-14

Pass sales begin on 11-11-14

Upates on 3-13-15

Kim Novak and TCM Host Robert Osborne at the closing night party in Club TCM 2012…

2016?             2016?               2016?               2016?

Dates announced for TCMFF 2016 on Wednesday, August 28 for April 28-May 1

(The earliest announcement date of record.)

And we are all anxiously awaiting updates for the coming  year’s celebrations. Update: ESSENTIAL AND SPOTLIGHT PASSES SOLD OUT AT THE CITIBANK PRESALE ON 11-17-2015.

See you in 2016!

Actor Glenn Taranto chosen as TCM Guest Programmer for April 9

Actor Glenn Taranto is one of the 20 guest programmers selected from TCM’s Ultimate Fan Video contest, and will be introducing “Went The Day Well?,” a film released in 1942 concerning the occupation of an English village by disguised German paratroopers planning a secret invasion. Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti and produced by Ealing Studios in Great Britain, Went The Day Well? is a premiere film on the Turner Classic Movies channel. Director Cavalcanti is also known for They Made Me A Fugitive (1947) with Trevor Howard and Affairs of a Rogue (1948) with Jean Pierre-Aumont. Taranto selected Went the Day Well? for his guest programming choice after critic Leonard Maltin personally recommended it to him at the 2011 Turner Classic Film Festival. Taranto believes in the power of the film because “60 years after the fact, it still relates to Flight 91 that went down in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on 9/11.”

As Gomez Addams in “The New Addams Family”…

In an exclusive Examiner interview, Taranto revealed that it was “a whirlwind 48 hours in Atlanta. I arrived late Sunday, and went straight to the ‘W’ hotel, checked into my room, which had been generously provided by TCM, and then I had just enough time to change my clothes, freshen up, and head back to the lobby where all the other fan programmers were preparing to leave for a ‘meet and greet’ with TCM host Robert Osborne on the TCM set in Turner Studios.”

Taranto and some of his fans after a performance of The Donovan Affair at the Turner Classic Film Festival 2014 in The Egyptian…

Socializing on the set with Osborne and the other 19 guest programmers was energizing, and Taranto claims that “the excitement was palpable. I don’t think any of us could really believe we were going to be hosting a movie with Robert Osborne.” The ‘meet and greet’ also afforded the guest programmers to see the actual “big red chairs” that are employed when Osborne and his special celebrity hosts introduce classic films. Taranto was thrilled when he found out that each guest programmer would be photographed sitting in the famously iconic chairs

The photo on the wall in the background of the set that viewers often glimpse is actually an image of Colfax, Washington, Osborne’s hometown, according to Taranto. One of the fan programmers is Officer Byrd from Judge Judy’s court, whom Taranto claims “is a great guy. Byrd is nothing like he seems in the court room because he’s very friendly, likes to joke, and is always doing voices.”

Taranto on set ….

Visiting with Osborne was also a memorable moment for Taranto who was also surprised at the lovely gifts presented to each programmer like a canvas bag that had an autographed copy of Robert Osborne’s latest book, 85 Years of the Oscar, a beautiful fleece blanket, a leather-bound journal, and a coffee mug all of which are embossed with the TCM logo.

Taranto was with the group whose first day included a tour of Atlanta and its environs, and he enjoyed visiting the Atlanta Aquarium, the Coca-Cola Museum, and the home where Margaret Mitchell lived when she wrote Gone With The Wind. All programmers were treated to a formal dinner at Olmsted with all the TCM staff.
Taranto’s presentation of Went The Day Well? will air on Wednesday, April 9, at midnight EST, and 9 p.m. PFT on Turner Classic Movies.
Brenna and Brittany interview Glenn Taranto (1999): http://www.lkessler.com/addgtint.shtml

©

TCM Ultimate Fan Videos and Selected Guest Programmers

TCM ULTIMATE FAN VIDEOS OF SELECTED GUEST PROGRAMMERS

TCM’s 20th Anniversary Guest Programmers…

TCM’s Ultimate Fan Video Contest was definitely a success this year with more than 300 entries from all over the United States. The 90 seconds (or less) videos had to follow the strict rules discussed on the contest website, and entrants had from October 1st to October 31st to create their own Ultimate Fan Videos. Some videos of winning programmers no longer have valid links in the TCM Ultimate Fan Video Gallery, but some are still accessible, and have been included here:

Steve Hayes, from New York, N.Y., entered his fan video supporting Kings’ Row, but he is co-hosting a different film on Monday, April 7, at 1:30 a.m. It’s 1954’s Them! : http://fancontest.tcm.com/Entries/view/177/sort:entry_vote_count/direction:dir
Hayes also has a popular Youtube series: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VuH8bMCpLxo

Onalee McGraw, from Front Royal, Virginia, chose 1957’s 12 Angry Men, and will be introducing it during her Guest Programming spot in the TCM limelight at 1:45 a.m. on Wednesday, April 9: http://fancontest.tcm.com/Entries/view/311/sort:entry_vote_count/direction:dir

Robert Best, of Los Angeles, California, chose The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for his Ultimate Fan Video, and it’s also the same film he will introduce with Robert Osborne at 2:15 a.m. on Thursday, April 10: http://fancontest.tcm.com/Entries/view/270/sort:entry_vote_count/direction:dir

On midnight, April 11, Alberto Ferreras will host his favorite film, and the subject of his Ultimate Fan Video, Nights of Cabiria: http://fancontest.tcm.com/Entries/view/273/sort:entry_vote_count/direction:dir

Actor Glenn Taranto performed in The Donovan Affair at the Turner Classic Film Festival 2014…

Glenn Taranto, from Culver City, California, chose Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein for his Ultimate Fan Video, but he will introduce a TCM premiere, Went the Day Well (1942) another of Taranto’s favorites, at midnight on Wednesday, April 9. Turner Classic Film Festival pass holders might remember Taranto as he appeared at last year’s festival in the popular production of The Donovan Affair. His video is characterized by a busy street scene in LA: http://fancontest.tcm.com/entries/view/91/sort:entry_vote_count/direction:dir

TCM’s Ultimate Fan Video Grand Prize Winner on the TCMFF Red Carpet in a lovely vintage gown after her big win…
TCM Ultimate Fan Video winner Tiffany Vasquez hails from New, York, N.Y., and chose The Naked City for the subject of her entry video, filmed in black and white. Vasquez will be the first Guest Programmer featured on Monday, April 7th, at 8 p.m.: http://fancontest.tcm.com/Entries/view/84/sort:entry_vote_count/direction:dir
Comments on the contest announcement page discussed the contest entrants and Tiffany’s award-winning video: “Judges were impressed with Tiffany’s content, staging and creative use of effects, which resulted in the video looking like the movie she discussed. As the grand prize winner, Tiffany will have the opportunity to co-host a film on air with TCM host Robert Osborne, as well as introduce a film at the TCM Classic Film Festival in April 2014. The response to this contest was tremendous, and the panel of judges was thrilled to see the passion and creativity of TCM fans. Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to Tiffany!”

Tiffany receives an all-expense paid trip to the Turner Classic Film Festival 2014 for her efforts. Congratulatons!

UPDATED FILM LIST SELECTIONS FOR THE TCM ULTIMATE FAN CONTEST: https://suesueapplegate.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/updated-film-title-list-for-the-tcm-ultimate-fan-contest/
THE FIRST 15 GUEST PROGRAMMERS: https://suesueapplegate.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/the-first-15-tcm-guest-programmers/
ULTIMATE FAN VIDEO POPULAR FILMS LIST: https://suesueapplegate.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/updated-film-title-list-for-the-tcm-ultimate-fan-contest/
GUEST PROGRAMMER SCHEDULE AND TCM PRESS RELEASE, 1-31-2014: http://news.turner.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=6618
OFFICIAL RULES: http://fancontest.tcm.com/pages/rules
TCM ULTIMATE FAN VIDEO GALLERY: http://fancontest.tcm.com/entries

©

2009: The First 15 TCM Guest Programmers

PART OF THE ORIGINAL PUBLICITY RELEASE…

Release Date: 1/7/2009

Turner Classic Movies Welcomes 15 of the Network’s Biggest Fans As Guest Programmers for Special 15th Anniversary Event

Some of TCM’s Biggest Fans from Around the Country to Introduce Memorable Movies

Guest Spots with TCM Host Robert Osborne to Air When the Network Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary in April 2009

To celebrate the network’s 15th Anniversary in April 2009, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has selected some of its biggest fans from around the country to serve as Guest Programmers. Each fan will join TCM host Robert Osborne to introduce a movie chosen from TCM’s unparalleled library of films, with titles including such popular fare as Gone with the Wind (1939), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), The Maltese Falcon (1941) and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), as well as lesser-known gems like So Long at the Fair (1950) and Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980).

The fans include people of all ages, from a 14-year-old who loves classic films and a 27-year-old working for the Austin Film Society to a 51-year-old who works in historical preservation in Las Vegas and a 69-year-old who was chosen because of his frequent contributions to TCM’s online message boards. The special event will mark the first time TCM has invited a group of everyday viewers to appear on-air with Osborne.

“TCM has a special relationship with its great fans. For our 15th anniversary, we wanted to do something unique and give a few of them the chance to share their love of the movies with all TCM viewers,” said Charles Tabesh, senior vice president of programming for TCM. “This special Guest Programmer celebration is our way of saying thanks to the movie lovers who make TCM what it is – not just a network, but a community of people who are devoted to classic cinema.”

The following is an alphabetical listing of the fans serving as Guest Programmers for TCM’s 15th Anniversary.

Peter Bosch, Hollywood, Calif.
Film: Those Lips, Those Eyes (1980)

Theresa Brown, New York
Film: The Letter (1940)

Joe Buonocore, Deltona, Fla.
Film: Double Indemnity (1944)

Juan Castro, Northridge, Calif.
Film: Swing Time (1936)

Monica Elliott, Atlanta
Film: The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Lani Golstab, Austin, Texas
Film: Grand Illusion (1937)

Philip Himberg, Santa Monica, Calif.
Film: So Long at the Fair (1950)

Jeff Hoyak, Pequannock, N.Y.
Film: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Kyle Kersten, Los Angeles
Film: Meet John Doe (1941)

April Lane, New York
Film: Gone with the Wind (1939)

Jay Looker, Sedona, Ariz.
Film: Silk Stockings (1957)

Rome Mendheim, North Hollywood, Calif.
Film: Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)

Lisa Mordente, Nanuet, N.Y.
Film: Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Anna Seager, Salisbury, Md.
Film: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Lynn Zook, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
Film: She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

All the Guest Programmers gather on the set for a cocktail party. TCM Message Boards members Cinemaven, lzcutter, Filmlover, Mongo, Miss Goddess, and the late Kyle Kersten are also featured in this photo taken at the celebration on the Atlanta set of TCM in 2009.

When will we learn about the new crop of 20 Guest Programmers who will grace the stage with Robert Osborne for their own personal moment in the TCM fun? Celebrating 20 years of TCM is definitely an honor, and more information will be shared in the coming months. I can’t wait!

Here’s an article about the first 15: http://www.accessatlanta.com/news/entertainment/celebrity-news/tcm-invites-guests-for-anniversary-celebration/nQybf/

And another: http://www.tcm.com/this-month/article/236714%7C0/TCM-15th-Anniversary.html

The TCM Message Boards Thread devoted to the Guest Programmers: http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?threadID=140648&tstart=0&messageID=8214640#8214640

A Partial list of Guest Programmers from 2005 -2012: http://www.robertosborne.com/content/guestProgrammer.html

A discussion from 2009 on The Silver Screen Oasis about the first 14: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3004&start=0

Part 2: In The TCM Studio….

My day in the studio at Turner Broadcasting in Atlanta was so much fun, and I was introduced to so many folks who have been integral to the success of the Atlanta productions for Turner Classic Movies. Many of the employees featured in my article often travel to L.A. to assist with the Turner Classic Film Festival every year.

Whenever the 20 Guest Programmers visit Atlanta to appear with Robert Osborne, they might meet some of these media industry professionals like …

Camera Operator Pam Ritzie, who was trained in the arts, enjoys being one of the few women hired as camera operators in the film industry, and loves working at TCM in Turner Studios…

The unmistakable allure of the dish garden provides services to over 100 branded channels in 30 languages beaming to 200 countries..

The Turner Studios wall of fame…
 
One of the many mini-homages to Ted Turner on the Turner History Retrospective outside one of the studios…

Ted Turner’s duplicate Hollywood Walk of Fame star in front of his former studios. (The original is located at 7000 Hollywood Blvd.)

Nick Berry, Lighting Assistant, was very busy, but stopped for a quick photo op…

Lighting Director Thomas Branch was so funny, and was very personable…

Production Assistant Jacob Griswell and Key Grip Roger Sherer were happy to smile for the camera. Both Jacob and Roger have multiple responsibilities and are constantly engaged in the production…

Part of the research library for the on-air wraparaounds…

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a photo with cute Peter McIntosh, whose official title is Utility Grip, but he did give me a copy of a lovely magazine, and one of his photos graces the cover.  Peter is the Staff Photographer at Georgia Mountain Laurel, which highlights entertainment, business and all subjects concerning travel to the exciting state of Georgia.

I also was lucky enough to visit with Senior Production Manager and Assistant Director Anne Wilson, and Sandi Winslow, who is in charge of the Teleprompter, but unfortunately didn’t have any photos of these lovely ladies.

Adorable Art Director Marty Kelly and Senior Research Whiz Alexa Foreman are good friends…

Alexa Foreman and Robert Osborne at Turner Studios during Foreman’s interview before a screening of one of her favorite films, The Last of Sheila. (Photo courtesy of TCM)

And what does Ben Mankiewicz think about those Oakland A’s this year?
Follow the link to find out: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XIEL7w-D3JE
(Photographed by Peter McIntosh)

My many thanks to the wonderful TCM Staff at Turner Studios, Senior Researcher Alexa Foreman and Host Ben Mankiewicz.

Contact Senior Researcher Alexa Foreman at ASK ALEXA on The Silver Screen Oasis, a website for fans of classic film, here: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6338&start=60
Contact Peter McIntosh at McIntosh Mountains Photography: http://www.mcintoshmountains.com

TCM FESTIVAL 2010 Guest Juanita Moore Passes Away…

2010 Turner Classic Film Festival Guest Juanita Moore has passed away at the age of 99. Here’s a link to the initial ABC News Report: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/t/story/juanita-moore-oscar-nominated-actress-dead-99-21393848?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F

TCM’s Facebook page shared this link on January 2: http://variety.com/2014/film/news/juanita-moore-oscar-nommed-for-imitation-of-life-dies-at-99-1201018950/

Juanita Moore, Robert Osborne, and Susan Kohner

Moore graced the stage of the Egyptian Theatre for a discussion of Douglas Sirk’s Imitation of Life with Susan Kohner as “Grace Under Pressure” host Robert Osborne fielded some surprising responses from Moore, who received a standing ovation from the appreciative crowd.

Both Moore and Kohner revealed many behind-the-scenes anecdotes at the 3:30 screening of the Lana Turner vehicle on Friday, April 23, of the 2010 festival. Audiences ignored the critics of 1959’s Imitation of Life to make it Universal’s most financially successful feature at that time. After the screening, Moore’s step-grandson, actor Kirk Kelly Kahn, stated that he was working on a documentary of her life. Kahn is currently president and CEO of the Cambridge Players.

TCM Message Boards member Countess DeLave was seated next to Miss Moore during the Gala Premiere screening of A Star is Born, and recalls that her conversations with the actress were a delight because “Miss Moore was cheerful, kind, and had a very positive outlook on life.”

Rest in Peace, Dear Miss Juanita Moore.