The Silver Screen Oasis

This April TCM celebrates its 15th anniversayr and part of that celebration includes some on air cohosting duties by some of our very own.

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. The final schedule for the films will be released at a later date.
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)

How many do you know?

For a link to the release and a tab for pictures see

http://news.turner.com/article_display. ... le_id=4176

Among this elite group come our own Lynn (lzcutter), April (Miss Goddess) and Joe (Mongo). One or two more you will recognize from the TCM group are Peter (filmlover) and Kyle.

Congratulations, guys! I'm jealous...

I'd wondered if they were going to have another guest programmer contest like last year's. If I'd suspected they'd ever do something like this, I might've kept up with my own TCM website account...

One of them mentioned this was not a contest. TCM went looking for this group.

Hope springs eternal.

Congratulations to all the guests - especially our SSO friends. It looks like a great line-up of movies and those chosen ones are speaking well for all of us in appreciation of TCM and classic film.

Thanks guys for all the well-wishes!

As Chris mentioned, there was no contest involved. TCM reached out to us and they made all the decisions and all the arrangements.

We came from all walks of life and from around the country. Some of us came from the message boards and others were chosen from other TCM endeavors but the thing we all shared in common was our love of movies and TCM.

It was an experience I never thought I would have and I look forward to sharing it with all of you!

Well, . . . I'm so happy for all of you, especially our SSO people.

Now, tell us, how do they choose the movies? It must be a very short, restricted list because except for 4 movies, all of them have been either essentials or guest programmer choices time and time again. The four of course are: So Long at the Fair, Grand Illusion, Swing Time, and Those Lips, Those Eyes.

Gee, lzcutter, I can't believe you chose a John Ford movie :!: :!: :!:

Anne

Congratulations!

Golly, MissG, GONE WITH THE WIND? I was really expecting a Samuel Fuller movie.

Anne,

As I understand it each person submitted a list of ten films they would feel comfortable talking about. Out of that list TCM picked the one probably because of availability for each to talk about.

I read somewhere that it will be the week of April 13-17. This means that there will be at least three guests per night.

I wonder if the intros will end up in the TCM media room?

Wow!!!!! This is F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C

Congratulations Lynn, Mongo and MissGoddess!!!

I'm very proud of you all. I wish I'd be able to record all the guest programmers, especially our SSO friends!

Anne,

We were each asked to submit a list of ten favorite films. I'm not sure about the others but it wasn't easy coming up the list.

I had to be careful in my choices because so many of the films remind me in different ways of my dad and the last thing I wanted to do was cry on national tv. So, even though it was at the top of my list, I wrote and said as much as I loved To Kill a Mockingbird and can talk about it till Boo Radley comes out, I didn't think there was any chance I could make it through the taping without crying. Just mentioning the scene when Atticus leaves the courtroom "Miss Jean Louis, stand up, you're daddy's passing" or the scene with Atticus, Scout and Boo and I would have been crying and asking kleenex. I can't even type about it and not start crying.

Most of the films in my top five carried the risk of tearing up but Mockingbird would have been a cry-fest. Luckily, the folks at TCM took pity on me and went with Yellow Ribbon.

Though, I have to say that I was really, really hoping for Liberty Valance. Alas, it was not to be but I got another John Ford film that I love just as much so it all worked out in the end.

Yellow Ribbon was in my top five (I'd be glad to share the other titles with you if y'all are interested.).


As for our choices and the fact that many of the titles have been on TCM before as Essentials or other Guest Programmer choices, for me at least it was what films can I talk about intelligently not only on camera but with Robert Osborne!

I don't know about anybody else but that played a big role in the titles I selected. The last thing I wanted to do (besides cry) was not do a good job. I've discovered that it was one thing to be able to write well about films but another thing to be able to talk as coherently in front of a TV audience about it.

Another thing about the titles that are airing, I think it came down to titles that TCM could easily get or already had access to via their lease agreements. Peter (filmlover)'s choice, Those Lips, Those Eyes I think is the one premiere.

I say that because I think a big part of the budget for the event went for travel and accommodations (and the hotel was killer). They paid not only our airfare but also each of us could bring a guest.

They did a wonderful job of making us feel relaxed and right at home. Everyone we met at TCM enjoys working there. They know that they are the keeper of the cinematic flame (at least on television) and strive to do a good job.

Mr Cutter and I had a wonderful time in Atlanta and part of the fun was getting to meet April and Joe and the others.

Kyle and Peter I already knew because we live in Los Angeles and get together for dinner on occasion. And for the record, I really liked hanging out with them in Atlanta as well.

Sounds like it was a great time. I'll certainly be looking forward to these. It's thrilling to know some folks who'll actually be taking part in this event.

And I'm sure it was difficult to choose just ten films. I imagine I'd have wanted either a screwball comedy (Bringing Up Baby or My Man Godfrey) or a Charles Laughton film (almost any one of them).

Congrats to everyone! I look forward to your insights on the films.

April,

Balderdash, you did great with Robert O. You were funny and true to yourself. You spoke of GWTW from your heart which is what being a Guest Programmer is all about. It's about picking films that matter to you.

And April is right. Robert O is just as kind and warm-hearted in person as he comes across on television. He made every effort to make us all feel comfortable and relaxed. It truly was like talking with a good friend about the film you chose.


Mr A,

I don't know how insightful I will be. I'm with April in barely remembering what I said to Robert O. In my case it wasn't so much that I was nervous but that I kept trying to remember everything I wanted to say and the 30 minutes flew by. I know that there were some things I wanted to say that we didn't get a chance to talk about because most times when people talk about Yellow Ribbon they don't talk about the back story. But we got to talking about Monument Valley and never got to the back story.

Luckily, I've written many a treatise here (and at TCM City) on it so I don't feel so bad!