Saturday, July 11, 2020

TCM Summer Under the Stars 2020

Next month is August, which means one thing for Turner Classic Movies fans: Summer Under the Stars. For those unfamiliar with Summer Under the Stars, it is a month long programming block during which each day is dedicated to the films of one actor. For many TCM fans, it is the most anticipated month of the year. I have to confess that I always look forward to Summer Under the Stars as well, with the one caveat that it means a month without Noir Alley!

This year's Summer Under the Stars sees days dedicated to those major movie stars one would expect, as well as a few actors who don't receive as much attention. August 4 is dedicated to beloved character actor S. Z. Sakall, featuring such films as In the Good Old Summertime (1946) and Christmas in Connecticut (1945). August 7 is Sylvia Sydney's day, with such films as Fury (1936) and Sabotage (1936). Sammy Davis Jr. is honoured on August 11 with such films as Robin and the Seven Hoods (1964), Ocean's 11 (1960), and Sweet Charity (1969). August 21 is dedicated to Diana Dors, including such films as Man Bait (1952) and The Long Haul (1957). August 31 is dedicated to Alain Delon and includes such movies as Red Sun (1971) and Purple Noon (1961).

For the most part I am pleased with the selection of stars they honouring in this year's TCM Summer Under the Stars. I do wish they would have had a day dedicated to Humphrey Bogart, but then he is honoured most  years. As it is I am happy to see days dedicated to Barbara Stanwyck, Rock Hudson, S. Z. Sakall, Ann Miler, Norma Shearer, Sammy Davis Jr., Steve McQueen, Cary Grant, William Powell, Diana Dors, Bette Davis, and Alain Delon.

As might be expected, I do have my opinion as to what movies TCM fans should absolutely try to see this Summer Under the Stars. They are as follows (all times are Central):

August 1, Barbara Stanwyck
7:00 PM Ball of Fire (1941)
9:00 PM Double Indemnity (1944)
11:00 PM Meet John Doe (1941)

August 2, Rock Hudson
7:00 PM Pillow Talk (1959)
11:00 PM Giant (1956)

August 3, Rita Hayworth
5:00 PM Cover Girl (1944)
7:00 The Lady from Shanghai (1948)
9:00 Gilda (1946)

August 4, S. Z. Sakall
7:00 PM In the Good Old Summertime (1946)
9:00 PM Christmas in Connecticut (1945)

August 5, Ann Miller
5:00 AM Room Service (1938)
9:00 PM On the Town (1948)
11:00 PM Kiss Me Kate (1953)
1:00 AM Easter Parade (1948)

August 6, Burt Lancaster
10:15 AM The Crimson Pirate (1952)
7:00 PM Elmer Gantry (1960)

August 7, Sylvia Sydney
3:15 PM Dead End (1937)
5:00 PM Fury (1936)
10:15 Sabotage (1936)

August 8, Charlie Chaplin
8:30 AM The Gold Rush (1925)
8:45 PM Modern Times (1936)

August 10, Norma Shearer
10:45 AM The Divorcee (1930)
7:00 PM The Woman (1939)
11:30 PM The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934)

August 11, Sammy Davis Jr.
2:30 PM Robin Hood and the Seven Hoods (1964)
4:45 PM Ocean's Eleven (1960)
11:30 PM Sweet Charity (1969)

August 12, Lana Turner
11:00 AM The Merry Widow (1952)
3:00 PM The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
7:00 PM Peyton Place (1957)
10:00 PM The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)

August 13, John Barrymore
7:00 PM Grand Hotel (1932)

August 14, Steve McQueen
3:15 PM Bullitt (1968)
7:00 PM The Thomas Crown Affair (1968)
9:00 PM The Great Escape (1963)
12:00 AM Papillon (1973)

August 15, Nina Foch
12:45 PM Scaramouche (1952)
7:00 PM An American in Paris (1951)

August 16, Cary Grant
7:00 AM Topper (1937)
9:00 AM Bringing Up Baby (1937)
10:45 His Girl Friday (1940)
2:45 PM Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
9:00 PM Charade (1963)

August 17, Maureen OHara
1:00 PM At Sword's Point (1951)
7:00 PM The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
9:15 PM Miracle on 35th Street (1947)

August 18, Warren Beatty
5:00 PM Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

August 20, William Powell
8:00 AM The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
11:00 AM The Thin Man (1934)
1:00 PM Another Thin Man (1939)
5:00 PM Libelled Lady (1936)

August 21, Diana Dors
6:45 AM Oliver Twist (1948)
10:30 AM Man Bait (1952)
7:00 PM The Long Haul (1957)

August 22, John Wayne
11:00 PM Angel and the Badman (1947)
1:00 PM 3 Godfathers (1948)
3:00 PM Stagecoach (1939)
1:00 AM The Comancheros (1961)

August 23, Bette Davis
5:00 AM Marked Woman (1937)
9:00 AM The Corn is Green (1945)
11:30 PM What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

August 24, George Raft
7:00 PM They Drive by Night (1940)

August 25, Anne Shirley
10:00 PM Stella Dallas (1937)

August 26, Laurence Olivier
9:30 AM That Hamilton Woman (1941)
11:45 AM Pride and Prejudice (1940)
7:00 PM Wuthering Heights (1939)

August 27, Claudette Colbert
7:00 PM It Happened One Night (1934)
9:00 PM The Egg and I (1947)
11:00 PM The Palm Beach Story (1942)

August 28, Paul Henried
7:00 PM Now, Voyager (1942)
11:00 PM Casablanca (1942)
1:00 AM The Spanish Main (1945)

August 29, Eva Marie Saint
5:00 PM On the Waterfront (1954)
7:00 PM North by Northwest (1959)

August 30, Charlton Heston
8:30 PM The Omega Man (1971)
10:15 AM  The Three Musketeers (1973)
11:145 PM Planet of the Apes (1968)
1:15 AM Soylet Green (1973)

August 31, Alain Delon
1:15 PM Red Sun (1971)
5:00 PM Purple Noon (1961)
10:15 PM Le Samourai

Here I want to stress that the number of films I picked for each day does not reflect how I feel about that day's performer! Bette Davis is one of my favourite actresses, but for some reason this year TCM isn't showing many of my favourite Bette Davis movies (The Letter, The Man Who Came to Dinner, All About Eve, and so on). Anyway, I hope my fellow TCM fans enjoy this year's Summer Under the Stars!

1 comment:

Caftan Woman said...

Thankfully, no Noir Alley doesn't mean no noir.

Your selections highlight the versatility of the performers and a nice look at the history of their careers. That is a lot of the fun of Summer Under the Stars.

On Sylvia Sidney Day do not miss the unique and fascinating You and Me.

I'm still waiting for George Zucco Day! When will we get a George Zucco Day?