TCM Spotlight: Radio Days on Mondays in September 2022

Harold Peary as the
Great Gildersleeve.

The Golden Age of Radio was roughly concurrent with the Golden Age of Hollywood. And there was a good deal of crossover between the media of radio and film. Radio show stars, such as George Burns, Gracie Allen, and Jack Benny appeared in movies. Movie stars, such as Agnes Moorehead and Lionel Barrymore, starred on radio shows. Such radio shows as Lux Radio Theatre, adapted movies as radio plays. In turn, such movies as The Great Gildersleeve (1942) and A Date with Judy (1948), were based on radio shows. It should then come as no surprise that TCM Spotlight is on radio next month on Turner Classic Movies, with movies dealing with radio in some way shape or form airing each Monday.

TCM Spotlight: Radio Days deals with a wide array of movies. Some, such as The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936) features radio show stars. Others, such as The Crime Doctor (1943) and I Love a Mystery (1945), are based on radio shows. Radio plays a prominent role in yet other movies being shown during TCM Spotlight: Radio Days, such as A Christmas Story (1983) and The Hucksters (1947).

My own picks for the movies showing next month include all of the films airing on September 12, all of which are based on radio shows. Among my other picks are You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939), The Road to Singapore (1940), and I Dood It (1943), all of which air on September 5. On September 19 I suggest viewers check out the classics A Christmas Story and A Face in the Crowd (1957). On September 26, The Great Man is worth watching for its historical interest alone (it was inspired by Arthur Godfrey). For the same reason, viewers might want to check out American Hot Wax (1978), based on the life of deejay Alan Freed.

Below is the schedule for TCM Spotlight: Radio Days. All times are Central (I'll have the schedule for Monday, September 26 once it appears on TCM's daily and weekly schedule).

Monday, September 5:
7:00 PM The Big Broadcast of 1937 (1936)
9:00 PM It's in the Bag! (1945)
10:45 PM You Can't Cheat an Honest Man (1939)

Tuesday, September 6:
12:15 PM The Road to Singapore (1940)
2:00 AM The Vagabond Lover (1929)
3:15 AM The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)
5:15 AM I Dood It (1943)

Monday, September 12:
7:00 PM: Crime Doctor (1943)
8:15 PM: I Love a Mystery (1945)
9:45 PM Look Who's Laughing (1941)
11:15 PM The Great Gildersleeve (1942)

Tuesday, September 13:
12:30 AM The Whistler (1944)
1:45 AM A Date with Judy (1948)
3:45 AM Pot O' Gold (1941)

Monday, September 19:
7:00 PM Radio Days (1987)
9:00 PM A Christmas Story (1983)
10:45 PM The Hucksters (1947)

Tuesday, September 20:
1:00 AM A Face in the Crowd (1957)
3:15 AM The Next Voice You Hear (1950)

Monday, September 26:
The Great Man (1957)
My Dream Is Yours (1949)
Whistling in the Dark (1941)
American Hot Wax (1978)
Professional Sweetheart (1933)
Hollywood Party (1934)