The Great Peter Green

Peter Green, co-founder of Fleetwood Mac and legendary guitarist and songwriter, died today, July 25 2020, at the age of 73.

Peter Green was born Peter Allen Greenbaum in Bethel Green, London on October 29 1946. By the time Peter Green was eleven, his older brother Mike had taught him some guitar chords. Peter Green progressed so quickly that he was able to teach himself guitar. By age fifteen he was playing professionally. He played bass guitar for a band called Bobby Dennis and the Dominoes and then a rhythm and blues band called The Muskrats and another band called The Tridents. In October 1965 Peter Green substituted for Eric Clapton John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers for four performance dates. In late 1965 the joined Peter Bardens's band Peter B's Looners, where he met drummer Mick Fleetwood. It was while Peter Green was with Peter B's Looners that he first appeared on a recording, Peter B's Looners' instumental cover of the Jimmy Soul song "If You Wanna Be Happy." The single was released in 1966.

It was in July 1966 that Peter Green permanently took Eric Clapton's place as lead guitarist in John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers. He appeared on the John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers album  A Hard Road (1967), which featured two of his original compositions: "The Same Way" and "The Supernatural." He also appeared on their albums Crusade (1967) and Bare Wires (1968). It was in 1967 that he left John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers to form his own band.

In July 1967 Peter Green founded Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac featuring Jeremy Spencer with Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, and Jeremy Spencer. The name was soon shortened to Fleetwood Mac. Their self-titled, debut album was released on February 24 1968. While none of their initial singles charted, their first album, Fleetwood Mac, went to no. 4 on the UK album chart. With Fleetwood Mac, Peter Green soon established himself as a songwriter as well as a guitarist. His song "Black Magic Woman" went to no. 37 on the UK singles chart and was later covered by Santana. The instrumental "Albatross" went to no. 1 on the UK singles chart and charted in other countries as well. His song "Man of the World" went to no. 2 on the UK singles chart and also charted in other countries. The single "Green Manalishi (with the Two-Pronged Crown)" went to no. 10 on the UK singles chart and went to no. 16 in Germany, no 14 in Ireland, and no. 6 in the Netherlands. It would later be covered by Judas Priest.

Fleetwood Mac's albums with Peter Green also did very well. Mr. Wonderful went to no. 10 on the UK album chart. English Rose was a compilation album released only in the United States and became the first to chart in the US, peaking at no. 184 on the Billboard pop album chart. Then Play On went to no. 6 on the UK album chart and no. 109 on the Billboard album chart.

Unfortunately, while Fleetwood Mac was experiencing a good deal of success, Peter Green's mental state began to degenerate. He ultimately left the band after one last performance on May 20 1970. His first solo album, The End of the Game, was released in December 1970. He would fill in for Jeremy Spencer with Fleetwood Mac after the had left the band, performing under the name "Peter Blue" and allowing them to complete a 1971 tour of the US. Unfortunately, Peter Green's mental health also continued to decline. Eventually he was diagnosed as having schizophrenia and spent time in various mental hospitals. It was not until the end of the decade that Peter Green would begin to re-emerge professionally.

His second solo album, In the Skies, was released in May 1979. It would be followed by the solo albums Little Dreamer (1980), Whatcha Gonna Do? (1981), White Sky (1982), and Kolors (1983). He contributed to Katmandu's album A Case for the Blues (1984). In the mid to late Eighties Peter Green once more faded back into semi-obscurity.

He re-emerged in the late Nineties when he formed The Peter Green Splinter Group. Their first, self-titled album was released in 1997. It would be followed by seven more albums from 1998 to 2003. He took another break, but resumed touring in 2009, performing as Peter Green and Friends.

Although he might not be as well known as some of his contemporaries today, Peter Green ranks among the greatest guitarists of all time. His style was informed by such blues legends as Robert Johnson and Elmore James. He often used minor chords, that not only gave his music an ominous sound, but also set him apart from such guitarist as Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. Peter Green was also known for his use of vibrato and string bending. B. B. King himself once said of Mr. Green, "He has the sweetest tone I ever heard; he was the only one who gave me the cold sweats."

Of course, beyond being a virtuoso at guitar, Peter Green was also an incredible songwriter. His songs would be covered multiple times by other artists. "Black Magic Woman" was covered by Santana. "The Green Manalishi (with a Two-Pronged Crown)" was covered by Judas Priest. Both Justin Hayward and Ian Anderson would later cover "Man of the World." His song "Oh Well" would be covered multiple times, by artists ranging from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to Ratt. Peter Green's songs were always distinctive, featuring not only sophisticated music, but sophisticated lyrics as well. He would have a lasting impact on rock music, and there is every reason he should be better known.

"Let Me" by Paul Revere & The Raiders

This week has been a long and trying one for me, so tonight I don't find myself up to a full blog post. This Wednesday I rewatched Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood (2019). The movie makes extensive use of the music of Paul Revere & The Raiders, so naturally I have Paul Revere & The Raiders songs stuck in my head. The song "Let Me" does not appear in the movie, although given it was released in 1969 (the year when most of Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood is mostly set), it could have. The song was released on April 22 1969 and entered the Billboard Hot 100 on May 17 1969.  It peaked at no. 20 on July 5 1969.

Here is clip of Paul Revere & The Raiders from 1969 performing "Let Me" on the German show Beat Club.

The Alternate Reality of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Anyone who has seen Once Upon a Time in Hollywood knows that it is set in an alternate reality and that it is set in the same universe as Quentin Tarantino's other movies. There is one big event in the film that makes it clear that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is set a universe other than our own, but even before that event is clear that it is not our reality. Furthermore, the differences between our reality and the one in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood go well beyond the fact that a show named Bounty Law starring an actor named Rick Dalton never aired here. Anyway, if you haven't seen Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, I have to warn you: there will be some minor spoilers here.

Some Shows Had Longer Runs in the Reality of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Than They Did Here: Early in the film, actor Rick Dalton (played by Leonardo DiCaprio) meets with his new agent, Marvin Schwarz (played by Al Pacino) in February 1969. In discussing the state of Rick's career, Schwarz brings up many of the actor's guest appearances on television shows on which Rick played the heavy. Of course, because he plays the heavy Rick is always defeated at the end of the episode. Schwarz then references various shows on which Rick could also play the heavy and get his butt kicked.

Curiously, of the shows Schwarz references, only two actually aired in the 1968-1969 season in our reality. One of these is The Wild Wild West. Now The Wild Wild West was cancelled by CBS in mid-February 1969 as a scapegoat in the then current outcry over television violence. That having been said, the meeting may have taken place before the cancellation or Schwarz may not have heard the show had been cancelled. The other show that was still on the air in our reality was Mannix. Mannix was then in its second season and doing respectably well. It ranked no. 30 in the Nielsen ratings for the season.

Beyond The Wild Wild West and Mannix, Schwarz names one show that never aired in our reality (more on that later) and several shows that had ended their network runs well before February 1969. Now Marvin Schwarz may not be the best agent in Hollywood, but he is probably well aware of what TV shows are still in production. It would seem that some shows that ended their runs in our world before the 1968-1969 season continued in Tarantino's universe. The first of these is Tarzan, on which Ron Ely played the title role. Tarzan debuted  in 1966 on NBC and ran two seasons. It aired its last new episode on April 5 1968. Never particularly a hit in the ratings, one can only assume it did better in the ratings in the Quentin Tarantino universe.

The second show that Schwarz mentions that did not air in the 1968-1969 season in our reality is The Man From U.N.C.L.E. It had been the smash hit of the 1964-1965 and something of a cult phenomenon. Unfortunately, in its third season The Man From U.N.C.L.E. took a turn towards camp that was probably responsible for a dramatic drop in its ratings. The Man From U.N.C.L.E. then ended its run on January 15 1968. In Quentin Tarantino's reality one can only assume that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. never took a turn towards camp in its third season and so it continued to get solid ratings or somehow it recovered in the ratings with its fourth season. Either way, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. apparently had a fifth season in the Tarantino universe. Schwarz also mentions The Man From U.N.C.L.E.'s spinoff The Girl From U.N.C.L.E. Never a hit in our reality, it apparently did better in Tarantino's reality.

The final show that Schwarz mentions that went off the air in the 1968-1969 season in our reality was one of the biggest hits not only of the Sixties, but of all time. Batman debuted on ABC on January 12 1966 and immediately became a phenomenon. Stores could not keep Batman merchandise in stock. Unfortunately, its ratings dipped in its second season. Batman was renewed for a third season, but with some changes to the show. Originally airing twice a week, ABC cut the show back to once a week. The character of Batgirl (played by Yvonne Craig) was also added to the show. Unfortunately its ratings did not recover and ABC ultimately cancelled the show. It last aired on ABC on March 14 1968.

Now, unlike Tarzan and The Man From U.N.C.L.E., there was a possibility that Batman could have continued in our universe. Following its cancellation on ABC, NBC offered to pick up Batman for a fourth season. Unfortunately, the extremely expensive Batcave set had already been torn down and as a result NBC decided not to pick the show up. It seems likely that in Quentin Tarantino's universe that NBC made the offer to pick Batman up before sets had been torn down and as a result the show had a fourth season.

There Was Another Show Besides Bounty Law That Did Not Air in Our Reality: Central to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is the fact that Rick Dalton played bounty hunter Jake Cahill on the hit TV show Bounty Law. While people in our reality have compared Bounty Law to the hit show Wanted Dead or Alive, there is one significant difference between the two shows beyond the fact that Bounty Law was a Screen Gems production aired on NBC and Wanted Dead or Alive was a Four Star Television production that aired on CBS. Quite simply, while Josh Randall on Wanted Dead or Alive tried to bring his bounties in alive, Jake Cahill simply killed them (in a clip from the show, Jake says, "Amateurs try to bring men in alive. Amateurs usually don't make it.").  We can be assured that Wanted Dead or Alive aired in Quentin Tarantino's universe by the fact that Steve McQueen is a major star there.

That having been said, in his meeting with Rick Dalton, Marvin Schwarz mentions a show that aired in Quentin Tarantino's reality that starred an actor who doesn't exist in our reality. The show is Bingo Martin, which starred "new guy" Scott Brown. Unfortunately, we don't know much more about Bingo Martin beyond the fact that it starred Scott Brown and Rick guest starred on the show as a villain. From the filmography Quentin Tarantino created for Rick Dalton, we do know the show debuted in 1967. Given the 1967-1968 season saw the debut of several Westerns (The High Chaparral, The Guns of Will Sonnett, and so on) and crime shows (Ironside, Mannix), it seems possible that Bingo Martin was either a Western or a detective show.

Some Shows That Aired Here May Not Have Aired in the Tarantino Reality or, At Least, in Different Time Slots: Promos for Bounty Law establish that it aired at 8:30 PM Eastern on Thursday on NBC. Of course, it is possible it aired in different time slots during its run, as NBC had a habit of moving its shows around in the Fifties and Sixties. That having been said, both a promo at the start of the show and later promo material in the movie seem to hint that Bounty Law occupied that time slot during its entire run.

According to the filmography Quentin Tarantino created for the show, it ran from 1959 to 1963, and ended its run only because Rick Dalton wanted a film career. Of course, different shows aired in that time slot in our reality, meaning these shows did not air in Tarantino's reality or aired in a different time slot, perhaps even on a different network. The first of these was Johnny Staccato, starring John Cassavetes. It was a detective show which made extensive use of jazz music. It debuted on September 10 1959 and ran only one season.

In the 1960-1961 season the 8:30 Thursday night time slot on NBC was occupied by Bat Masterson in our reality. Bat Masterson would have then been in its third season. We can only assume that Bat Masterson was cancelled at the end of its second season or that NBC scheduled in a different time slot. In the 1959-1960 season Bat Masterson aired in the 8:00 PM Thursday slot, so it seems possibly that it could have remained there if it was not cancelled in Tarantino's reality. Of course, this would mean that the hour-long Western Outlaws would have to had occupied a different time slot, if it aired at all in the reality of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

It is the 1961-1962 schedule that presents the biggest problem in terms of scheduling. In our reality the smash hit Dr. Klidare aired on NBC in the 8:30 Thursday night time slot. While it is possible that NBC did not pick up Dr. Kildare in the Tarantino reality, it seems likely that it simply aired in a different time slot. Of course, given Bounty Law was a half hour show and Dr. Kildare was an hour-long show, it begs the question as to what aired after Bounty Law.

For what was the final season of Bounty Law, the 1962-1963 season, Dr. Kildare once more occupied the 8:30 Thursday night time slot on NBC in our reality. Again, provided NBC had picked up Dr. Kildare and provided it was a hit, it seems likely it aired in another time slot.

Bruce Lee May Be Different in Tarantino's Reality: One of the big controversies over Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is its portrayal of Bruce Lee. On the set of The Green Hornet, Rick Dalton's sidekick and stuntman Cliff Booth faces off against Bruce Lee. In the scene Bruce Lee is portrayed as a pompous, arrogant egoist who believes that he can beat Cassius Clay (now known as Muhammed Ali). The scene upset not only Bruce Lee fans, but Mr. Lee's daughter Shannon as well. Although certainly confident, from all reports Bruce Lee was a man who deeply cared about people and did not go around picking fights.

Given what I know of Bruce Lee and having been a Bruce Lee fan since childhood, I must admit that initially I was put off by the scene. Like many, I thought it was disrespecting Mr. Lee. That having been said, after I had thought it out, I came to two conclusions. The first is the fact that the scene plays out as a memory/daydream that Cliff has while repairing the television antenna atop Rick Dalton's house The scene is then being told from Cliff's eyes. While Cliff is an easy going guy, he also seems a big overconfident at times. It seems possible then that Cliff was seeing something in Bruce Lee that just wasn't there. It seems possible that Cliff was projecting his own overconfidence onto Bruce Lee. This means that in Quentin Tarantino's reality, Bruce Lee may be the same nice guy that he was in our reality.

The second conclusion is that the reason the Bruce Lee in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is different from the Bruce Lee of our reality is, quite simply, the movie is obviously set in an alternate reality. That people can vary from reality to reality has been well established in books, movies, and television shows. In It's a Wonderful Life, in the reality in which George Bailey was not born, his Uncle Billy is in an insane asylum and his mother is an old, bitter woman. In the mainstream reality of It's a Wonderful Life, Uncle Billy works at the Bailey Building and Loan while Mrs. Bailey is a relatively happy, well-adjusted woman. The differences between characters is even more pronounced in the Star Trek episode "Mirror Mirror." Quite simply, with the possible exception of Spock, every single character is evil. While Bruce Lee was a kind, gentle man in our reality, perhaps in the reality of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Bruce Lee was a pompous jerk.

Of course, here I want to stress that I can understand why Shannon Lee and Bruce Lee's many fans were offended by the scene. I was myself until I thought about it. Even now I wish Quentin Tarantino would have written the scene differently. It seems to me that Bruce Lee and Cliff Booth could have sparred without Mr. Lee looking arrogant and overconfident. I don't think it would be too far from reality to simply have Bruce Lee and Cliff Booth engage in a bit of friendly sparring. In this way Cliff's fighting skills could have been established, while the reality of Bruce Lee as a nice guy would be maintained.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood has been commended for its recreation of Hollywood in 1969, but it is also a movie in which Quentin Tarantino has built his own universe. More so than any of his other films, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a film with a rich reality that serves as a background for its plot. One of the things that I have no doubt that television and movie buffs enjoy about the movie is not just noticing the many pop culture references, but also the ways in which the reality of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood differs from our own.

Peacock: NBCUniversal's New Streaming Service

Yesterday Peacock, the new streaming service ran by NBCUniversal, launched nationwide. It had been available to Xfinity subscribers since April 15 of this year. Peacock is unusual in that it has different tiers of service. The  Free tier allows one to watch a good deal of content for free, although one must sit through commercials to do so. The Premium tier is $5.00 a month and gives the user access to more television shows and movies, including Peacock Original programming. Also, with the Premium tier one does not have to watch commercials.

Now there are some downsides to Peacock. One downside to Peacock  for many is that one cannot watch the service on either Roku or Amazon Fire. Right now Peacock is available on Android, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, iOS, Xbox One, Vizio SmartCast TVs, and LG Smart TV.  It will be available on Playstation 4 some time next week. As might be expected, one can also watch Peacock on their computer using the service's web player. 

Another downside with Peacock is that one cannot download shows and movies to watch later. This is a feature that Amazon Prime and Netflix have long offered, and is also available on such newer streaming services as Disney+ and HBO Max.

Of course, one downside of Peacock is one that it shares with many other streaming services. Quite simply, it can sometimes be hard to find what one wants to watch. Netflix breaks down its library into a wide variety of genres, as does Hulu. HBO Max breaks it library down into the various WarnerMedia properties (that is, DC Comics, HBO, Turner Classic Movies, and so on). In contrast, Peacock breaks down its library into such broad categories as "Free Laughs" and "Timeless Classics." Ultimately, if one wants to find a particular TV show, it might be easier to perform a search or to browse TV shows from A to Z.

While Peacock does as its downsides, it has one big upside. Namely, Peacock has an incredible library of classic NBC shows, Universal shows, and Universal movies to watch. As a classic movie fan who has been consistently been disappointed by the selection of classic films on other streaming services, I was somewhat pleased with the classics Peacock has to offer.  As might be expected, Peacock has a large selection of Universal Monster movies, including Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931),  Werewolf of London (1935), and yet others. Peacock even has a few of the Hammer Horrors to which Universal has the distribution rights, including The Brides of Dracula (1960), The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) and The Evil of Frankenstein (1964). Peacock also has several Alfred Hitchcock movies, including The Birds (1963), Psycho (1960), Rear Window (1954), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), The Trouble with Harry (1955), and others.

Even beyond horror and Hitchcock, Peacock has a good selection of classic movies.  Among the classics available on the service are All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), Charade (1963), Destry Rides Again (1939), Do the Right Thing (1989), Going My Way (1944), Monkey Business (1931), My Man Godfrey (1936), Pillow Talk (1959), Remember the Night (1940), Stella Dallas (1937), and others. In fact, so far the only thing that really disappoints me about Peacock's selection of classic movies is that they are missing a good number of key Abbott and Costello films. Where is Buck Privates (1941)?

Of course, I realise a lot of people will be more interested in the recent movies that Peacock has to offer. In that regard, Peacock's selection is respectable. The service includes such films as American Psycho (2000), the Bourne Trilogy, Jackie (2012), Jurassic Park (2001), Phantom Thread (2017), Ted (2012), The Matrix Trilogy, and others. If there is one complaint to be had about Peacock's recent movies, is that none of them seem to be very recent (nothing from 2018 or 2019 that I could find).

Strangely enough given Peacock is named for NBC's mascot, the streaming service is weaker with regards to TV shows than it is movies. While its selection of classic TV shows is better than many streaming services (especially HBO Max), it could be better. Among the classic shows on Peacock are Airwolf, Alfred Hitchcock Presents/The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, The Carol Burnett Show, Cheers, Columbo, Leave It to Beaver, The Munsters, and The Rockford Files. Conspicuously missing are any of the NBC Mystery Movie shows beyond Columbo (McCloud, MacMillan & Wife, and so on), as well as such classic Revue/Universal Television shows as Adam-12, Ironside, Night Gallery, The Virginian, Wagon Train, and yet others. Strangely enough, while Peacock has both of the McHale's Navy feature films (1964's McHale's Navy and 1965's McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force), they don't have the TV series McHale's Navy itself.

Of course, while Peacock may not have as many classic TV shows as I would like it to have, they do have a rather large selection of TV shows. One can watch most of the USA Network shows, from Monk to Royal Pains to Suits. Similarly, Peacock has most of the NBC shows produced in the 21st Century, including 30 Rock, A.P. Bio, The Blacklist, the various "Chicago" shows, Parks and Recreation, Superstore,  and so on.

Over all Peacock is not a bad streaming service, particularly when compared to similar streaming services such as CBS All Access. If they could make it easier to find TV shows and movies with  sections for various genres, as well as add some classic television shows, I think it would be one of the better streaming services out there. For anyone thinking of subscribing, I would say they should simply go with the Free tier unless they really want to see Peacock's original shows. 

Help Cinema Detroit

If you are a member of TCMParty, the group of Turner Classic Movies fans who live tweet movies on the channel using the hashtag #TCMParty, chances are good that you are familiar with Paula Guthat. Paula co-founded TCMParty in 2011 and remains active in TCMParty to this day. Personally, I count Paula among my closest friends and, in fact, if it had not been for Paula I am convinced that I might not have made it through those dark days following Vanessa's death. Now Paula needs our help.

It was in 2013 that Paula and her husband Tim Guthat founded Cinema Detroit, the only seven day a week arthouse theatre in Greater Detroit. In the past Cinema Detroit has shown movies from classics such as Yellow Submarine (1968) to cult films such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) to big budget, Hollywood blockbusters such as Black Panther (2018). Cinema Detroit is a very important part of its community. It has many loyal patrons who regularly attend the theatre. There are people in the neighbourhoods around Cinema Detroit who  often walk or ride their bicycles in the theatre. Cinema Detroit often has discussions about the films it shows. It provides the people of Greater Detroit with access to independent films they might not be able to see in a theatre otherwise.

Unfortunately, like many brick-and-mortar businesses, the COVID-19 pandemic has made things difficult for Cinema Detroit. While Cinema Detroit has offered movies online through Virtual Cinema Detroit and they are looking into options for drive-in screenings, all of this costs money. All the while, they still have to pay for rent and utilities. If Cinema Detroit is to survive, it needs help from the movie buff community.

To this end, there is the Cinema Detroit Relief Fund at Patronicity. All contributions are tax-deductible. If you are unable to contribute at this time, then please spread the word about the Relief Fund. If you wish to donate to the Cinema Detroit Relief Fund, you can do so here.

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!

The Late Great Ennio Morricone

Ennio Morricone, the prolific composer who scored such movies as the Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) and The Untouchables (1987), died on July 6 2020 at the age of 91.

Ennio Morricone was born on November 10 1928 in Rome. It was his father who taught him to play various instruments and to read music. He attended the National Academy of Saint Cecilia where he studied the trumpet under Umberto Semproni. Already established as a composer and an arranger, Mr. Morricone began his career in film as a ghost writer for well-known composers. His first credited work was The Fascist in 1961.

While Ennio Morricone may be best known to many for his work on Sergio Leone's Spaghetti Westerns, he was extremely versatile and composed scores for films in a number of genres. Among his earliest scores were those for light comedies, including Eighteen in the Sun (1962), The Basilisks (1963), and Menage, Italian Style (1965). He would continue to write scores for comedies throughout his career, including scores for such films as La Cage aux Folles (1978), Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! (1990), Bulworth (1998), and Tutte le Donne della mia Vita (2007).

Mr. Morricone also worked extensively in the genres of drama and action. He wrote scores for such films The Battle of Algiers (1966), Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975). The "Human" Factor (1975), The Mission (1986), Cinema Paradisio (1988), Casualties of War (1989), Bgusy (1991), and The Legend of 1900 (1998). His epic score for The Untouchables was one of six films for which he was nominated for the Oscar for Best Music, Original Score. After being nominated five times, he finally won for an Academy Award for The Hateful Eight (1986). Ennio Morricone composed scores for everything from political thrillers to science fiction movies. He even composed the score for the supervillain movie Danger: Diabolik (1968).

Of course, Ennio Morricone may be best known for his work in Spaghetti Westerns. In fact, among his earliest work was on the Western Gunfight at Red Sands (1963).  He first worked with Sergio Leone on the film A Fistful of Dollars (1964), the first in what is often called "the Dollars Trilogy" or "the Man With No Name Trilogy." Mr. Morricone also scored the next two films in the trilogy, For a Few Dollars More (1965), and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Ennio Morricone's score for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly became particularly well known. In fact, its theme, "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" even reached no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. Ennio Morricone also composed the scores for Sergio Leone's Western Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and Sergio Leone's gangster movie Once Upon a Time in America (1984). Beyond Sergio Leone's Westerns, Ennio Morricone also scored several others, including Navajo Joe (1966), The Big Gundown (1966),.The Mercenary (1968), Guns for San Sebastian (1968), Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), and Duck, You Sucker! (1971).

While many motion picture composers are best known for a particular style, Ennio Morricone utilised a variety of styles throughout his career and worked well with all of them. His score for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly had a contemporary sound that still evoked the Old West. In contrast, his score for The Untouchables was a more traditional score for a Hollywood epic, yet still one that was starkly original. It was not unusual for Mr. Morricone to use multiple styles in one film. His score for Once Upon a Time in America could rightly be described as an epic score that occasionally breaks into Dixieland jazz. Two Mules for Sister Sara included passages that were either serious or comic depending upon the scene. Of course, this is what made Ennio Morricone such a great composer. Mr. Morricone had a gift for being able to create the perfect music for any given scene. As a result, his scores were always a perfect fit for any movie for which he was the composer. If Ennio Morricone numbers among the greatest and most influential movie composers of all time, it is perhaps because he was not only versatile, but instinctively knew the perfect music for any given scene.