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I was in Amsterdam in April and had a couple of "brushes with fame." The first was when my niece & I went on a side trip to Brussels and we were walking through the main square. A crowd of people came toward us and the director John Landis was in the middle of the group. I didn't speak with him but found out later he was there for a film festival. A couple of days later, we went for pizza near Dam Square and while we were waiting for our order, a man was standing there eating a slice and said hello to me. It was Donny Osmond!!! I asked my niece if it was him and she said she thought the guy looked too old. I said "This is not the Donny Osmond of Puppy Love; he's a grandfather." When I got back I was telling my friend and we were laughing about it. About 30 minutes after we got off the phone, she called back and told me that she checked his facebook page & he indeed was in Amsterdam visiting his youngest son who was on a mission trip in Amsterdam for the Mormon church. Frankly, he was the last person I expected to see in Amsterdam.

I learned while on the TCM cruise that they approach a lot of classic stars for Private Screenings but most are reluctant to participate for various reasons. For example, I've been wanting them to do one with Dean Stockwell and the woman said "He is a curmudgeon and doesn't want to talk about his career." However, later this spring, they are going to show an interview Robert Osbourne did with Peter O'Toole last year at the film festival in California. It's not necessarily a private screening but it's very good and O'Toole was a very good interview.

Every time the interstitial with Arlene Dahl gets heavy play in the rotation (usually when a Monroe film is coming up on the schedule) I always think that Dahl was the dumb one in that situation--Monroe was probably just joking. Dahl was trying to make her name around the same time as Monroe was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood, and she was probably a little jealous of the attention Monroe attracted.

If you thought that Jan 12 was bad, I wonder if you caught the trio of Nancy Kwan films on Jan 11, especially Honeymoon Hotel. I couldn't help but wonder if Miss Kwan was embarrassed by those movies. They were insulting to anyone with any intelligence.

I was right--Reagan was Star of the Month February 1995 and March 2009. Summer Under the Stars began in 2003 and he was honored in August 2007.

You can choose to accept this explanation or not, but February is the month TCM salutes the Academy Awards and all films shown from 2/1 through 3/3 are films with Academy Award nominations. Mr. Reagan has been Star of the Month at least once (maybe twice) and a couple of his films are going to be shown in a few days, including John Loves Mary.

> {quote:title=kingrat wrote:}{quote}Hadda, about how many TCM fans were on the cruise, and about what percentage of the ship's passengers did you make up? I'm enjoying hearing about your adventures. You didn't address this to me, but there were about 2,000 passengers and it was a charter cruise so everyone was either a TCM fan or a spouse/family member/friend who went along with them. I ran into several folks who had varying degrees of fandom--from fanatics to casual viewers. One couple I met didn't have cable but saw the ads for it while one of them was in the hospital while watching TCM there. I'll butt out now and let her answer the rest of your question, even though I did meet her at the airport.

> {quote:title=TopBilled wrote:}{quote}You're right. I think the programmers are making some silly mistakes. Example: scheduling THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER for a night in January devoted to Joseph Cotten, when they should've saved it for February and used it as an Oscar picture for Loretta Young's performance. Selfishly, I am glad I only have to wait till January, instead of February, to see it...but I do not associate that film with Joseph Cotten necessarily and I don't think many others do, either. > Even though the movie is about Young's character, Cotten has the 2nd largest role in the film--he's definitely a CO-star of the movie. On a different note, I was surprised to see another Ruth Roman day so soon after her other day. Not that I have anything against her, but it seems out of left field.

I saw Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (while on the TCM Cruise) and Marilyn wears a greenish gold lame dress in one scene. It was a halter top type dress low cut in the back--you only see her from the back while dancing with Charles Coburn. I felt the same way as you when I went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame--I was stunned at how tiny some of the women's stage costume were.

SueSue--I met Hadda & her mom at the airport after the cruise was over. We must have talked an hour about movies & the cruise & everything. Lovely people. Helen

It's about the only Tennessee Williams comedy that I can recollect. Intentional comedy, that is.

Favreau has been an actor and directed mostly independent films but for the last few years has directed both of the Iron Man films, Elf and other high profile big budget films. Edited by: helenbaby on Dec 14, 2011 6:15 AM

When I went to the last screening for The Russians Are Coming, The Russians are Coming, Robert Osborne said that it wasn't official but they were very probably going to have another cruise. It was a whirlwind. I'm still exhausted as well.

Yes those were taken on the night they had Casablanca. Everyone was dressed up, some in 40's garb. There was a dance party by the pool followed by the screening of the film. However, that was the night I watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. I still got dressed up, just not as fancy as some of the people in the pictures. A few people dressed in vintage clothes the whole weekend, and someone told me later at the airport that they attended the film festival in California as well.

Lynn, it was a blast. I was complaining about the films selected prior to going on the trip, but as it turned out I didn't even get a chance to see many of them. There were a lot more screenings of films that I left out and I didn't get to watch Orchestra Wives because it was an outdoor screenings that got canceled due to rain. It was rescheduled for Sunday morning but I didn't read the updated schedule and missed it. All the live music that was played throughout the weekend was just great. Everyone was having so much fun and it was like one big happy family. I stayed very busy except for the day I got deathly ill in Cozumel. I didn't take appropriate action re: the hot weather and got dehydrated. It took a few hours to recover causing me to miss a few things. I forgot to mention that a couple of the dancers from Dancing with the Stars attended as well, giving dance demonstrations & lessons (Louis Van Amstel & Chelsie Hightower.) I was familiar with them, even though I've only seen that show a few times. Van Amstel is quite tiny. I was surprised how tall RO is. I was expecting him to be a little guy like Ben & Tom. I got my picture made with Ben & Tom--I was in hog heaven. I can see why those who've attended the Hollywood festivals are so protective of the brand, because TCM really, really care about their viewers and you find that out when you get to talk to people involved with the channel. Besides some of the sci fi & retro TV conventions, I can't think of anyone who could care as much about their fans. So when the complaining starts, I'll be rolling my eyes because I definitely know they are just talking through their, er, hats. I will go on the next cruise, definitely, and in 2013 will try to make it to Hollywood. I met the Jerry to my Charlotte but he just didn't know it. I won't go any further because it was really just a fantasy in my mind, but he was really cute. I was crushing big time. :x

I forgot to add, I met a couple of semi famous people who attended as fans. Nancy Giles, who does some feature stories on CBS Sunday Morning was on the cruise with a friend and was so very nice. And a person I was very surprised to see was political consultant Frank Luntz, who I think might be a friend of Wink Martindale because he was at trivia with him and his wife.

Just got home from the first TCM Cruise and had a fabulous time. The people from Sixthman & TCM couldn't have been nicer, even when I made a faux pas with the first TCM person I met by complaining about North by Northwest. However, it got better from there. The cruise started with a glass of champagne when boarding the ship, and after the life boat drill the poolside party commenced, with big band music and all the special guests in attendance. After introductions and the guests left the stage I was lucky enough to be standing right by where they were exiting so I got a lot of really good pictures except for Tippi Hedren who came up on me so fast my pic didn't turn out very well and I accidentally erased my pic of Norman Jewison. Anyway, I saw Moon Over Miami the first night, but Key Largo was also shown by the pool. Next day, Key West. It rained but I did get off the ship in my quest for key lime pie and was successful--YUMMY!! That afternoon was a session of Ask Bob and was so well attended another session was held on Sunday morning. There was also a session of Q & A with Ernest Borgnine hosted by Ben, but I left that and went to the Brown Derby exhibit and talked with the guy who curated it. Great photos & charactertures he obtained from the family. Went to the afternoon trivia session hosted by none other than famous game show host Wink Martindale and his wife Sandy. She grew up in LA and dated Elvis as a young woman. She had quite a story to tell. Didn't win but had a great time. The evening was Casablanca night with everyone dressed to the nines, but I watched Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, hosted by Ben. Saturday was Cozumel, but before we got there it was Bingo with Ben and what a lot of fun. I didn't win the bingo but he gave away other prizes during the game and I won a t-shirt. I finally got a chance to talk to him that day and what a nice & gracious person he was. The lady who won got money & two passes to the spring festival in LA. I was a little ill when I went on my shore excursion, but recovered. That was the night of Norman Jewison films, Thomas Crown Affair & In the Heat of the Night. However, I attended a sneak preview of something you all will see in the spring and feel sure you will enjoy. Hosted by Tom Brown in an intimate venue, I was very glad I made that choice. I think that was the day the Hitchcock films were shown as well with the ladies. Sunday was a day at sea where I went to the Ask Bob session again, as well as Ask TCM. It was also the day of Speedy with Suzanne Lloyd & the Alloy Orchestra, but it conflicted with trivia which was hosted by Bruce Goldstein with the LA Film Forum. My team tied for 1st place and I was picked to answer the tie breakers. I lost on the second tie, but we got a nice prize package. There was also a Q & A with Eva Marie Saint & Tippi Hedren. I went to the screening of The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming hosted by Bob with Eva Marie Saint & Norman Jewison. Mr. Borgnine was out and about a lot on the ship, and I saw quite a bit of Ben & Tom as well as other TCM employees. I didn't see a lot of movies, because there were so many things to do and a girl has to sleep & eat occasionally. I'm leaving stuff out but it was a great time and I met a lot of other movie nuts just like myself. It's late but I did want to say it was well worth going, even if I didn't get to do all I wanted. If you have any questions I'll try to answer. Edited by: helenbaby on Dec 12, 2011 8:35 PM

There is a thread in Films & Filmmakers called Rambles, where a variety of films are discussed. People who participate in that thread are a lot of fun and all kinds of films are discussed. It may not be as widely read & commented as General Discussions, but everyone is treated with respect.

I must treat everyone with respect. That is my new goal. Edited by: helenbaby on Dec 2, 2011 9:55 AM

Looking ahead for upcoming programming, Dec 14 & 16 promise to be very good as well.

Andy--Love your list. It pretty much covers every decade & has a nice variety between Big Stars & Character actors. After watching Flaxy Martin this morning, I'm all for Zachary Scott getting a day. For my sentimental choice, I'd pick William Boyd--the Hopalong Cassidy one.

Of course you have choices--rent from Netflix, use On Demand Fearnet, the Retro Channel (any of the pay channels really), buy DVD's.

> {quote:title=BillyBrown wrote:}{quote}TCM needs to show horror films throughout the year not just on Halloween. For example: > > Jack the Ripper 1959 > A Study in Terror 1965 > Hands of the Ripper 1972 > > When it comes to this type of programming TCM is incredibly lame & gutless. Why do you watch the channel if you feel that way? I certainly wouldn't waste my time on stuff I don't like.

Well, demand away. Let us know if you're successful because I doubt if he's going to be making any announcements.

Your entire post is just silly. I'm pretty sure Osborne's employers & co-workers know what surgery he had. As far as unpaid publicity agents, I don't consider myself such. I think that if someone wants to keep something like this to himself, whether he is famous or not, it's their perogative. You have every right to be curious, but you don't have a right to know anyone else's business if they don't choose to share no matter whether they're in the public eye or not.