lzcutter

> But I find that hard to believe and would like to see some substantiated facts supporting that assertion. Jake, It was said by the TCM staff, it may have been the general manager of the channel, Jeff Gregor. He didn't elaborate on the subject but there was a sea of young people under the age of 50 at the Festival this year. They enjoyed film noirs, silents, romantic movies, animated movies, dramas, epics, comedies, Paramount films from the 1970s and more as much as the rest of us over 50 did.

> I would hope they aren't planning on downplaying it out of fear it would turn off younger viewers. I hate to think they'd succumb to such ageism -- especially when the majority of their viewers are 40+. Valeska, One of the most interesting bits of information to come out of the Film Festival was revealed by TCM staff at the *Meet the TCM Staff* the first day. "66% of the viewing TCM audience is in the 18-49 demographic" and judging by the number of Festival goers who were under the age of 45, TCM is not just the domain of baby boomers and retirees. Young people watch the channel, love classic movies, the channel and Robert O as much as us oldsters do!

Jeffrey, Festival attendees are posting recaps and sharing experiences (and will probably continue to do so throughout the week) down in the Festival forums.

I had no problem with them and found them to be courteous and helpful when my husband and I needed assistance trying to get to the line for *Snow White* when the forecourt at Grauman's was closed. We had been told various different things by various non-SEM people thatt resulted in running in circles for a few moments. When we approached the SEM guys upstairs in the multiplex where we had been told to go by one of the blue-shirted volunteers, they couldn't have been nicer and were quick to find a TCM staffer (Nick Brokaw) who was able to get us to where we were supposed to be with professionalism and aplomb.

According to the editor of the promo (whom some of us met earlier this evening at the Film Festival), it's a piece of music from their licensed music library and not a pop tune or standard.

"On the naming of the dwarfs, there was supposed to be one named Awful. According to the notes, 'he drinks, he steals and he is always dirty'" Disney historian JB Kaufman giving a presentation to Spotlight passholders this morning at breakfast. Thanks to the kindness of filmlover, I was able to get to the Roosevelt in time for JB's presentation this morning (MrCutter had to take care of the feeding of the baby turtles this morning). As the author of JB's PowerPoint presentation, I was able to attend his presentation. He did a terrific job of talking about some of the lesser known stories about the making of *Snow White*. Also, Becky Cline from the Disney Studio Archives was there and brought one of the models of the Nautilus from *20,000 Leagues* as part of her presentation. All in all, two terrific presentations and hopefully, successful enough that TCM will consider dong more of them next year. I wanted to get over to the Chinese multiplex to hear Walter Mirisch talk about *Fall Guy* but the Kim Novak hand and foot print ceremony was going on in the forecourt of Grauman's and it was impossible to get across the street in time. MrCutter arrived in time for*Snow White* which he had never seen on the big screen. Though the restoration was done in 2009 this was the first screening of the restored version. It looks beautiful. Leonard Maltin did the introduction honors and brought Marge Champion to the stage. Marge was the model for *Snow Whit*e when she was a teenager attending Hollywood High School. "This is rather fitting as I was born on Orange Dr (the western boundary of the Chinese theater) between Fountain and DeLongpre. I watched them build this theater." she told an appreciative audience. Maltin then brought out Gennifer Goodwin who plays Snow White on the tv series, *Once Upon a Time* and she talked about her life-long love affair with this film and the character. A little over half through the film there was some sort of medical mishap that required one of the patrons to be taken out of the theater in a wheel chair. Not sure what happened but hopefully, it wasn't serious. I'm also not sure how much of the audience was aware there was a problem. We were seated nearby and saw the theater and TCM staff respond immediately. The audience booed and hissed the evil Queen and applauded when she got her comeuppance. After *Snow White*, we got back in line again at Grauman's, this time for *Casablanca* another film MrCutter had not seen on the big screen. The nearly full audience loved the restoration as much as we did. People applauded loudly after Victor Lazlo led the French bar patrons in that rousing rendition of the Le Marseillaises After that we hurried over to Club TCM at the Roosevelt for a special screening of Home Movies from the collection of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. We saw color home movie footage of parties at Fred MacMurray's house (Caesar Romero was dreamy!!!), color footage of Gilbert Roland, shirtless and on a boat. Hollywood in 1947!!! OMG!!!! Footage of costume party at Marion Davies beach house that included Carole Lombard and Clark Gable among the revelers. Home movie footage of Shirley Temple making *Heidi-* The footage was shot by her mother. Margaret O'Brien, June Allyson and Cyd Charisse (and possibly Ava Gardner) doing a ballet. Patful would have been in heaven. It was over all too quick though it lasted almost an hour. Then it was time for TCM's 18th Birthday salute. Robert O took the stage and thanked everyone for being there. He recounted the story of how he was hired by Ted Turner but had yet to meet him. They were to have lunch together but Robert O was worried about what they would talk about. Luckily, Turner confessed that he loved movies, especially classic movies and wasn't all that interested in sports. He told Robert O that's why he was always falling asleep at the baseball games. Robert O invited Ben M to join him on stage. "It changed my life forever" Ben M at the 18th TCM Birthday Salute talking about how joining the TCM family in 2003 affected his life. Robert O then introduced special guests Margaret O'Brien, Kim Novak, Peggy Cummings (on her visit to Los Angeles in almost 60 years) and RJ Wagner. "Thank you for saving our memories" Kim Novak to the audience at Club TCM during the Birthday salute. We were sitting in the back and joined everyone in toasting our favorite network and sang "Happy Birthday" to TCM. A very long day but a very fun and memorable one! More later!

TCM's own King of Cool, Tom Brown pulled the hosting duties for *Wings*, the restored version, and introduced A..C. Lyles as "Mr Paramount". I promise to come back later tonight to tell the rest of that story. The restoration was great, by far the best print I have ever seen of the film and the vintage score was terrific. Ben Burtt has added battle sounds to the war footage and plane sounds, used very effectively in the scene with Gary Cooper, so if you are silent film purist, be aware. "My father was Wild Bill, I'm Mild Bill." Bill Wellman, Jr being introduced by Tom Brown after the screening. More later! "I have to tell ya, I'm friggin' nervous" Ben M confided to the audience as he prepared to introduce Kirk Douglas at the screening of *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea*. The crowd roared and jumped to their feet as Kirk Douglas took the stage. Ben did just fine and even got Douglas to sing the first verse of A Whale of a Tale. They talked at length about Douglas and the breaking of the backlist. Kirk has a new book coming out this summer called I am Sparatcus about the making of the film and his decision to credit Dalton Trumbo on screen. "Sweet Mystery of Life at last I've found you"- Once again TCM's King of Cool, Tom Brown singing as he approached the stage to introduce Mel Brooks at the screening of *Young Frankenstein*. He asked the audience how many had seen *Frankenstein* and *Son of Frankenstein* earlier in the day. Hands all around the theater shot up. "You may be feeling like you have a case of whiplash before this film is over." he told them. As part of the "housekeeping" announcements, he reminded people to turn off their cell phones and to refrain from taking pictures of the screen during the movie. "If you take a picture of a projected image, you get nothing. Besides, you can buy this film on DVD." Mel was in terrific form. He told the story about seeing the original *Frankenstein* in 1931 when he was 5 years old. He was afraid that the monster would climb through the fire escape window of the family's 5th story apartment, kill him and eat him. That is till his mother explained that the monster would have to take a train from Translyvania, then a boat across the ocean, the subway to Brooklyn and would likely go after the first floor neighbors before climbing five flights of the fire escape. He then told the story of how Gene Wilder was writing the script during the filming of *Blazing Saddles*. "I love you guys, but you're nuts!" Mel said at the end of his discussion. The movie was on 35mm film and as pitch perfect as it was 38 years ago when it was originally released. Coming out of the screening we ran into Scott McGee whose voice was already getting raspy. He told us that the print of *The Searchers* which screened earlier in the morning against *Wings* was gorgeous!

Chief, I just have to add: "On the inside, I'm Steve McQueen, on the outside, not so much." Tom Brown, at the *Meet the Staff* presentation. Tom, You are always TCM's King of Cool!!! As for the Countessdelave and Cheryl, they were style personified. Their dresses, from designs by Adrian, were exquisite. And I agree totally with you about Cathy. She looked great! Hope she, the Countess and Cheryl had a terrific time at *Cabaret* and the Vanity Fair party. They are three who truly fit the Style theme to a T! Edited by: lzcutter on Apr 13, 2012 7:08 AM

Good morning to all! A hearty band of TCM City dwellers met up in the lobby of the famed Roosevelt Hotel yesterday afternoon. KyleinHollywood, Countessdelave (and her friend Cheryl), our intrepid reporter Suex2, Hadda, Emberly and a hand full of others. Robert O and his crew (Sean, MA, Tom, etc) were shooting in the lobby and as we were talking with MorlockJeff, Tom gave us a shout out and asked everyone in the lobby to move in closer for the taping. Robert O interviewed RJ Wagner, Genevieve MacGillicuddy (the Festival Director) and a writer for Vanity Fair who is covering the Architecture in Film theme. We had a swell time talking with people we hadn't seen since last year's Film Festival and getting all caught up. Out on the Boulevard, Disney was setting up for *The Avengers* premiere so they had giant tenting up for the Red Carpet arrivals. Luckily, the rain stayed away so that Scarlett Johannsen and other cast members were able to arrive at the El Capitan in style. Last night when we returned from dinner at Mel's Drive-In, we sat in the lobby for a few minutes just hanging out. Guess who was sitting nearby and hanging out? If you guessed Peggy Cummings ( *Gun Crazy* ) and Eunice Gayson ( *Dr No* ), you'd be a winner! Tonight the Red Carpet will again be out, this time in front of Grauman's for the big opening Gala that kick's off the TCM Festival. We know a few of your swanky friends have been planning for this evening for quite some time and you will probably see them all decked out to the nines! But before we get to the Red Carpet, this afternoon there are two panels, *Meet the Staff* and *The Maltese Touch of Evil* with TCM's own Shannon Clute and his co-author Richard Edwards. The TCM Meet and Greet party begins at 5:00! See ya at the Roosevelt where you can see and be seen!

Inside scoop from that ace reporter, SueSue Applegate- our intrepid gal about town reports from the Hotel Roosevelt that Tina Sinatra will be joining Ben M poolside tomorrow evening to introduce *High Society*. See you by the pool! We also hear that our Suex2 was able to meet that TCM Message board heart-throb Ben M! The Hotel Roosevelt where you go to see and be seen! Toodles!

No offense to the John Garfield fans in this thread but I'd like to bring thread back around to Joel McCrea as he is the SOTM and a big part of the May schedule. What started, for me, as an idea to honor an actor who had yet to be spotlighted as SOTM turned into a grass root effort here on the message boards that resulted in Joel McCrea being so honored throughout the month of May. Thank you to all who participated in this polite grass root effort and thank you to the staff of TCM for hearing us.

> Do you prefer the theatrical version of "Apocalypse Now" (as I do) or the redux version. There's a reason it's called editing and because of that I much prefer the theatrical version over the redux version. For the record, I prefer the director's cut of *Brazil*, *Once Upon a Time in America* and *Heaven's Gate*. But the redux version of *AN* leaves me cold which is not something I can say about the theatrical version.

Joe, Judy Lewis sure has her daddy's eyes.

> I just thought it might be an interesting exercise to hear people weigh in, just in case TCM is considering doing this more often or even regularly. Moviegal, Going forward, I don't see it becoming a regular thing for the SOTMs to be done in just one week every month. I do think that in April it will likely become regular unless the SOTM is being feted at the Film Festival as well.

> Kirk, a living legend who deserves all the respect and veneration he gets, might not be up to it. Saw him on - was it this year's Oscars show or last year's? - and he seemed barely able to keep up with what was going on, difficult for him to speak, etc. MsW, I had the opportunity to see Kirk at the TCM Festival last year. He introduced *Spartacus* with Robert O. Grauman's Chinese was filled with film fans. He was witty, self-deprecating and really seemed to enjoy the fact that so many people were there to see a film that means so much to him. Since his stroke, he's not always easy to understand but if you listen carefully, you can follow his train of thought. And he was able to follow the conversation just fine (in fact, much better than Mickey Rooney who I saw Robert O as well)! He's coming back to the Festival this year to introduce *20,000 Leagues Under the Sea*. Should be fun!

*Murder He Says* with Fred MacMurray, Marjorie Main and Helen Walker.

Also, next week is the third annual TCM Film Festival and the evening programing on the channel will be a tie-in with the Festival, including Robert O's wrap arounds and short interviews with some of the stars who will be at the Festival. The week after the Festival is a week long theme of Spring Break films. The programming staff opted to not to have to disrupt the Star of the Month entries during the week of the Festival and the following week of Spring Break films, so they programmed the SOTM entries the first week of the month.

Hey fashionable Festival-goers, Be sure to bring an umbrella with you this year. Right now showers are predicted for next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. It really does rain (and drizzle) in the City of Angels, especially this time of the year!

David, Your writing is very evocative and I really like it. Thanks for letting us know about the film sites in Oregon. Part of *One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest* was filmed up there but I can't remember the town right now. Being mid-century-modern will do that to your memory. Looking forward to seeing you next week and hope we finally get to have that drink, three years in the making.

Those going to Hollywood a few days before or staying a few days after the Festival, there are two exhibits you might want to check out: *Television: Out of the Box* is at the Paley Center in Beverly Hills and features clothes and props from sixty years of Warner Bros television on display. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-classic-hollywood-20120319,0,7098749.story The Los Angeles County Art Museum (LACMA) has the wonderful *California Design* exhibit. It's part of the larger Pacific Standard Time event that multiple museums have participated in. LACMA's contribution is a wonderful exhibit of furniture, decorative arts, the Charles and Ray Eames living room, Dick Van Dyke's Avanti automobile, leisure wear, clothing by Adrian and Edith Head, Cole of California and Jantzen. Cedric Gibbons is also on display including a montage of some of his best sets. http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/californiadesign When finished with *California Design* go across the walkway to the other pavilion and check out *Metropolis II*. Don't miss the history of street lights (especially at dusk) out in front of the Museum and the *Levitated Mass* in the back of the Museum grounds. http://collectionsonline.lacma.org/mwebcgi/mweb.exe?request=record;id=161897;type=101 http://www.lacma.org/art/exhibition/metropolis-ii

Jules, If Antiques Roadshow isn't coming to your town soon, you can go to the show's website and contact their appraisers that specialize in Hollywood memorablilia: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/appraisers/index.html

> You would think TCM would be trying to interview what few people are left (even short interviews) but that does not seem to be the case. But possibly the people are turning them down, I dont know.... I am always at a loss when people say TCM should be trying to interview these stars as if that is the furthest thing from TCM's mind. Yet, every year, TCM does manage to do just that either through *Private Screenings* or shorter interviews that play between movies. The biggest obstacle for TCM is usually the stars themselves who frequently turn them down for a myriad of reasons ranging from they just aren't interested to they are enjoying their life so much they don't want to take the time to they are at an age when they feel their work speaks more about them than they can. Not everyone is chomping at the bit to talk about their careers. Still TCM persists and sometimes that persistence pays off, witness Kim Novak appearing at the TCM Film Festival next week and sitting down with Robert O for an interview that TCM is taping and no doubt showing on the channel at a later date. There is also the Turner Archive Project that has been quietly doing filmed interviews with those involved in the motion picture business both in front of the camera, behind the camera, post-production and the front office, etc during the classic Hollywood era. Many of those interviews are used in interstitials and the *Word of Mouth* promos every day on TCM. Started by Ted Turner back in the late 1980s, the Turner Archive Project is, last I heard a few years ago, now handled by Warner Brothers. Copies of the interviews, as I understand it, are also given to the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Science's Margaret Herrick Library so that they are available to researchers and scholars. Each year a number of people are interviewed for the Project. It is treated less as an interview and more as a filmed/taped Oral History which may be why some stars have consented to the Archive Project but turned down an opportunity to do a *Private Screening*.

> You see, it started when Mom left a large chicken in her car trunk for 24 hours, and it all went downhill from there. Barb, Let me open a bottle of wine (or would you prefer brandy), I think we're going to need some. I'll try not to do a spit take.

WOOO-HOOOOO!!!! The long anticipated return of the much missed, Bronxgirl is happening and she's bringing stories!!! Can't wait!!!!

SprocketMan, If I recall from reading his autobiography (this was some time ago), Dymtryk wrote that one of the reasons why he decided to change his mind is because his wife was having a hard time with him being in jail and all that not being well regarded in their social circles. Also, being cut off from making the income he was used to bringing in, Mrs. Dymtryk was having a hard time adjusting to the lack of money. That all changed once he recanted his position and went back to talk to the Committee. He was able to return to his family, Hollywood and continued directing films.