MattHelm

Kyle, Allow me to change that to "indignation," just in case that grammar assassin still lurks amongst us, so I could beat him/her/it, to the correction. I think another "directing author" for your Challenge theme could be Stephen King ... but I'd respect your decision not to go there.

Most of these people are only complaining about 1% of the programming, since 99% of it is full of old movies (which I prefer). It's hardly worth the spittle on their monitors. They're showing Mars Attacks tonight, which I think is a crap movie (with some good parts), though I love Tim Burton. But I'm not going to brand TCM with a scarlet letter for it, as I most likely will be going to bed at that time anyway, here on the East Coast. The thing that gets me is that those people who are in bed when TCM Underground comes on, still complain about its existence on the channel. I don't think any of us here watch TCM 24 hours a day, so why complain about what's on while we're asleep, or that 1% of the programming (or much less), that we can just change the channel to one of the other hundreds that cable and sattelite tv offers? Even on the West Coast, Underground comes on late enough that it shouldn't even matter to most people.

I've said in the past, regarding this topic, that I can usually see the sides of these peoples' complaints, but that's just the point ... TCM represents all sides of cinematic history, and doesn't cater to any one viewpoint. Of course, they could start recognizing the serials a little more, but it's not like an injustice upon me if they don't. The Great Train Robbery is on now, and I can already hear the mocked idignation tone of a post within 24 hours, complaining that TCM should be tarred and feathered for showing a movie from 1979.

Rusty, I haven't had to refuel my refreshment sling yet, seeing how it came with 1.75 liters of Old No.7, and mustering up the will power all week, I saved the other half for tonight. I don't really know when it will need replenishing since I didn't pay attention when we went over the metric system in school. But the sling just cries out to be part of some crazy Rube Goldberg apparatus, and with a few household items, I may be able to rig up some hands-free imbibing contraption. Redriver, There's a Matt Helm movie in the works for 2007, so they may go the serious route. I'm glad they gave us the classic camp with Dean Martin, since the 60s just had too many spy flicks that were just Bond clones. Plus, the Sinatra gags were a hoot. I can't think of any actor besides Dino who could waltz thru a movie without even looking at the script.

Thanks Jon. I see they even have a Matt Helm movie in March, The Ambushers.

Thanks filmlover, I hadn't checked out the March schedule yet. That's great, they even took my Boston **** line up, too.

I wonder if these were chosen from my TCM Challenge George Sanders theme, "Halo and Wings" where I scheduled his Saint and Falcon movies.

I wish TCM's On Demand selection were larger. Mine has a handfull of movies and just as many trailers. Since TCM is free in most cable packages, I'd expect to see more movies on there. Luckily, I was able to watch Bell, Book and Candle thru On Demand, or I would have missed it this year.

Rusty, I got a hangover too. What color did yours come in? Someone just had to get me this huge bottle of Jack that came in this swing-like device, that lets you pour with just a well-placed pinky on the neck, without having to actually lift the bottle. Next year, I'll probably get it in an IV bottle. DVD-wise, it was a Dean and Jerry Christmas, with box sets of their movies and TV shows. On the highbrow side, I got the Criterion DVD documentary, Burden of Dreams, about the making of Werner Herzog's, Fitzcarraldo (no bear poop in this one, just monkey).

I'm glad, Charlie. Because I saw a vacant seat by the poor chimney corner, and a crutch without an owner, while someone said, "Oh, poor Tiny Matt!"

If it's any consolation, here's the Lux Theater radio version with Fred MacMurray and Jean Arthur standing in for Stanwyck, from 1941. http://ia331319.us.archive.org/3/items/KIBMChristmasPlayhouse/LRT-411222RememberTheNight.mp3

Same to you too, Jon, and to everyone else.

Sure path, water down my chances. People, head on over to his site and sign up for this ... I won the Ronald Reagan box set he offered, a few months ago.

Another great job on the covers, filmlover.

Ha, I chose The Great Gildersleeve to show during my last program challenge in that thread, and I planned on chosing them all for a night in the next one, since RKO made most of them. There really isn't any reason for TCM not to show them. If anyone wants to listen to the radio show for free, this site has just about all of them. http://www.archive.org/details/GG_S_01

sugarpuss, I found this site about a month ago and have been listening to all the Christmas episodes I could find of these old shows. I found it when I did a search for Lionel Barrymore playing Scrooge, which I found here: http://www.archive.org/details/achristmascarolotr They also have Lux Theater's It's a Wonderful Life and Miracel of 34th Street: http://www.archive.org/details/KIBMChristmasPlayhouse Just about every show filmlover listed is on this site. People who are looking for Great Gildersleeve, type in Harold Peary in the search field, because the person who listed the shows just put "GG" for the titles. Gildy has some great Christmas shows. And there's a separate page for the Fibber McGee and Molly Christmas shows: http://www.archive.org/details/fibbermcgeeholidayspecialsOTRKIBM To hear Jeff Chandler play Jesus on Duffy's Tavern, of all places: http://ia300116.us.archive.org/2/items/DuffysTavern/duff.1948.12.22_Christmas_Show_with_Jeff_Chandler.mp3 There's also a Christmas themed kid's series called Cinnamon Bear, that's good. Suspense is a great show. This site also has Inner Sanctum, The Whistler, Lights Out, Boston ****, The Lives of Harry Lime, Little Orphan Annie, Superman, Fred Allen, Jack Benny, I Was a Communist for the FBI, The Bickersons ... like I said, just about everything filmlover listed. The good thing about the site is that you can just listen to the shows without downloading them, and they stream smoothly if you have a high speed connection.

Two more PM votes were cast last night, 1 for Kyle and 1 for filmlover. And the results are: Filmlover - 7 Sugarpuss - 3 Kyle - 3 Congratulations filmlover, you're the next chairman of the board. Congratulations also to sugarpuss and Kyle, and much thanks for your hard work and incredible schedules. You've all raised the bar on expectations for all future Challenges. And thanks to all the folks who voted, there's nothing more rewarding to participants than the praise and acknowledgement of their peers.

I remember Siskel and Ebert liking at least the first Porky's. It almost seems a Christmas miracle that Bob Clark made a classic holiday movie, seeing how his first Christmas outing was a slasher film called Black Christmas, whose remake comes out this Dec. 25th (could Hollywood stoop lower).

Jack, the voting is going smoothly. I don't expect it to be the subject of a scathing 60 Minutes segment, but the day ain't over yet.

I was thinking of the nickname rather than the sled. I just saw that Marion Davies is the second most searched for person in TCM's database today. Hmmmm.

Rusty and Kyle, I wonder if Richie's middle name was a reference to Citizen Kane and the innuendo that "Rosebud" implied, and that they may have chosen it to metaphorically and 'innocently' sophisticate the depiction of the nuclear 50s family. I can just picture a grown Richie realizing what his middle name implied, and cutting his parents off.

Two more votes via PM ... 1 for Kyle, and 1 for filmlover.

The first vote came in anonymously by PM for ... filmlover. Just three more days to vote folks!

Just a reminder ... the Challenge Voting Booth has been up since Monday. Those who have commented on the incredible schedules, please visit that thread to support the participants' hard work by voting for your favorite. Or, you can PM me with an anonymous vote if you wish. Only one vote has been cast so far. Check out the voting booth to see who it was for. Thank you.

It won't be easy, but if you've been a member since November 1, 2006, vote for one of these incredible weeks' schedules created by our three Challenge veterans. If you don't wish to vote in public, then send me a private message and your vote will be tallied anonymously. And, the nominees are: Sugarpuss: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?messageID=7858920 Kyle: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?messageID=7855779 Filmlover: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?messageID=7859238 (scroll down on these pages until you see their schedules) The deadline for voting will be December 17 midnight (PST). Edited for more direct links to each schedule (thanks Jack). MattHelm