TOM HATTEN HAS DIED 1926-2019

[arpirose]

MR HATTEN was a fixture at the KTLA LOS Angeles TV Station from the 1960 to the 1990s.  He was famous for hostiNg the POPEYE CIRCUS AND THE  iconic FAMILY FILM FESTIVAL.   In the Family Film Festival ,we were introduced to some fantastic and rarely seen Hollywood Classic Films,  He advocated for Preston Sturges, whom he recognized as a true Hollywood revolutionary. I began to appreciate Mr. Sturges in the 1980s. IT WAS THAT LONG AGO. For anybody who lived in L.A. during that time, he educated us to the wonders of good cinema.

 Here is a Facebook post from a fan who loved the series.

 

Dennis Forkel I remember Tom interviewing William Demarest on the phone during a showing of a Preston Sturges film in 1983, probably "Sullivan's Travels". Tom spoke in a familiar way to Demarest-then 91-and kept calling him Bill. Nice interview, Tom even got Bill to talk about his cello. I didn't buy my first VCR until 1985, so I could not have videotaped the show. But I did record the audio onto a cassette tape. I had a Radio Shack portable radio with TV band and I fed that into my stereo receiver. Always loved seeing Tom start up that Bell & Howell projector!

 

[cinemanut]

Remember him well from the Family Film Fest on KTLA Channel 5 in the 1980's {I believe}. Seem to recall a lot of Danny Kaye stuff and specifically the Goldwyn library shown. He was a sort of pre-Robert Osborne host; knowledgeable and sincere.  Godspeed.

[arpirose]

He also promoted CLASSIC PARAMOUNT FILMS.  It was his main stay.