LillyS Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I am glad that Wiliam Powell was December's star of the month, but I noticed a few things that made me upset by his SOTM treatment. He didn't get a full screen homepage banner as other stars have gotten, Robert Osbourne's commentary about Mr. Powell did not appear until well into the 2nd week of December, and today when I checked the TCM homepage, he has completely disappeared and Angela Landsbury has taken his place all too quickly. Last month's battle of the blondes banner and Osbourne's commentary about them remained up much longer. Maybe I am making too much of it, but William Powell was a wonderful and throughly underrated actor, he deserves to have the full SOTM treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Maybe the fact that RO just returned on December 1st had something to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I think you are definitely making too much of it. Look at how many of his films just aired these past few weeks. There's a daily thread I do, called WANTED, about classic film stars whose films hardly ever get shown. We go months, sometimes years, before we see a film with Buster Crabbe or Marceline Day or even more 'recent' classic stars like Suzanne Pleshette. By comparison, William Powell is in heavy rotation. Even when he's not SOTM, he is on the schedule on a consistent basis. Disrespect? No. The programmers have a lot of respect for his talent and schedule his films regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DownGoesFrazier Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Agreed. Powell has consistently been well-represented on TCM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clore Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 > {quote:title=LillyS wrote:}{quote} > ...and today when I checked the TCM homepage, he has completely disappeared and Angela Landsbury has taken his place all too quickly. There's no need for TCM to continue to promote Powell as SOTM since the series is now over and done. It would be like a supermarket leaving the "on sale" sticker on the shelf on the day after the sale ended. Also, the holiday weekend probably has something to do with getting ahead on things. Otherwise some Lansbury fan could come along on January 1 and complain that Powell was still up and since it's now January, Lansbury should be featured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LillyS Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 My point was that in other months the SOTM has remained until the end of the month, even when the movies were done. It's December 30 and bam he is gone. Ok, it is only me but I have a huge soft spot in my heart for William Powell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lzcutter Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 > Robert Osbourne's commentary about Mr. Powell did not appear until well into the 2nd week of December Robert O returned to TCM on Dec. 1st and his nightly commentary has aired each night since. The first night of William Powell's turn as SOTM (Dec. 1st), TCM aired *Jewel Robbery* and *The Kennel Murder Case* and Robert O was front and center on the commentary and has been ever since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxreyman Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 As others have said, he had a great month. TCM broadcast 38 of his films. Not too shabby. January's Star of the Month, Angela Lansbury is getting a 26 film tribute, plus three television appearances including a Private Screening episode with Mr. Osborne. Her 26 film tribute is quite a lot less than William Powell's, wouldn't you say? And since last night was the last night of William Powell's Star of the Month, it is only logical that TCM would now be featuring Lansbury as the next star of the month. There is nothing wrong with being too overly concerned about your favorite star, but he did get 38 films in for the month, so I wouldn't be too upset about that. I would have loved to see John Wayne get 38 films in one month! Maybe he did? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriegerg69 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Again, as others have essentially said, Powell gets plenty of respect on TCM in all the years I've been watching the channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I think Robert Taylor had probably as many films shown during his month a few years ago. It helps if the performer did not move around a lot and if they remained with the same studio for many years like Taylor and Powell both did. In the 21 or 22 years that Taylor was under contract at MGM, he was only loaned out once to Universal and twice to Fox. That's it. So there is this huge catalogue of film output for him at the lion. I think TCM's programmers did add some of the titles that Robert Taylor made freelancing after his long association with MGM...plus, they aired CATTLE KING which he made back at MGM after he had been freelancing for several years. In fact, there were so many films they showed for Taylor that month that I don't think they got through all his MGM titles. Lansbury, by comparison, was not at the studio a long time. And even when she was on the lot, she seldom had starring roles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LillyS Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 I'm talking about the written commentary that Mr. Osborne always writes before new star of the month appears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I think the poster who mentioned the holiday weekend is right. Also, you have to keep in mind that he had a long month...not every month has 31 days and not every SOTM gets five evenings. Most only get four evenings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Well as a hugh Powell fan I thank TCM for having him as SOTM. Considering it was December (holiday month), TCM showed a lot of his movies. But I can understand the reaction; we love are stars and we want to see them get their due. I just wish Leslie Howard would be SOTM. If he was I would then complain they didn't show 38 of his films! Oh, wait, I don't think he made that many. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fxreyman Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 As lzcutter has indicated, Robert Osborne came back to the cable air waves on December 1st. It could be that he did not have time to write his normal commentary that you speak about before his actual return. In any case, if this or any of your other concerns are still bothering you, you can always write to TCM and let them know what you think. As I wrote earlier as others have written, 38 films is a lot of exposure for one individual. Any fan of Powell's should be happy and proud that TCM was able to showcase many of these films in the first place. Not many other cable outlets would have been able to accomplish this feat. This is what you should be celebrating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveFilmNoir Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I respect the original poster's opinion but I have to agree with others who said TCM did much for Powell's month and that he is regularly celebrated on the channel. Powell gets TCM love all year round. He deserves it too - great actor, in some great films, with other great actors. The other night "How to Marry A Millionaire" was on THIS TV and I caught myself watching it (and I own the DVD!!) with commercials and all for Mr. Powell even thought it stars three leading ladies I happen to love! To date, December 2009 had to be the best month of programming since I started watching the channel. 24 hours of Bogart movies 2 times a week....as well as holiday movies....if it wasn't for multiple DVRs I may have applied for short term disability!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kriegerg69 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I have the DVD also and just watched it recently...isn't Powell an absolute delight in that one? Wonderfully charming as an older wealthy man....just as engaging as he was when he was younger and doing the Thin Man films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredCDobbs Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Hi, welcome to the message board. William Powell is probably the most well-liked and most-shown actor on all of TCM. I didn't think he was under-promoted this month. If he had been over-promoted, someone would have complained about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicalnovelty Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 Big fan of William Powell, too and certainly agree he deserved to be Star of the Month. The only problem I had with it was that NONE of the William Powell films TCM showed in December were surprises at all. All been on before. No silents or any of his rarely seen early thirties Paramounts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbeckuaf Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I'm with you, Love!!! December has been outtasight!!! And no less this year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 And don't forget his late 40s and early 50s titles where he was freelancing post-MGM: THE SENATOR WAS INDISCREET (Universal); TAKE ONE FALSE STEP (Universal); DANCING IN THE DARK (Fox); and THE TREASURE OF LOST CANYON (Universal). It would be nice to see them on TCM. None of them are on DVD yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveFilmNoir Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 > {quote:title=musicalnovelty wrote:}{quote}Big fan of William Powell, too and certainly agree he deserved to be Star of the Month. > The only problem I had with it was that NONE of the William Powell films TCM showed in December were surprises at all. All been on before. No silents or any of his rarely seen early thirties Paramounts.I agree with this but I love the guy so much I was so glad to see him get the recognition. He is awesome. I actually find the airing of rare films to be the highlight when someone is SOTM. I enjoyed Ray Milland's month. As posters here who have an idea about how TCM leases films and what studios are more cooperative than others, we'd be blown away with certain programming. I'd need a pace maker if Tyrone Power was SOTM. And if they aired MISSISSIPPI GAMBLER, I'd post on these boards from the after life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 >I'd need a pace maker if Tyrone Power was SOTM. And if they aired MISSISSIPPI GAMBLER, I'd post on these boards from the after life. That is why you may want to look at lovingtheclassics where you can purchase a copy of it and watch it during this life. http://www.lovingtheclassics.com/The-Mississippi-Gambler-1953-DVD/prod_1742.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EugeniaH Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I was browsing through a classic movie blog and found this picture of a young William Powell... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrroberts Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 LillyS, welcome to the TCM Boards. I have to agree with the others here, William Powell has always gotten considerable attention at TCM, and as a big , BIG Powell fan I am very appreciative of his SOTM status just completed. There were several films shown that I had never seen , I was hoping for a few more early films, but you take what you can get. I am sure that TCM will try to show more of his early work if and when its available. Its a good thing I am not a programmer at TCM, I would have scheduled William Powell 24 hours/day , 4 days a week (a few repeats in there for sure). Mister Roberts and My Man Godfrey would have been on at least a few dozen times, then you would have seen the resident complainers go wild here. Anyway, thanks to TCM for a great December and Happy New Year to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbeckuaf Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Wow, that is a really cool pic of a young William Powell! I've never seen him look like that, groovy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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