All that’s left to fight for is Warren William as Star of the Month … one of these years!
Last December 2 TCM gave us a half day of early Warren William movies to celebrate. This August 30 they pick up where they left off and Warren gets 24 hours of wall to wall programming on the channel!
One of the most anticipated Turner Classic Movies features is the annual Summer Under the Stars month of programming in which 24 hours is given over to the films of one specific star each day of the month. Better late than never–Warren will be the 30th such star celebrated on the August 2012 TCM calendar.
TCM will air 16 movies starring Warren William on Thursday, August 30 including, I can’t believe I’m about to type this, all of the Warren William pre-code titles that I’ve long been clamoring for!
Thanks very much to Carole & Co for posting the complete Warren William schedule for August 30 in the comments section of another post. You can see Carole & Co.’s early coverage of the entire August event right here.
The (tentative) Warren William TCM Summer Under the Stars schedule for Thursday, August 30, 2012:
- 6:00 a.m. Bedside (1934)
- 7:15 a.m. The First Hundred Years (1938)
- 8:30 a.m. Wives Under Suspicion (1938)
- 9:45 a.m. The Mouthpiece (1932)
- 11:15 a.m. Skyscraper Souls (1932)
- 1:00 p.m. Three On a Match (1932)
- 2:15 p.m. The Match King (1932)
- 3:45 p.m. The Mind Reader (1933)
- 5:00 p.m. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
- 6:45 p.m. Times Square Playboy (1936)
- 8:00 p.m. Lady For a Day (1933)
- 9:45 p.m. Cleopatra (1934)
- 11:45 p.m. Employees Entrance (1933)
- 1:15 a.m. The Case of the Howling Dog (1934)
- 2:45 a.m. Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)
- 4:00 a.m. Arsene Lupin Returns (1938)
All times EST
As you catch your breath I’ll just say that if this manages to hold up, well, it’s just about perfect!
I haven’t focused on the entire TCM Summer Under the Stars schedule as of yet, but I do see that Dr. Monica (1934) is slated to kick off Kay Francis day on August 21 and The Firefly (1937) set as part of Jeanette MacDonald day on August 27.
Looking back at my Top 10 Warren William recommendations post from late 2009:
1. Skyscraper Souls (1932)
2. Employees Entrance (1933)
3. The Mouthpiece (1932)
4. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
5. The Match King (1932)
6. Bedside (1934)
7. The Mind Reader (1933)
8. The Case of the Howling Dog (1934)
9. The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date (1940)
10. Lady for a Day (1933)
They nailed 9 out of my 10 picks and I can’t fault them at all for selecting Warren’s first Lone Wolf movie rather than my favorite! (My favorite Lone Wolf movie is a fluid subject anyway, though Spy Hunt is never likely to be it.)
I will obviously have more on this as we get closer. I’ll certainly be trying to post articles about the few movies TCM will be airing that I haven’t covered yet and might even try to do some updated posts on some favorites that I haven’t written about in a couple of years. It’s been a bit dormant here lately, but the announcement for August 30 should change that.
Talk to you soon …
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wow! amazing choice of titles, Summer under the Stars is really a neat showcase, looking forward to that, and especially to your posts! see, it pays to clamor.
cheers!
Kristina, I don’t have one complaint. (Well, a couple of MGM clunkers, but they’re not shown often either). They nailed my Warren-essentials list, so happy … just hoping nothing changes!
see, it pays to clamor.
Joel McCrea fans who finally got him as TCM’s Star of the Month (this month) will vouch for that.
(Oh, and thanks for the plug for “Carole & Co.” I’m generally happy with the selections for each actor, although I wish “Hard To Handle” had been part of the Cagney package and that not all that happy that the only Lubitsch MacDonald film is the MGM “Merry Widow.”)
Thanks for pointing me to this and especially for posting the comment with the schedule. I had no idea!
The schedule is so perfect that until I saw who posted it I actually thought it was a cruel joke.
Let’s just hope TCM doesn’t change anything for 8/30!
Still have to delve deeper into the non-Warren 30 days of programming, but am very happy with the overall star selections. Will check out individual movie titles next.
Thanks again!
How, how fantastic, Cliff! Thanks for the rundown. 🙂
Best wishes,
Laura
Laura, I just hope there’s no hurricane this year … I’m still missing some Carole Lombard titles from when the power cut off that morning! Warren’s day times out to practically the same date on the calendar!
Really great news for WW fans – am delighted that part of the package includes the 3 ‘M’s: The Mouthpiece, The Mind Reader, and The Match King, which I think are WW’s best. Maybe this will help to get these films released onto DVD. Keep pushing for a complete WW month!
While I still can’t see a month ever happening I already have it programmed 🙂
Night 1: Pre-codes Part 1 (basically everything TCM showed last Dec 2)
Night 2: Perry Masons, plus Philo, plus Satan Met a Lady
Night 3: Pre-codes Part 2 (most of the goodies scheduled for 8/30)
Night 4: Lone Wolf series
Night 5: Leftover titles (of which there are quite a few!)
Wow. Wow. Wow! And this does give me at least a faint glimmer of hope that, in accordance with Grand Old Movies’ wish, some of these will turn up on Warner Archives releases, or even (dare we hope) REAL DVDs!
Jeffers I was waiting to hear from you on this and I’m thrilled that you’re thrilled. This is about as good as it gets, isn’t it!
I still (pipe) dream about Warren getting a Forbidden Collection similar to the set William Wellman got with Volume 3.
My set, of course: The Mouthpiece, Employees’ Entrance, Skyscraper Souls, The Mind Reader, The Match King, Bedside. If it could fit one more, give them The Dark Horse too.
Such a good point about “real DVDs.” And yet – multiple releases of the same films.
A couple of years ago during Summer Under the Stars William Powell Day, they gave TCM Canada viewers a Joan Blondell Day. They showed us “Goodbye Again”. I really, really got a kick out of it. I really, really want to see it again. Is that asking too much?
I know. It sounds like I’m complaining. I’m not complaining. What’s to complain? A Warren William Day is nothing to sneeze at. But, geesh, would it kill them to give me “Goodbye Again”? Could they maybe have a Wally Ford Day?
It does fit this timeline and while not a personal favorite it would be an improvement over a couple of the mid to late 30’s titles. In retrospect I’m surprised it isn’t included.
I completely understand, I’ve stumped for The Mouthpiece and Bedside for so long that if one of those were missing from Warren William day I’d be left wondering “What kind of Warren William day is that?!” I’d imagine that’s about how you feel right now!
Seconding Wallace Ford day request. There’s quite a bit they could do there, though I’d be looking mainly for the pre-code stuff!
So Cliff what is your favorite Lone Wolf? You said it is fluid. I’m kind of partial Counter-Espionage then Lone Wolf Meets A Lady. On a funny side note the One Dangerous Night poster behind you in your avatar used to be on sale dirt cheap on ebay years ago. I’d see it over and over and think “Who the @#&! is this guy and why would anyone want a poster of him” !! haha well the jokes on me because 8 years later WW posters are more expensive and I’ve only been able to get a couple choice lobby cards. Although I do dare to dream, maybe you could buy this for me!? http://movieart.net/products-page/brands/employees-entrance-1933-16290/ 😛
Well, Bob, answering today I’d say The Lone Wolf Strikes is my favorite. Absolutely love Warren’s impersonation of jewelry fence Gorlick, that puts it over the top. I also really like The Lone Wolf Keeps a Date though I’m perfectly willing to admit it gets a bit ridiculous. Still, I guess I love seeing Warren have a good time with the part. Other than the firecrackers I like One Dangerous Night a lot too. And the other 6 ain’t bad either 🙂
See, I may be a collectibles fiend but when I’m totally priced out like that I’d rather just spend $20 or so for a nice reproduction.
Yes, the collecting is hard when some people are able to write huge checks. Every once in a while I find a steal. I have the excellent window card for the William Powell & Kay Francis film For the Defense. I used to buy many low grade pieces but lately I’ve been trying (key word) to buy one thing at a higher price instead. When I do auction history searches on some of these sites I kick myself for not having been a fan when i was younger. Even in the 90’s they were giving this stuff away. I’ll blame you and your lovely site for making more people WW fans and making more demand for the collectables! Believe me if I made enough cash I’d snap up that poster instantly!
What a lovely surprise this was. First saw it in Now Playing and checked on here for comments. A long time coming.
SO FAR I HAVE ENJOYED SUMMER UNDER THE STARS. BUT I WAS HOPING FOR MORE MYSTERIES WITH THE STARS WHO PLAYED CHARLIE CHAN AND THE SAINT, OH WELL MAYBE SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE THEY WILL DO ALL THE OLD DETECTIVES MOVIES
Hi Ethel, thanks for the comment. I’m enjoying Summer Under the Stars as well!
TCM typically airs old series entries, including mystery series, once per week in a Saturday morning time slot, I believe 10:45 am EST.
This is where they have aired Warren William Lone Wolf and Perry Mason movies in the past. They take August off from their Saturday morning series because of Summer Under the Stars, but it looks like the feature returns with Richard Dix as The Whistler in September.
I’m not sure about the Charlie Chan movies, but they do show The Saint movies somewhat often. There was actually a marathon of Saint movies scheduled for George Sanders’ birthday on July 3, but it was preempted, I believe by TCM’s Ann Rutherford tribute schedule.
PS: For more TCM Summer Under the Stars coverage please see my main site at ImmortalEphemera.com – I’ve been posting something new every day so far!