January 2013 TCM Preview – A Look Inside My Now Playing Guide

Introduction

A very Happy New Year to you!

2012 saw me get a hold of you 229 times—I’m not sure, but I’m betting that’s the most since this site launched back in 2002! Back then you’d only hear from me once, sometimes twice per month!

I’m going to try to keep the same pace in 2013. I’d like to cover more individual movie titles and I especially enjoy cobbling biographical posts together for you. I flamed out pretty quickly with my daily Immortal Archives idea, though a burst of inspiration could bring that feature back at any given moment.

2013 begins in familiar fashion with my monthly perusal of TCM’s Now Playing Guide in which I talk out loud about what I’ll be watching and recording throughout January.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen classic movie fans as excited as they were in December over Barbara Stanwyck being honored as TCM’s Star of the Month. That said, TCM is still generating quite a bit of buzz and good feeling over January’s selection, Loretta Young.

In case your New Year’s celebration got in the way I took a closer look at Loretta Young in yesterday’s post. I’ll also be linking back to it a couple of times in the general January preview following below.

Let’s kick off the year with my Quickie Guide to January before heading on to the long version:

TCM in January, Quickie Edition

Most Exciting Day: January 28, 11 rarities from 1929-1934 including 4 with Richard Dix.
Top Pick: January 9, the second evening of Loretta Young programming kicks off with Employees’ Entrance (1933), my favorite title starring favorite actor Warren William. Add Heroes for Sale, Midnight Mary, She Had to Say Yes (all 1933), and Born to Be Bad (1934) to make it my favorite night all around for January’s Star of the Month.
Most Wanted: Also January 28 but I’ll add the Lew Landers marathon all day January 14 just to give you another day to be excited about—ten 1930s and ‘40s RKO B-movies airing that day.

Most Exciting Day is self-explanatory. If you want me to recommend a sick day from work, it'll be that day! Top Pick being those I have seen and would push you down on my couch and force you to watch if you even hint that you haven't seen it! Most Wanted being those I have to the best of my knowledge never seen but will be sure to check out this month.

Loretta Young and Warren William in EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE (1933)

The Disclaimer

These picks are based upon Turner Classic Movies' US schedule (most also air in Canada). Any times mentioned are all EST because that's what TCM uses inside my Now Playing Guide and that's what I use when I set the clocks here on Long Island. The days are TCM's own slightly screwy time periods, typically beginning at 6 am and working through to the following morning at the same time.

TCM in January, Long Version

Tuesday, January 1, sees daytime filled with several lengthy 1960s classics, but I’m always happy to mention that The Asphalt Jungle (1950) will play, as it does Tuesday night at 10 pm.

January 2 features characters returning from the hereafter, from guardian angels to ghosts, and includes the original Topper (1937) at 11:30 am and back to back Angel on My Shoulder (1946) at 3:30 pm and Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) at 5:30. The first stars Paul Muni; the second Robert Montgomery. Claude Rains appears in both and makes them feel a bit too alike.

The first of five Wednesday evenings of Loretta Young Star of the Month programming begins at 8 pm on the 2nd. See my separate Loretta Young Centennial Preview HERE.

Thursday the 3rd features a mini-marathon of Marion Davies movies in the afternoon, celebrating the 116th anniversary of Miss Davies’ birth. It begins at 11:15 am with The Bachelor Father (1931), followed by Polly of the Circus (1932), Page Miss Glory (1935) and Davies’ final film Ever Since Eve (1937) wrapping up with a 4 pm start time.

Shirley Temple movies air that evening kicking off with three from her prime mid-30s years at Fox/Twentieth Century-Fox: The Littlest Rebel (1935); Captain January (1936); Curly Top (1935), between 8 pm and 12:30 am before a trio of more TCM-typical Temple films from the ‘40s conclude the evening.

Friday, January 4 features an entire daytime line-up of Jane Wyman movies beginning at 6 am and stretching on until 8 pm (When Creature from the Black Lagoon [1954] takes over). Wyman’s date of birth is listed as the 5th, but TCM doesn’t like weekend birthday marathons, so it makes for a nice block of 1940s titles all day Friday including Larceny, Inc. (1942). Wyman, who died 2007, was born 96 years ago.

If you enjoyed the recent Dr. Kildare marathon for Lew Ayres’ birthday on December 28, the the 6 am movie on Saturday, January 5 will be of interest: Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942) of the first of the Dr. Gillespie series which sees Lionel Barrymore return to his Kildare-series role, but no Dr. Kildare. Another can’t miss for series fans later that same night when the original entry of The Whistler (1944) series airs at 10 pm. This one stars series regular Richard Dix and is directed by William Castle.

Hitchcock’s The Wrong Man (1956) starring Henry Fonda and Vera Miles airs on Sunday, January 6 at 4 pm. Bet you feel very paranoid the next time you go out of your house after watching this one.

Greer Garson-Walter Pidgeon alert at 7:45 am on Monday, January 7 in Blossoms in the Dust (1941), the story of Edna Gladney’s fight for orphan’s rights.

Elvis all day, as usual, come Tuesday the 8th. The King would have been celebrating his 78th birthday this year.

Personally I get a bigger kick out of TCM’s Anita Louise birthday celebration happening between 6 am and 2:45 pm on Wednesday the 9th. Louise, born 98 years ago, is featured in 6 titles during this mini-marathon: The Great Meadow (1931) opens up at 6 am, followed by: Our Betters (1933); Personal Maid’s Secret (1935); Call It a Day (1937); Dangerous Blondes (1943) and The Devil’s Mask (1946).

That same evening is the second night of Loretta Young programming and I have to make mention of Employees’ Entrance (1933) starring Warren William getting the prime 8 pm time slot—thank you, TCM! Overall it’s my favorite night of Loretta Young movies including the William A. Wellman pre-code pair Heroes for Sale (1933) and Midnight Mary (1933); a tough as nails Loretta in Born to Be Bad (1934) where she tries to fleece Cary Grant and on the other side of the morning She Had to Say Yes (1933) beginning at 7 am Thursday—that one is covered in my Loretta Young preview which, again, you’ll find HERE.

Once the Loretta Young movies end TCM celebrates what would have been the 74th birthday of Sal Mineo with a six movie marathon between 8:15 am and 8 pm and including The Gene Krupa Story (1949) at 1 pm and closing with Rebel Without a Cause (1955) at 6 that afternoon.

Not sure why, as it’s not his birthday, but there’s a nine movie George Raft marathon going on all day Friday, January 11. Beginning at 6 am with 1932’s Love Is a Racket (Raft’s scenes listed as deleted on the IMDb) and followed by: Each Dawn I Die (1939) with James Cagney; They Drive By Night (1940) with Humphrey Bogart; Manpower (1941) with Edward G. Robinson; a third consecutive Raoul Walsh title with Background to Danger (1943); Johnny Angel (1945) at 2 pm; Nocturne (1946) at 3:30; Race Street (1948) at 5; and A Dangerous Profession (1949) at 6:30.

Not a lot happening over the weekend with titles that intrigue me including John Gielgud as Disreali in The Prime Minister (1941) on Saturday the 12th at 9 am; more Glenda Farrell as Torchy Blane with The Adventurous Blonde (1937) occupying the Saturday noon slot; and the enjoyable Steel Against the Sky (1941) airing Sunday morning at 5 am. That last title features brothers played by the unlikely trio of Edward Brophy, Craig Stevens and Lloyd Nolan, with favorite Edward Ellis as their father. Also look for Jackie Gleason popping up as a drunk in a brief scene that Gleason fans can pair with his bit in Larceny, Inc. from back on January 4th.

Back in October TCM had a Lew Landers day for no apparent reason at all. Well, Landers’ was born on January 2, but that doesn’t really explain another all-day marathon taking place on Monday, January 14. The first marathon of Landers RKO B titles covered 1936-39. This one is likewise heavy on the late ‘30s but stretches into the 1940s as well. Like last time, several favorite actors star in these quickies, 10 titles in all airing between 6 am and 8 pm. Stars include Lee Tracy in both Crashing Hollywood (1938) and Fixer Dugan (1939); Chester Morris and Anne Shirley in Law of the Underworld (1938); Richard Dix and Lucille Ball in Twelve Crowded Hours (1939); Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre in The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942); and Bonita Granville in The Truth About Murder (1946). Just like last time I’ll be recording them all, but this time I know in advance that I’m probably going to like most of them.

Another marathon with no explanation offered nor required when TCM airs 8 titles featuring Susan Hayward between 7 am and 8 pm on Tuesday, January 15. Hayward’s Oscar nominated role as Lillian Roth in I’ll Cry Tomorrow (1955) headlines the day at 2:30 pm.

TCM recognizes London born Diana Wynyard’s birthday early on Wednesday the 16th with a little 3-movie marathon: Men Must Fight (1933) at 6 am, then Where Sinners Meet (1934) at 7:15 and Gaslight (1940) at 8:30. Wynyard was born January 16, 1906.

Thursday, January 17 features Rome as the theme throughout the day but makes itself one of January’s most anticipated evenings of programming with the five film Noir City feature co-hosted by Film Noir Foundation founder and President Eddie Muller. Cry Danger (1951) with Dick Powell kicks off at 8 pm followed by John Payne in 99 River Street (1953); at 11 comes Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951), the only one of these I don't think I've caught yet; John Garfield in The Breaking Point (1950); and Van Heflin in The Prowler (1951).

Cary Grant was born on January 18, 1904 and so we have 7 movies featuring the screen legend during that Friday daytime. TCM always has a hard time pleasing fans of the major stars when they only show only a handful of movies like this but after a questionable start with Suzy (1936) and Mr. Lucky (1943) they mostly get it right with a nice variety of important Cary Grant titles: None But the Lonely Heart (1944) at 10 am, then Gunga Din (1939); The Philadelphia Story (1940); Notorious (1946); and Monkey Business (1952).

1930-31 Laurel and Hardy shorts and features that same evening.

I’ve never seen The Phantom of Crestwood (1932), airing at 7:30 am on Saturday the 19th, but I love Karen Morley, Ricardo Cortez and H.B. Warner, who are all in it, so chances are I’ll be a fan of the film!

TCM does something they don’t ordinarily do in not only having a Sunday birthday marathon, but a 24 hour centennial celebration marking the 1913 birth of Danny Kaye! All day and night, Sunday, January 20 from 6 am Sunday straight through to 6 am Monday.

Monday, January 21 celebrates Martin Luther King Day via a daytime Sidney Poitier marathon beginning with No Way Out (1950) at 6 am and followed by: Blackboard Jungle (1955) at 8; Something of Value (1957) at 9:45; Edge of the City (1957) at 11:45; A Raisin in the Sun (1961) at 1:15; A Patch of Blue (1965) at 3:30 and To Sir, With Love (1967) at 5:30 pm.

Nothing unusual on Tuesday the 22nd but I’ll mention Gaslight (1944) at 7:30 am and Rebecca (1940) at 5:15 pm just so you’re aware of them. Wednesday the 23rd doesn’t do too much for me either with horror highlights including Hammer’s The Mummy (1959) at 2:15 pm followed by Robert Wise’s The Body Snatcher (1945) with Karloff and Lugosi at 4:45.

7 titles featuring Ernest Borgnine between 6 am and 8 pm on January 24, the date he was born. This will be TCM’s first Borgnine birthday marathon without the late actor who passed away last July 8.

Friday, January 25 begins with 3 from director Clarence Brown with Looking Forward (1933) airing at 6:45 am; Night Flight (1933) at 8:15; and The Rains Came (1939) at 9:45. The last title besides starring Tyrone Power and Myrna Loy also features George Brent, who then appears in the next five movies airing during the afternoon of the 25th.

The Torchy Blane series continues that Saturday the 26th, with Torchy Blane in Panama, one of just two Torchy titles which did not feature Glenda Farrell in the title role. This week it’s Lola Lane, but Glenda will be back next Saturday.

Catch Princess O’Rourke (1943) starring Olivia de Havilland early Sunday, January 27 at 6 am. That same evening there’s a triple feature of Hitchcock films from the 1930s and as expected they’re all winners: The 39 Steps (1935) at 8; The Lady Vanishes (1938) at 9:30; and Sabotage (1936) at 11:15. Also have to give a mention to Lon Chaney in The Penalty (1920) as that evening’s Sunday Silent feature beginning at 12:45 am.

Not sure of the occasion on Monday, January 28, but 11 mostly pre-code titles get my attention! It begins at 6:15 am with After Tonight (1933) starring Gilbert Roland and Constance Bennett; Hat, Coat and Glove (1934) with Ricardo Cortez at 7:30; Let’s Try Again (1934) with Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook at 8:45 am; Dance Hall (1929) with Olive Borden at 10; She’s My Weakness (1930) with Sue Carol at 11:30; Lovin’ the Ladies (1930) with Richard Dix at 12:45 pm; The Public Defender (1931) with Richard Dix and featuring Boris Karloff at 2 pm; The Royal Bed (1931) at 3:15 is directed by and stars Lowell Sherman; Secret Service (1931) brings more Richard Dix at 4:30 pm; as does No Marriage Ties (1933) featuring Dix, Elizabeth Allan and Alan Dinehart at 5:45; finally Irene Dunne and Charles Bickford in No Other Woman (1933) at 7 pm. This all falls under Wow, what a day for me!

Oh, and after all of those gems TCM makes good on one of my few Summer Under the Stars complaints last Summer when they air key Tyrone Power role The Mark of Zorro (1940) at 8 pm. And Errol Flynn in Adventures of Don Juan (1948) ain’t bad either. Some fine swashbuckling going on the evening of the 28th.

Several Otto Preminger titles air on Tuesday, January 29 including Anatomy of a Murder (1959) at 3:15 that afternoon.

A Paul Lukas mini-marathon starts out Wednesday, January 30 right with Strictly Dishonourable (1931) co-starring tragic Sidney Fox at 6:30 am; Age of Indiscretion (1935) with favorite Helen Vinson at 8:15; Edmund Lowe and Madge Evans with Lukas in Espionage (1937) at 9:45 am; key Warner Brothers title Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) starring Edward G. Robinson at 11 am; and 1944’s Address Unknown at 12:45 pm.

TCM runs a mini-marathon for Mario Lanza on his birthday, January 31, but if I have just one to point to that day it’d be Spencer Tracy and Jean Simmons in The Actress (1953) at 5:30 pm.

In Conclusion

Don’t just listen to the weirdo who gets excited over Lew Landers marathons! For other views of January 2013 on TCM be sure to see previews already posted by fellow classic movie bloggers at Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, The Hollywood Revue, She Blogged By Night, and the Top 12 at Journeys in Classic Film.

Also be sure to check the round-up at Speakeasy in case any other January previews trickle in late.

February begins 31 Days of Oscar on TCM. Not my favorite month but piggy-backing Loretta Young in January and Barbara Stanwyck in December I’ll hold my tongue this year. TCM has been on quite a roll in my eyes in recent times!

Be back soon with whatever excites me next. Once more, a very Happy New Year to you!