TCM Saturday, 8-19-23 -- Summer Under the Stars - Carole Lombard, Fred Astaire

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TCM Saturday, 8-19-23 -- Summer Under the Stars - Carole Lombard, Fred Astaire



- TCM PRIMETIME
SUMMER UNDER THE STARS - CAROLE LOMBARD
My Man Godfrey (1936)
Twentieth Century (1934)
Vigil in the Night (1940)
Lady by Choice (1934)
- TCM DAYTIME
SUMMER UNDER THE STARS - FRED ASTAIRE
Trivia: Fred Astaire was nominated for an Oscar just once. It was in 1974 for Actor in a Supporting Role in "The Towering Inferno." He did not win. He was, however, given a Special Award in 1949 for "his unique artistry and his contributions to the technique of musical pictures."
Belle of New York, The (1952)
Yolanda and the Thief (1945)
Finian's Rainbow (1968)
Easter Parade (1948)
Band Wagon, The (1953)
Top Hat (1935)
Shall We Dance (1937)
- TCM PRIMETIME
SUMMER UNDER THE STARS - FRED ASTAIRE
Daddy Long Legs (1955)
Royal Wedding (1951)
Silk Stockings (1957)
Barkleys of Broadway, The (1949)
Carefree (1938)

11:15 PM My Man Godfrey (1936)

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A zany heiress tries to help a tramp by making him the family butler.
Dir: Gregory La Cava Cast: William Powell, Carole Lombard, Alice Brady
Runtime: 95 mins Genre: Comedy Rating: TV-G CC: N

Oscar nominations:
ACTOR -- William Powell {"Godfrey Parks"}
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE -- Mischa Auer {"Carlo"}
ACTRESS -- Carole Lombard {"Irene Bullock"}
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE -- Alice Brady {"Angelica Bullock"}
DIRECTING -- Gregory La Cava
WRITING (Screenplay) -- Eric Hatch, Morris Ryskind

Trivia: William Powell suggested his ex-wife Carole Lombard for the leading role with the explanation that his real -life romance with her had been much the same as it was for the characters of Godfrey and Irene.

1:00 AM Twentieth Century (1934)
A tempestuous theatrical director tries to win back the star he created and then drove away.
Dir: Howard Hawks Cast: John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly
Runtime: 91 mins Genre: Comedy Rating: TV-G CC: N


2:45 AM Vigil in the Night (1940)
A good nurse ruins her career by covering up for her sister's careless mistake.
Dir: George Stevens Cast: Carole Lombard, Brian Aherne, Anne Shirley
Runtime: 96 mins Genre: Drama Rating: TV-PG CC: Y


4:30 AM Lady by Choice (1934)

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To improve her image, a fan dancer "adopts" an old woman to be her mother.
Dir: David Burton Cast: Carole Lombard, May Robson, Roger Pryor
Runtime: 78 mins Genre: Comedy Rating: TV-G CC: N


6:00 AM The Belle of New York (1952)

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A turn-of-the-century playboy courts a Salvation Army girl.
Dir: Charles Walters Cast: Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, Marjorie Main
Runtime: 82 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y


7:30 AM Yolanda and the Thief (1945)
A con man poses as a Latin American heiress' guardian angel.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Fred Astaire, Lucille Bremer, Frank Morgan
Runtime: 108 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y


9:30 AM Finian's Rainbow (1968)
A leprechaun follows the Irishman who stole his pot of gold to the U.S. South.
Dir: Francis Ford Coppola Cast: Fred Astaire, Petula Clark, Tommy Steele
Runtime: 160 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nominations:
MUSIC (Score of a Musical Picture--original or adaptation) -- Adaptation score by Ray Heindorf
SOUND -- Warner Bros.-Seven Arts Studio Sound Department

Trivia: Many, including Fred Astaire, blamed director Francis Ford Coppola for cutting off Astaire's feet during filming of his dancing scenes, but it was Warner Bros. who decided, after the filming had been completed in 35mm, to convert the film to the wider 70mm and promote it as a "reserved-ticket roadshow attraction." This was achieved by cropping off the tops and bottoms of the film frame, including some shots of Astaire's footwork.

12:00 PM Easter Parade (1948)

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A musical about a Broadway dancer who tries to forget his ex-partner while rising to stardom with his new partner.
Dir: Charles Walters Cast: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford
Runtime: 103 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar win: MUSIC (Scoring of a Musical Picture) -- Johnny Green, Roger Edens

Trivia: Gene Kelly was originally scheduled to play Don, but he broke his ankle when he stamped his foot in anger after losing a volleyball game. It was his suggestion that he be replaced by Fred Astaire. Cyd Charisse was up for the role of Nadine, but a torn ligament in either one or both of her knees forced her to drop out. She was replaced by Ann Miller.

Trivia: Ann Miller had to perform her biggest numbers in a back brace. In an interview with Robert Osborne, she revealed that she had been thrown down the stairs by her then husband Reese Milner. She was also pregnant at the time and was in a lot of pain.

2:00 PM The Band Wagon (1953)



A Broadway artiste turns a faded film star's comeback vehicle into an artsy flop.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant
Runtime: 112 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nominations: COSTUME DESIGN (Color) -- Mary Ann Nyberg
MUSIC (Scoring of a Musical Picture) -- Adolph Deutsch
WRITING (Story and Screenplay) -- Betty Comden, Adolph Green


4:00 PM Top Hat (1935)

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A woman believes that an enamored dancer is her best friend's husband.
Dir: Mark Sandrich Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
Runtime: 105 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nominations: ART DIRECTION -- Van Nest Polglase, Carroll Clark [came in 2nd]
DANCE DIRECTION -- "Piccolino" and "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails" numbers; Hermes Pan [came in 2nd]
MUSIC (Song) -- "Cheek To Cheek," Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin [came in 2nd]
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION -- RKO Radio

Trivia: The finale of "Top Hat, White Tie and Tails" production number with Fred Astaire miming his cane as a weapon "attacking" his supporting dancers, 13 canes were prepared for it. During shooting, Astaire, ever the unforgiving perfectionist, was continually breaking his canes in frustration at his mistakes, which concerned the crew that he was running out of them. As it turns out, the shooting of the scene was finished with the very last cane.


6:00 PM Shall We Dance (1937)

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A ballet dancer and a showgirl fake a marriage for publicity purposes, then fall in love.
Dir: Mark Sandrich Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
Runtime: 116 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nomination: MUSIC (Song) -- "They Can't Take That Away From Me," Music by George Gershwin; Lyrics by Ira Gershwin

Trivia: The scene where Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance on roller skates took about 150 takes, according to one of the VHS versions of the film.

Trivia: At the end of the roller skate dance number in the park the stars flop onto the "lawn". In the film both Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers appear uncomfortable as they get up. This is because both were bruised from more than fifteen earlier takes and were actually in pain.


8:00 PM Daddy Long Legs (1955)
A tycoon anonymously sponsors a French girl's college education.
Dir: Jean Negulesco Cast: Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Terry Moore
Runtime: 126 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: N

Oscar nominations:
ART DIRECTION (Color) -- Art Direction: Lyle Wheeler, John DeCuir; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott, Paul S. Fox
MUSIC (Scoring of a Musical Picture) -- Alfred Newman
MUSIC (Song) -- "Something's Gotta Give," Music and Lyrics by Johnny Mercer

Trivia: Fred Astaire's wife died during filming, so between some takes he would retreat to his trailer and cry. That's why, in some scenes, his eyes look red and swollen.

10:15 PM Royal Wedding (1951)



A brother-and-sister musical team find romance when they tour London for Elizabeth II's wedding.
Dir: Stanley Donen Cast: Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford
Runtime: 93 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nominations:
MUSIC (Song) -- "Too Late Now," Music by Burton Lane; Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner


12:00 AM Silk Stockings (1957)

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A straitlaced Soviet agent is seduced by the charm of Paris and a high-stepping film producer.
Dir: Rouben Mamoulian Cast: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Janis Paige
Runtime: 117 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Trivia: After this film, Fred Astaire effectively retired from musicals, preferring to concentrate on non-musical roles, though he would produce several musical specials for TV in the next few years. Astaire wouldn't make another musical until Finian's Rainbow (1968).


2:15 AM The Barkleys of Broadway (1949)



Josh and Dinah Barkley are a famous musical theater duo, but an argument on the opening night of their newest Broadway show reveals previously unspoken resentments. Dinah feels overshadowed by Josh, so when flirtatious playwright Jacques Pierre Barredout suggests she play the lead in his new drama about Sarah Bernhardt, ...
Dir: Charles Walters Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant
Runtime: 108 mins Genre: Musical Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nominations:
CINEMATOGRAPHY (Color) -- Harry Stradling

Trivia: Fred Astaire had sung "They Can't Take That Away from Me" to Ginger Rogers previously in Shall We Dance (1937), but they had never danced to it. Rogers suggested that they use the song again (this time dancing).


4:15 AM Carefree (1938)
When lovely singer Amanda Cooper has trouble accepting the marriage proposals of her beau, Stephen Arden, he calls upon his psychiatrist friend Dr. Tony Flagg to analyze her. Though Tony initially tries to maintain a typical doctor/patient relationship, it's not long before he's falling for Amanda. After a session of hypnosis, ...
Dir: Mark Sandrich Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ralph Bellamy
Runtime: 80 mins Genre: Comedy Rating: TV-G CC: Y

Oscar nominations:
ART DIRECTION -- Van Nest Polglase
MUSIC (Scoring) -- Victor Baravalle
MUSIC (Song) -- "Change Partners," Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin

Trivia: This was the first Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film to lose money on its initial release. It lost $68,000 (over $1.1M in 2016) for RKO according to studio records.

Trivia: Fred Astaire refused to sing the Irving Berlin song "The Yam" because he thought it was silly, so Ginger Rogers sang it alone. Astaire would eventually record the song, which can be heard in his collected works.