Robert Osborne, the late Turner Classic Movies host, will get a sendoff in style from his network: TCM announced Tuesday that it will dedicate 48 hours of programming to honor his legacy.
Airing all day March 18 and 19, the two-day tribute, Remembering Robert Osborne, will feature an extensive collection of the long-form interviews Osborne conducted during his 23-year tenure with the network, including:
- Excerpts from Private Screenings and Live From the TCM Classic Film Festival
- A special edition of Private Screenings featuring Alec Baldwin interviewing Osborne on the host's 20th anniversary at the network
- Osborne's first TCM introduction for Gone With the Wind
Fans of Osborne's and of classic movies can revisit his interviews with such luminaries as the late Debbie Reynolds, Liza Minnelli, Betty Hutton and Ernest Borgnine. Excerpts from TCM's annual
Live From the TCM Classic Film Festival will include Osborne's intimate interviews with Peter O'Toole, Eva Marie Saint, Kim Novak, Alan Arkin and Luise Rainer.
The latter interview was especially memorable because Rainer, who was 101 at the time, was without her hearing aids, a situation Osborne gracefully worked around by writing each question out on a notepad for her to read.
TCM called the two-day event a "loving tribute" to Osborne, who died Monday at 84, aimed at showcasing the qualities expressed by scores of his admirers on social media.
TCM general manager Jennifer Dorian said in a statement Monday that Osborne was beloved by his fans because they saw him as "a trusted expert and friend."
"His calming presence, gentlemanly style, encyclopedic knowledge of film history, fervent support for film preservation and highly personal interviewing style all combined to make him a truly world-class host."
The tribute lineup will begin March 18 at 6 a.m. ET with Private Screenings: Robert Osborne and conclude at 5 a.m. March 19 with Live From the TCM Classic Film
...another good'un gone...
