Quick Preview of TCM in August: Summer Under the Stars

It's been less than two weeks since Turner Classic Movies previewed its July schedule, and the August schedule is already posted! Perhaps the good folks at TCM wanted to get work out of the way before this weekend's TCM Festival. The Summer Under the Stars schedule's been released nearly a month earlier than it was released last year.

Please note that since TCM overhauled its site -- I can't use the word "upgraded," unfortunately -- the schedule for the 31st has not been accessible for either the July or August schedules. So the star being celebrated on August 31st remains a mystery for now.

Here's the complete list, minus the 31st, of the actors whose work will be celebrated with 24-hour marathons in August 2011. They're listed in date order.

Marlon Brando

Paulette Goddard

Bette Davis

Ronald Colman

John Garfield

Lucille Ball

Ralph Bellamy

Orson Welles

Ann Dvorak

Shirley MacLaine

Ben Johnson

Claudette Colbert

James Stewart

Charles Laughton

Lon Chaney (Sr.)

Joanne Woodward

Humphrey Bogart

Jean Gabin

Debbie Reynolds

Montgomery Clift

Cary Grant

Joan Crawford

Conrad Veidt

Joan Blondell

Burt Lancaster

Peter Lawford

Linda Darnell

Carole Lombard

Anne Francis

Howard Keel

(and...?) (Update: Thanks for the tip in the comments letting me know that the final star honored this August will be Marlene Dietrich.)

I think this is a terrific list, balancing all types of actors, with a great mix of films including pre-Codes, silents, foreign films, musicals, you name it. There are a couple people listed I don't really care about, but I'm thrilled about other names on the list -- the Linda Darnell day alone makes the entire schedule for me!

The Darnell schedule includes HOTEL FOR WOMEN (1939), a title I've long wished to see, starring Darnell, Ann Sothern, and Lynn Bari; and TWO FLAGS WEST (1950), a Western Darnell made with Joseph Cotten for director Robert Wise. There's actually a trailer for TWO FLAGS WEST on one of my Fox DVDs, with a notice that it would soon be released to DVD, but it never happened.

The Ralph Bellamy schedule includes a Frances Dee pre-Code, HEADLINE SHOOTER (1933), and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in another pre-Code, THE NARROW CORNER (1933). (Kristina, take note!)

I'm also delighted by the inclusion of Paulette Goddard on the schedule, although unfortunately TCM hasn't yet obtained more of her Paramount titles. Hopefully movies like HOLD BACK THE DAWN (1941), THE LADY HAS PLANS (1942), and STANDING ROOM ONLY (1944) will turn up in the future, along with THE FOREST RANGERS (1942), I LOVE A SOLDIER (1944), SUDDENLY IT'S SPRING (1947), and others I'd love to see. Still, I'm appreciative that TCM has brought Goddard films like KITTY (1945) and THE CRYSTAL BALL (1943) to the network within the past couple years; anyone who missed THE CRYSTAL BALL a few days ago will have another chance on August 2nd!

I'll share more thoughts on the August schedule in late July.

Stars of the Month coming prior to August: Esther Williams in May, Jean Simmons in June, and cowboy heroes in July. There's great summer viewing ahead for classic film fans!