Quick Preview of TCM in October

Turner Classic Movies has now posted the October schedule online!

A terrific lineup is ahead this fall, starting with Janet Leigh as Star of the Month. Well over two dozen Leigh films will be screened in October. It's a much-deserved tribute to a wonderful actress who was in a great many entertaining films.

As is usually the case on TCM in October, there are plenty of scary movies and suspense films in the lineup. Thursday evenings, in fact, will be devoted to ghost stories, featuring films such as THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (1944), BEYOND TOMORROW (1940), PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948), THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947), THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940), and THE UNINVITED (1944).

I'm particularly excited about a number of other offerings on TCM in October. October 21st will feature a tribute to director Edgar G. Ulmer, leading off with HER SISTER'S SECRET (1946), a very good film which was screened this year at the TCM Classic Film Festival. There are more details about the Ulmer tribute at the link to my review of HER SISTER'S SECRET.

Oscar-nominated actor Franchot Tone will also receive a prime time tribute.

Other tributes in October include the Marx Bros., Carole Lombard, Laraine Day, Richard Dix, Montgomery Clift, Lowell Sherman, and Constance Bennett, to name just a few. October themes include princes, the circus, and May-December romances.

And only on TCM could one find day-long tributes to Tom Keene, Sally Blane, and Steffi Duna!

Relatively obscure titles I'm especially looking forward to checking out are A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE (1944) starring Tom Conway and Audrey Long, ONE NIGHT AT SUSIE'S (1930) with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Billie Dove, SILVER SKATES (1943) with Patricia Morison and Belita, FRAMED (1930) with Regis Toomey and Evelyn Brent, THEY MADE HER A SPY (1939) with Sally Eilers and Allan "Rocky" Lane, and THE LAST TIME I SAW ARCHIE (1961), written by William Bowers and directed by Jack Webb, starring Robert Mitchum, Martha Hyer, and France Nuyen, along with Webb.

The Friday Night Spotlight will focus on films set in Africa. The DR. KILDARE series, which begins airing on TCM in September, will continue to air each Saturday morning in October.

I'll be sharing much more detail about the October schedule sometime around October 1st.

In the meantime, we can look forward to the annual Summer Under the Stars festival in August followed by Melvyn Douglas as the September Star of the Month. September will also feature a 'round the clock pre-Code festival every Friday!

Update: For many more recommendations, please visit TCM in October: Highlights and TCM Star of the Month: Janet Leigh.