Quick Preview of TCM in December

Turner Classic Movies has now posted the online preview of its December schedule!

TCM will be celebrating the centennial of Frank Sinatra by honoring him as December Star of the Month. Sinatra was born December 12, 1915, in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Sinatra was previously honored as Star of the Month in November 2000.

Over three dozen Sinatra films and concert specials will be shown on Wednesday evenings in December. The TV concerts include the fabulous FRANK SINATRA: A MAN AND HIS MUSIC (1965) and his Christmas special with Bing Crosby, HAPPY HOLIDAYS WITH BING AND FRANK (1957).

As always, there are many fine Christmas films on in December. A new-to-me Christmas title on the schedule is a 20th Century-Fox "B" film directed by Ricardo Cortez, INSIDE STORY (1939), with Michael Whalen and Jane Rogers.

Robert Osborne's Christmas Eve picks usually include a musical along with Christmas movies, and this year his musical selection is Betty Grable in SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES (1942). (November Update: SPRINGTIME IN THE ROCKIES has been pulled from the Christmas Eve schedule. However, it is currently on the schedule for January 19, 2016.)

I'm particularly happy about a pair of 20th Century-Fox titles being shown on TCM in December, Jeanne Crain in APARTMENT FOR PEGGY (1948) and Sonja Henie in SUN VALLEY SERENADE (1941). COME TO THE STABLE (1949) is yet another fine Fox film which it's great to see TCM showing in December.

The December evening of Treasures From the Disney Vault will start with SO DEAR TO MY HEART (1948), which I was very pleased was wonderfully received when shown in 35mm at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival. Other titles on the schedule that evening include BABES IN TOYLAND (1961) and WHITE WILDERNESS (1958).

RKO's DICK TRACY series will be featured on Saturday mornings, and there will also be mini marathons of the FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS and MA AND PA KETTLE movies.

Carole Landis receives a six-film prime time tribute. Other December tributes include Glenn Ford, Eddie Albert, Kirk Douglas, and Alfred Hitchcock, while themes include Dickens, sisters, Japan, and the circus. New Year's Eve will be spent with the Marx. Bros. and the THIN MAN movies.

I'll have more detailed information on the December schedule, including a separate post on Christmas movies airing in December, around December 1st.

Meanwhile, Susan Hayward continues as the September Star of the Month, with David Niven scheduled for October and Norma Shearer in December.

Update: For more on TCM in December 2015, please visit TCM in December: Highlights, TCM in December: Christmas Movies, and TCM Star of the Month: Frank Sinatra.