Quick Preview of TCM in January

Turner Classics Movies has released its tentative January schedule!

Kathryn Grayson is the January Star of the Month. 15 of the MGM singing star's movies will be shown on Tuesdays beginning January 8th.

Grayson was last honored by TCM 22 years ago, in October 1996.

January's Noir Alley films are HIS KIND OF WOMAN (1951), LURED (1947), and MURDER, MY SWEET (1944).

There's currently not a Noir Alley film on the schedule for the last Saturday of the month, yet TCM's Noir Alley microsite lists TALK ABOUT A STRANGER (1952) for that weekend; I also note none of the usual Saturday morning programming of "B" Westerns and cartoons is listed for that date so am a bit curious about that change from the norm.

Also receiving extended attention on TCM in January: Elia Kazan and gladiator movies. Saturday mornings will feature John Wayne's early '30s "B" Westerns and POPEYE cartoons, with a FLASH GORDON serial starting on the 12th.

New Year's Day will be focused on comedies of the '30s and '40s, with a prime time tribute to Carole Landis. Also receiving multifilm tributes in January: Laurel and Hardy, Marion Davies, Jose Ferrer, Anthony Mann, Paul Henreid, Maureen O'Hara, and Margaret O'Brien.

January themes include '70s Westerns, letters, prison breaks, WWII, princesses, "B" Westerns, and "Young" biographies (YOUNG MR. LINCOLN, etc.). There's also a day of "numbered" movies, beginning with ONE WAY PASSAGE and going up to 8-1/2.

I'm particularly curious about a 2017 documentary, JAMES STEWART, ROBERT MITCHUM: THE TWO FACES OF AMERICA.

There seem to be a significant number of films dated from the '70s and beyond on this schedule, including a tribute to Denzel Washington. Joel Williams provides an invaluable service calculating the films TCM shows from each decade month by month -- here's his look at November -- so hopefully we'll see how the final numbers actually shake out in due course.

I'll have much more on the January schedule posted here around New Year's Eve! In the meantime, Glenda Farrell is coming up as TCM's November Star of the Month, with Dick Powell scheduled for December.

Update: For more on TCM in January 2018, please visit TCM in January: Highlights and TCM Star of the Month: Kathryn Grayson.