TCM Schedule for Friday, December 9 -- What's On Tonight: 100th Anniversary of Broderick Crawford's

[Staph]

After a morning of Star of the Month William Powell, TCM is showing an afternoon of the films based on the works of Tennessee Williams. The evening's theme is the one hundredth anniversary of Broderick Crawford, born on December 9, 1911, in Philadelphia. Among tonight's films we get one of his most memorable (and Oscar-winning) roles, as Willie Stark in All The King's Men (1949). Enjoy!

Cross posted in DU3.



6:00 AM -- The Heavenly Body (1943)
An astronomer's neglected wife takes up astrology and a handsome astrologer.
Dir: Alexander Hall
Cast: William Powell, Hedy Lamarr, James Craig.
95 min, TV-G , CC

Joan Crawford was offered the lead role but turned it down saying, "It was about a girl who stands around and does nothing. I told the studio to give the part to Hedy Lamarr."


7:45 AM -- Fashions Of 1934 (1934)
A con artist and his beautiful assistant take on the fashion world.
Dir: William Dieterle
Cast: William Powell, Bette Davis, Frank McHugh.
78 min, TV-G

Gowns designed by Orry-Kelly.


9:15 AM -- Reckless (1935)
A theatrical star gets in over her head when she marries a drunken millionaire.
Dir: Victor Fleming
Cast: Jean Harlow, William Powell, Franchot Tone.
97 min, TV-PG , CC

The film was inspired by the life of torch singer Libby Holman, whose husband, tobacco heir Zachary Smith Reynold's suicide caused a scandal (Libby was initially indicted for murder), and she was accused of murder. After the movie was completed and shot as a straight drama, MGM decided to make it into a musical, so production was resumed. This became one of Jean Harlow's few real flops. It's failure pleased Libby Holman immensely.


11:00 AM -- The MGM Story (1950)
A collection of MGM previews with an introduction by Lionel Barrymore.
C-57 min, TV-G


12:00 PM -- A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
A fading southern belle tries to build a new life with her sister in New Orleans.
Dir: Elia Kazan
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Kim Hunter.
125 min, TV-PG , CC

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Karl Malden, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Vivien Leigh (Vivien Leigh was not present at the awards ceremony. Greer Garson accepted on her behalf.), Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Kim Hunter (Kim Hunter was not present at the awards ceremony. Bette Davis accepted on her behalf.), and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Richard Day and George James Hopkins

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Marlon Brando, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Harry Stradling Sr., Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Lucinda Ballard, Best Director -- Elia Kazan, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Alex North, Best Sound, Recording -- Nathan Levinson (Warner Bros.), Best Writing, Screenplay -- Tennessee Williams, and Best Picture

Mickey Kuhn plays the young sailor who helps Vivien Leigh onto the streetcar at the beginning of this film. He had previously appeared with her in Gone with the Wind as Beau Wilkes (the child of Olivia de Havilland's character Melanie) toward the end of that film when the character was age 5. When Mickey Kuhn mentioned this to someone else on the set of "A Streetcar Named Desire", word got back to her, and Miss Leigh called him into her dressing room for a half-hour chat. In an interview in his seventies, Kuhn stated that Leigh was extremely kind to him and "one of the loveliest ladies he had ever met."


2:15 PM -- The Roman Spring Of Mrs. Stone (1961)
A fading stage star gets caught up in the decadent life of modern Rome when she hires a male companion.
Dir: José Quintero
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Warren Beatty, Lotte Lenya.
104 min, TV-G , CC

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Lotte Lenya

Production documents say that Terence Stamp was cast in this film but there is no sign of him in the final print.


4:00 PM -- Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (1958)
A dying plantation owner tries to help his alcoholic son solve his problems.
Dir: Richard Brooks
Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives.
C-108 min, TV-PG , CC

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Paul Newman, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Elizabeth Taylor, Best Cinematography, Color -- William H. Daniels, Best Director -- Richard Brooks, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Richard Brooks and James Poe, and Best Picture

Tennessee Williams wrote the role of Big Daddy with Burl Ives in mind. Prior to the original stage production, Ives was known primarily as a folk singer, and many within the theatre community question Williams' decision. Ives won rave reviews in the role on both stage and screen, and went on to a long and prestigious acting career.


6:00 PM -- Baby Doll (1956)
A child bride holds her husband at bay while flirting with a sexy Italian farmer.
Dir: Elia Kazan
Cast: Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Wallach.
115 min, TV-14 , CC

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Carroll Baker, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Mildred Dunnock, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Boris Kaufman, and Best Writing, Best Screenplay - Adapted -- Tennessee Williams

Tennessee Williams's first choice for the title role of Baby Doll was Marilyn Monroe, (who was straining to improve herself as an actress at the time and wanted the role badly), although Elia Kazan preferred newcomer Carroll Baker, whose work he was familiar with from the Actors' Studio in New York.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: 100TH ANNIV. OF BRODERICK CRAWFORD'S BIRTH



8:00 PM -- Larceny, Inc. (1942)
An ex-convict and his gang try to use a luggage store to front a bank robbery, but business keeps getting in the way.
Dir: Lloyd Bacon
Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman, Broderick Crawford.
95 min, TV-PG , CC

The play opened in New York City, New York, USA on 10 April 1941 and closed 27 April 1941 after 22 performances. The opening cast included Shelley Winters.


10:00 PM -- All the King's Men (1949)
A backwoods politician rises to the top only to become corrupted.
Dir: Robert Rossen
Cast: Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Joanne Dru.
110 min, TV-PG , CC

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Broderick Crawford, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Mercedes McCambridge, and Best Picture

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- John Ireland, Best Director -- Robert Rossen, Best Film Editing -- Robert Parrish and Al Clark, and Best Writing, Screenplay -- Robert Rossen

To prepare for the role of Willie Stark, Broderick Crawford watched newsreels of Huey Long, the former Louisiana senator and governor on whose life the novel was loosely based.


12:00 AM -- Slightly Honorable (1940)
A lawyer is framed for the murder of a young party girl and tries to clear his name.
Dir: Tay Garnett
Cast: Pat O'Brien, Edward Arnold, Broderick Crawford.
86 min, TV-G

Based on F.G. Presnell's novel "Send Another Coffin".


1:30 AM -- Now Playing December (2011)
Features highlights of the month's programming on TCM, including festivals and stars.
C-18 min, TV-PG , CC


2:00 AM -- Ganja and Hess (1973)
After being stabbed with an ancient, germ-infested knife, a doctor's assistant finds himself with an insatiable desire for blood.
Dir: Bill Gunn
Cast: Duane Jones, Marlene Clark, Bill Gunn.
C-110 min, TV-MA

Also known as Black Evil, Black Vampire, Blackout: The Moment of Terror, Blood Couple, Double Possession, and Vampires of Harlem.


4:00 AM -- The Slams (1973)
Jim Brown goes over the wall to flash with a million dollar stash.
Dir: Jonathan Kaplan
Cast: Jim Brown, Judy Pace, Roland Harris.
90 min, TV-14


5:45 AM -- Curious Alice (1968)
12 min, TV-PG