TCM Schedule for Friday, August 12, 2016 -- Summer Under The Stars - Janet Gaynor

[Staph]

Today's Star is Janet Gaynor, winner of the very first Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, for her performances in 7th Heaven (1927), Sunrise (1927), and Street Angel (1928). But her most memorable performance is in this afternoon's A Star Is Born (1937). Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- SMALL TOWN GIRL (1936)
After marrying a drunken playboy, a young girl tries to capture his heart while he's sober.
Dir: William A. Wellman
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Robert Taylor, Binnie Barnes
BW-106 mins, CC,

Was originally set to star Jean Harlow as Kay and Robert Montgomery as Bob, the roles that were finally played by Janet Gaynor and Robert Taylor, respectively.


8:00 AM -- THE YOUNG IN HEART (1938)
A family of con artists saves the life of a wealthy old woman and plots to fleece her.
Dir: Richard Wallace
Cast: Minnie Dupree, Paulette Goddard, Richard Carlson
BW-91 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography -- Leon Shamroy, Best Music, Scoring -- Franz Waxman, and Best Music, Original Score -- Franz Waxman

Legendary stage actress Laurette Taylor (Amanda Wingfield in the original 1945 Broadway production of "The Glass Menagerie&quot made a screen test for David O. Selznick for the role of Miss Fortune, eventually played in the film by Minnie Dupree. Maude Adams also made a test, with Janet Gaynor, for the role of Miss Fortune. The 12-minute film has been preserved by George Eastman House.


9:33 AM -- THE GREAT LIBRARY MISERY (1938)
In this comedic short, a man desiring to join the Grouch Club describes the terrible experience of trying to check out a book from a public library. Vitaphone Release B168.
Dir: Lloyd French
Cast: Detmar Poppen, Jack Lescoulie, Arthur Q. Bryan
BW-12 mins,

The Grouch Club started out as a popular program on Warner's KFWB radio station.


10:00 AM -- THE FARMER TAKES A WIFE (1935)
A farmer tries to convince the cook on a canal boat to leave her exciting life for him.
Dir: Victor Fleming
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Henry Fonda, Charles Bickford
BW-93 mins, CC,

Henry Fonda's debut film.


11:45 AM -- HOW I PLAY GOLF BY BOBBY JONES NO. 1 THE PUTTER (1931)
The first in a series of short films in which golf champion Bobby Jones helps the viewer improve their game. Vitaphone Release 4791-4792.
Dir: George Marshall
BW-13 mins,

According to a newspaper article written by Bobby Jones' Boswell, O.B. Keeler, Frank Craven actually made the final 30 foot putt on the first take and actually won a true bet from Joe E. Brown.


12:00 PM -- DELICIOUS (1931)
A Scottish immigrant falls for a dashing playboy engaged to another woman.
Dir: David Butler
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, El Brendel
BW-106 mins, CC,

Based on a story by Guy Bolton.


2:00 PM -- A STAR IS BORN (1937)
A fading matinee idol marries the young beginner he's shepherded to stardom.
Dir: William A. Wellman
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Fredric March, Adolphe Menjou
C-111 mins, CC,

Won an Honorary Oscar Award for W. Howard Greene for the color photography of A Star Is Born. (plaque) This award was recommended by a committee of leading cinematographers after viewing all the color pictures made during the year.

Won an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Story -- William A. Wellman and Robert Carson

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Fredric March, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Janet Gaynor, Best Director -- William A. Wellman, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Alan Campbell, Robert Carson and Dorothy Parker, Best Assistant Director -- Eric Stacey, and Best Picture

The Oscar that Janet Gaynor receives in the film is her own Oscar, which she won in 1928.


4:03 PM -- HOW TO BREAK 90 #6 FINE POINTS (1934)
In this final entry in his "How To Break 90" series of short films, Bobby Jones gives pointers on how to control hooking, slicing, and how to put backspin on a ball.
Dir: George Marshall
BW-11 mins,

The last of Bobby Jones' short films of golf tips.


4:15 PM -- STATE FAIR (1933)
The children of Iowa farmers find love, with mixed results, at the state fair.
Dir: Henry King
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Will Rogers, Lew Ayres
BW-97 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Adaptation -- Paul Green and Sonya Levien, and Best Picture

Director Henry King and crew were invited to the 1932 State Fair and Exposition in Des Moines, Iowa to film background material, including the racing scenes and midway. After the fair, they purchased three hogs, including the grand champion, Dike of Rosedale, who was cast as Blue Boy.


6:03 PM -- HAIL COLUMBIA (1934)
This short film provides highlights from U.S. history, focusing on Washington's farewell to the troops to the War of 1812. Vitaphone Release 1740.
BW-10 mins,

Chapter 3 in the "See America First" series.


6:15 PM -- CHANGE OF HEART (1934)
Four young people graduate from a West Coast college and fly to New York City to find work.
Dir: John G. Blystone
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, James Dunn
BW-77 mins,

The was the last of 12 pictures that Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell starred together as a romantic couple.


7:45 PM -- COMPLIMENTS OF THE SEASON (1930)
In this short film, a criminal attempting to go straight stops a young lady on Christmas eve from committing suicide. Vitaphone Release 1094-1095.
Dir: Arthur Hurley
Cast: Eric Dressler, Lenita Lane, Pat O'Brien
BW-14 mins,



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: SUMMER UNDER THE STARS: JANET GAYNOR



8:00 PM -- LUCKY STAR (1929)
War injuries come between a farm girl and her beau.
Dir: Frank Borzage
Cast: Charles Farrell, Janet Gaynor, Guinn "Big Boy" Williams
BW-100 mins,

According to the New York Times, the sound version of this movie was "partly silent and partly talking, being divided about equally into the two molds." Sound effects were scattered throughout the picture, including a phonograph record and the noise of a train's departure. I'm not sure whether TCM is showing the sound or silent version.


9:50 PM -- LAMBCHOPS (1929)
In this short film, George Burns and Gracie Allen perform a comic routine along with the musical number, "Do You Believe in Me? I Do." Vitaphone Release 891.
Cast: George Burns, Gracie Allen ,
BW-8 mins,

Film debut for George Burns and Gracie Allen. Burns wore a hat because his toupee was in his luggage, which was delayed during the last-minute trip to Astoria to film this short.


10:00 PM -- STREET ANGEL (1928)
A pretty escaped convict hides out in a circus and finds love.
Dir: Frank Borzage
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, Alberto Rabagliati
BW-101 mins,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography -- Ernest Palmer (No official nominees had been announced this year.), and Best Art Direction -- Harry Oliver (No official nominees had been announced this year.)

By a fluke, this film received Oscar nominations at both the First and Second Academy Awards. It received a Best Actress nomination for Janet Gaynor in 1929, and nominations for Best Art Direction and Cinematography in 1930. It is the only American film to be nominated for Academy Awards in two different years. (A few foreign-language films have received nominations in different years. And Gaynor's nomination was for multiple films.)


12:00 AM -- LADIES IN LOVE (1936)
Three working girls in Budapest pool their resources to get a better apartment and impress their dates.
Dir: Edward H. Griffith
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Loretta Young, Constance Bennett
BW-93 mins,

While the onscreen credit states the movie is "based on the play" by Ladislaus Bus-Fekete (Leslie Bush-Fekete) and Hollywood Reporter production charts stated the play was called "Three Girls," no performance of that play has been found. Another Hollywood Reporter news item in December 1935 stated that Fox purchased Bus-Fekete's novel, "Ladies in Love" to be published in England in 1936. The book was published in the United States in 1937.


1:38 AM -- LIFE HESITATES AT 40 (1936)
In this comedic short, Charley Chase finds himself having strange spells in which everything around him appears to stop.
Dir: Charles Parrott
Cast: Andrea Leeds, Gus Leonard, Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer
BW-15 mins, CC,


2:00 AM -- SUNNYSIDE UP (1929)
A millionaire hires a tenement girl to make his fickle fiancée jealous.
Dir: David Butler
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell, El Brendel
BW-118 mins,

This is the first film in which Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell sang in both their careers, and the first film in which they were recorded in sound.


3:59 AM -- HOW I PLAY GOLF BY BOBBY JONES NO. 11 "PRACTICE SHOTS" (1931)
In this short film, champion Bobby Jones joins several actors on the golf course to show his approach to the sport. Vitaphone Release 4802.
Dir: George Marshall
BW-11 mins,

Evalyn Knapp is introduced as part of the celebrity gallery along with Donald Cook, James Cagney and Anthony Bushell. Right after the introduction, Louise Fazenda suddenly arrives late by taxi, and Knapp mysteriously disappears for the remainder of the short. The focus of the remaining time remains on Fazenda, whose marriage to Warners production head Hal B. Wallis was possibly not co-incidental.


4:15 AM -- THREE LOVES HAS NANCY (1938)
A country girl follows the man who jilted her to the big city, where she finds two new suitors.
Dir: Richard Thorpe
Cast: Janet Gaynor, Robert Montgomery, Franchot Tone
BW-70 mins, CC,

Margaret Sullavan and Melvyn Douglas were initially announced for the roles ultimately played by Janet Gaynor and Franchot Tone.


5:35 AM -- THEY'RE ALWAYS CAUGHT (1938)
This short film shows the role a crime laboratory plays in the solving of criminal investigations.
Dir: Harold S. Bucquet
Cast: Stanley Ridges, John Eldredge, Louis Jean Heydt
BW-22 mins,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, Two-reel