Esteemed film historian Robert Osborne can be counted on to bring classic film stars into our living rooms 24 hours a day through Turner Classic Movies.
But on Thursday, Osborne is bringing a live version of one notable name -- Jane Powell -- to Atlanta.
The third annual “Road to Hollywood” tour, a precursor to the TCM Classic Film Festival set for April 12-15 in Los Angeles, launched in early March in New York with Osborne and Spike Lee examining “To Kill a Mockingbird.”
Since then, four other screenings of classic films have taken place from Minneapolis to Miami with Osborne’s TCM comrade Ben Mankiewicz and fellow film ace Leonard Maltin hosting names such as Tippi Hedren and Eva Marie Saint. The tour ends April 5 in Portland, Ore., with Mankiewicz and Ernest Borgnine screening “Marty.”
In Atlanta, Powell, the noted MGM star of the '40s and '50s, will discuss “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” the 1954 musical remembered for its unique choreography.
Osborne chatted earlier this week about his friendship with Powell and what movie lovers can expect from the experience.
Q. This is the third year of the "Road to Hollywood" tour. What is the idea behind it?
A. Not everybody can come to the film festival, but it gives people an idea of what the festival is all about. We love TCM, but the fact that we can see these old films that sat in vaults for so long ... there's nothing quite like seeing a film in a theater with a big screen and an audience.
Q. Did you get to pick your cities and actors?
A. Because I have a large workload in Atlanta working on scripts and getting my remarks ready for my [TCM] shoots, I don't have the luxury of travel. But I did Spike Lee in New York, and in Atlanta I'll be with Jane, who is an old, old friend.
Q. How long have you known her?
A. When I was 8 years old, I used to go watch her do her radio show in Portland, Ore. She was 12 at the time, and she would sing in Victory Square Park. Then we grew up. She was in California, I was there writing for The Hollywood Reporter, but I never met her there. Years later I moved to New York and she was in New York, and we happened to pass on the street and we stopped and talked and just clicked. I admire her career. She's one of the great survivors of the MGM star stable.
Q. What is the setup of the event for the Woodruff screening?
A. I'm going to come out and say hello and introduce Jane before the movie, and she'll talk for about 30 minutes about the MGM days and what it was like making the picture. "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" is one of those movies that no one paid any attention to at all, but then it was nominated for an Academy Award. It's also the kind of film I think every actor wants to have. This was Jane's big movie. It holds up wonderfully today.
Q. You recently got a new co-host for “The Essentials” -- Drew Barrymore. How did that come about?
A. [The show] was initially done by Rob Reiner for two years. It was never meant to be a permanent slot. Then they decided they wanted to have a woman involved. We did a lot of work with [film critic] Molly Haskell, but she didn't want to host the show alone, which is how I got involved. Then we got Carrie Fisher for a year, Rose McGowan for a year. [Most recent co-host] Alec [Baldwin] had been a guest programmer and was so good we asked him to do ['The Essentials']. It was so great to work with him. We did it for three years, but he's got his hand in so many pots, he thought it was time to move on. That's when Drew got involved. She's so bright and knowledgeable. A lot of people are going to be surprised at what a deep-thinking person she is.
Event preview
“Road to Hollywood” with Robert Osborne and Jane Powell
Screening of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22. Tickets are free but required for entry. The Richard H. Rich Theatre (inside Woodruff Arts Center), 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. Tickets available at www.tcm.com/roadtohollywood.
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