Summer Under the Stars 2017: An Introduction and Catalog

It is my immense pleasure to note that I will once again participate in Journey In Classic Film Summer Under the Stars Blogathon.

Every August on Turner Classic Movies, the network devotes each day to a particular star, some legendary, some sadly not well-remembered.  They tend to have a few performers who are still living at the time among the actor/actresses: last year or the year before that, they had Debbie Reynolds and Ann-Margret, and this year it's Vanessa Redgrave, Sidney Poitier, Leslie Caron and Angela Lansbury.

Four living people.  I think that's a record for TCM's Summer Under the Stars.

There is almost always a silent film star as well: last year if memory serves correct it was Ramon Novarro, this year it's Lon Chaney and Marion Davies.

Finally, there is at least one foreign-language performer: last year again if memory serves correct, there was Brigitte Bardot, and this year it's Simone Signoret.

Wonder if we'll ever get Toshiro Mifune to have his own day.

I'm honored to have been asked to participate, and this year I'm upping my contributions.  Here is a list of stars that I will be writing about. Films with an asterisk (*) will be shown for that star's day.

August 2: Ray Milland: Dial M for Murder *
August 4: Claire Trevor: Texas (1941)
August 8: Franchot Tone: Midnight Mary
August 9: Sandra Dee: If a Man Answers
August 10: Sidney Poitier: The Politics of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
August 12: John Wayne: Personal Reflections on The Searchers *
August 17: Rosalind Russell: Auntie Mame *
August 23: Greer Garson: Little Women (The Television Miniseries)
August 27: Leslie Caron: Thank Heaven: A Memoir Review
August 29: Marion Davies: Show People *
August 31: Elizabeth Taylor: A Place in the Sun *

I urge everyone to look at the contributions of others for the Journeys In Classic Film Summer Under the Stars Blogathon, and enjoy these great stars all month long.