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| Source: TCM- TCM film historian and host Robert Osborne. The face of TCM for 20 years. |
"TCM remembers our original host, the author, journalist and beloved TV personality Robert Osborne, 1932-2017."
From TCM
How I do I talk about Robert Osborne, how do I talk about a man I don't personally know who wasn't an actor or a famous celebrity really for anyone who wasn't an entertainer or an entertainment historian and writer who works with people like Osborne who was of course not just a film and Hollywood historian, but one of the best and most knowledgeable of his generation, if not ever. Well, I guess I don't have to say I can talk about as fan of TCM and Classic Hollywood in general, but that wouldn't be giving me much credit. I'll talk about Robert Osborne as someone who loves Classic Hollywood as a blogger who blogs about Classic Hollywood from time to time. And a big reason is because of knowledgeable people and historians like Robert Osborne.
Robert Osborne is not the reason why I love and many other Americans perhaps especially on Google+ that has so many Classic Hollywood communities and communities about old movies, famous entertainers and TV. But he's one of the biggest reasons. Watching an old movie on TCM is not like watching an old movie on TNT or USA ( to use as examples ). It's so much better, because instead of one movie ending with the credits and that movie directly being followed by the next movie.
What you get is a backstory from someone like Robert Osborne or Ben Mankiewicz who gives you inside details about the movie you just saw. Where it was shot and why it was shot there. Background about the cast, writers and directors involved and what it took to get those people to work on that project. The chemistry that the cast had with each other, as well as the people they worked for on the project. As well as little information about the people on the project as far as how it affected their career before and after. And then you get a little taste about a documentary about about actors, actresses, and other entertainers short documentary films about Old Hollywood after the last movie had just been completed and before the next movie shows up.
Robert Osborne did not get me into Classic Hollywood, at least by himself. But like I said earlier because of him and TCM watching and old movie on TCM is not like watching an old movie everywhere else. It's more like reading a good book about a movie or good documentary about a movie and then thinking I have to see that movie because its so interesting. Except you get that information for free. Robert Osborne gave his viewers a good book or documentary worth of information about the movie that you're about to watch in about three minutes. Because he was so knowledgeable about what you were about to see and doing it an interesting way.
Talking about the story without giving up the plot. Talking about the cast and again how they worked with each other and again how that film affected their careers and what they were doing before. I especially loved how Osborne talked about Hitchcock films and saying how good Cary Grant was with Alfred Hitchcock because they had similar taste in movies, humor, and women. That is what you got with Robert Osborne. The story of the film before you saw it and yet still wanting and seeing that film, because of how interesting he made it sound. And he is one of the best if not the best and will be surely missed.
