Hermione Gingold
The story of the gold-plated statuette that became the film industry's most coveted prize, AND THE OSCAR GOES TO... traces the history of the Academy itself, which began in 1927 when Louis B. Mayer, then head of MGM, led other prominent members of the industry in forming this professional honorary organization. Two years later the Academy began bestowing awards, which were nicknamed "Oscar," and quickly came to represent the pinnacle of cinematic achievement.
A New York accountant (Ron Silver) sets out to grant his dying mother's last wish--to meet film star Greta Garbo. Sidney Lumet's bittersweet 1984 comedy also stars Anne Bancroft, Catherine Hicks, Carrie Fisher, Harvey Fierstein, Howard Da Silva, Steven Hill, Hermione Gingold, Dorothy Loudon and Betty Comden.
A kid strives to be perfect, and in the end realizes that individuality is more fun.
"Fredrik Egerman is very happy in his marriage to a seventeen-year-old virgin, Anne. Only she's been a virgin for the whole eleven months of the marriage, and being a bit restless, Fredrik goes to see an old flame, the famous actress Desiree Armfeldt. Desiree is getting tired of her life, and is thinkin of settling down, and sets her sights on Fredrik, despite his marriage, and her own married lover Count Carl-Magnus. She gets her mother to invite the Egermans to her country estate for the weekend. But when Carl-Magnus and his wife Charlotte appear, too, things begin to get farcical (Send in the Clowns), and the night must smile for the third time before all the lovers are united." Written by Kathy Li
Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire present more golden moments from the MGM film library, this time including comedy and drama as well as classic musical numbers.
When Tubby the Tuba sets out to find a melody all of his own, his journey results in this enchanting and exciting musical tale. Tubby joins the circus and striving to be part of an orchestra, he travels to the Singing City where along the way he encounters many wonderful characters.
Chuck Watts, a fugitive wanted for manslaughter in Kentucky, has been keeping a relatively low profile as an enforcer for Andrew Max, the man who controls the strippers and hookers of New Orleans' club circuit. Unknown to Chuck, Max runs an extensive crime empire with a reach far beyond strippers and hookers--a world of violence and betrayal that quickly overtakes Chuck as he finds himself the key man in a war of competing crime syndicates. As the bloody struggle erupts around him, Chuck is driven to desperate action by one compelling motive--get out alive! (From back of box)
Various MGM stars from yesterday present their favorite musical moments from the studio's 50 year history.
In 1972, the Arizona State Park bought the London Bridge. Tom Jones (as himself) is magically transported to the bridge's new location where he, befuddled, sings with other celebrities, has adventures and gets kidnapped by “the villain”.
The life of a witch is disrupted by the arrival of a boy and his mother. The intruders' presence makes her struggle to adjust to the modern world, and to change from bad to good witch. Based on the book "Old Black Witch" by Wende and Harry Devlin.
Phineas T. Barnum and friends finance the first flight to the moon but find the task a little above them. They attempt to blast their rocket into orbit from a massive gun barrel built into the side of a Welsh mountain, but money troubles, spies and saboteurs ensure that the plan is doomed before it starts...
Herman discovers he's the new lord of Munster Hall in England. The family sails to Britain, where they receive a tepid welcome from Lady Effigy and Freddie Munster, who throws tantrums because he wasn't named Lord Munster. An on-board romance had blossomed between Marilyn and Roger, but on land Marilyn discovers Roger's family holds a longstanding grudge against the Munsters.
Harvey Middleman (Eugene Troobnick), a New York fireman, lives a very ordinary life with his wife (Arlene Golonka) and children. After he rescues a beautiful girl (Patricia Harty) from a fire, he fancies himself to be in love with her, leaving his wife and seeking help, in the process, from a nutty Psychiatrist (Hermione Gingold).
An updated remake of It Started With Eve (1941). A young heiress is summoned to the bedside of her dying grandfather. The man's last wish is to meet her fiance, but problems arise when the fiance is delayed and a young chemical engineer is persuaded to take his place. When the grandfather suddenly (and secretly) recovers, he uses the situation to his advantage - playing matchmaker in an attempt to ensure his granddaughter's happiness.
Hallmark presented the story of how the greatest oratorio, George Frederic Handel's "The Messiah", in the Englihi language came to be written.
A con man comes to an Iowa town with a scam using a boy's marching band program, but things don't go according to plan.
Mouser Jaone Tom and housecat Mewsette are living in the French country side, but Mewsette wants to experience the refinement and excitement of the Paris living. But upon arrival she falls into the clutches of Meowrice. Jaune Tom and his friend Robespierre set off to Paris to find her.
Michael Anderson's 1961 suspense thriller stars Deborah Kerr as a London wife who suspects her wealthy husband (Gary Cooper) might be a murderer. The cast also includes Eric Portman, Diane Cilento, Hermione Gingold and Michael Wilding. This was Gary Cooper's last film.
At the beginning of the program, Peter Lawford explains that Frank Sinatra's plans to film his TV special outdoors in sunny Palm Springs have foundered because an extended rainstorm has turned their desert location into a morass of mud. The company is forced to move inside a stark studio instead and delivers their songs with a minimum of props but a maximum of verve.
A modern-day witch likes her neighbor but despises his fiancee, so she enchants him to love her instead... only to fall in love with him for real.
Based on the famous book by Jules Verne the movie follows Phileas Fogg on his journey around the world. Which has to be completed within 80 days, a very short period for those days.
Rich Sadie Patch is marooned on a desert island after an emergency on her cruise-ship. With her are Irish stoker Pat, prickly young Jimmy Carrol, and bald and bookish Professor Gibble. All fancy their chances.
The Pickwick Club sends Mr. Pickwick and a group of friends to travel across England and to report back on the interesting things they find...
Rodney Playfair is persuaded, by a promise to meet his gambling debts, to impersonate a manservant named Chapman at his fiancée's house...
When Sally inherits a country house, her young brother Ronald, an aspiring journalist, hits on a sensational way to make his first big scoop: Sally will 'disappear', and he will be arrested for her murder! At his trial she will reappear, his acquittal will follow, and he will be able to supply his paper with an exclusive story. Sally and her fiance, Bill, fall in with the scheme. However, there are complications which they had not foreseen.
