Quick Preview of TCM in December

It's only been three weeks since Turner Classic Movies posted the November schedule online, and the December schedule is already available!

The December Star of the Month is Mickey Rooney, and his month will include a 24-hour marathon of the ANDY HARDY series.

It looks like three dozen or so of Rooney's other films will be airing, including some of his best work in films like BOYS TOWN (1938), THE HUMAN COMEDY (1943), NATIONAL VELVET (1944), and THE BLACK STALLION (1979).

As far as other titles airing in December, I'm especially excited about FAMILY HONEYMOON (1949), starring Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert, which I've never seen. Paramount films are oh-so-slowly making their way to the TCM schedule, and it's happy news when one turns up.

It's also fun to see that two MR. BELVEDERE films, starring Clifton Webb, are on the schedule: MR. BELVEDERE GOES TO COLLEGE (1949), with Shirley Temple and Tom Drake, and MR. BELVEDERE RINGS THE BELL (1951) with Joanne Dru and Hugh Marlowe. I've seen the original film in the series, SITTING PRETTY (1948) with Maureen O'Hara and Robert Young, many times, but have never seen the sequels.

And, of course, there are lots of Christmas films on the schedule as well. New Year's Eve will be spent with Cary Grant and the Marx Brothers.

For more comments on the December schedule, check out this discussion thread at the TCM Message Boards.

I'll be taking a closer look at the December schedule around Thanksgiving. In the meantime, here are the Stars of the Month lined up for the next few months: Vivien Leigh in September, Fredric March in October, and Ava Gardner in November.

October 20th Update: FAMILY HONEYMOON has now been removed from the schedule, as occasionally happens. However, the replacement being offered is equally high on my viewing wish list: THE GILDED LILY (1935) starring Colbert, MacMurray, and Ray Milland. I'm very excited that film is coming to TCM, and hopefully it won't be long before FAMILY HONEYMOON shows up too.