Robert Osborne returns to TCM!

Here's one of my favorite peeps—Robert Osborne—movie maven and host of the Turner Classic Movies channel. He took 5 months off for some minor surgery and a well deserved rest, and is returning tonight on TCM! I am not really sure what kind of spell this man holds over me, but all I know is that even if I am not interested in the movie he's introducing each night at 8 PM, I find his voice and demeanor very warm and soothing to listen to (not to mention that twinkle in his blue eyes). He's a gentleman's gentleman, and he's a veritable encyclopedia of film knowledge—just plain crazy good. He's nearly 80 years old and no doubt his passion and love for film is keeping him young. Welcome back R.O., I missed you like mad!

Here's the scoop in his hiatus--in a story written by Richard Eldredge, Osborne is quoted in Atlanta Magazine as saying: “Honestly, it was no big deal, essentially, I had worked 17 years straight without a vacation. I wanted a lump of time just to relax and unwind. I wanted to go get an MRI and a CATscan. I wanted to get a facial and get some crowns put on my teeth. I wanted to start going to a gym regularly. I wanted to pamper myself a little. I feel really good and very well rested.''  Rock on Mr. O., we all need a little pamper time. Read the entire story in Atlanta Magazine here.

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Just to give you a little idea of the sheer genius of TCM, they often play strings of films featuring the same actor--tonight it's all about William Powell. All November TCM featured The Battle of the Blondes—films with peroxide lassies such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Kim Novak, Betty Grable, etc. (Brilliant, right?), and in the month of December they're featuring Silent Nights—Fragments: Surviving pieces of lost films. Saturdays at noon they've been featuring every Tarzan film ever made, and even if you're not into Tarzan (like me), you've gotta admit it's an awesome idea. One wintry morning last year they played 3 legendary Ingmar Bergman films, back to back. No commercials, just films—all the time. And if Robert Osborne is delivering one of his informative film introductions, even better. Check it out!