TCM Schedule for Thursday, May 31 -- What's On Tonight: True Crime

[Staph]

It's a day full of doctors (Warner Baxter in the Crime Doctor series and Dirk Bogarde in the Doctor in the House series) and one last evening of True Crime. Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- Crime Doctor (1943)
66 min, TV-G
A blow on the head forces a renowned psychologist to remember he was once a criminal.
Dir: Michael Gordon
Cast: Warner Baxter, Margaret Lindsay, John Litel

Fans of The Three Stooges may recognize the same cheap studio sets and on-the-quick lighting we associate with their B&W shorts. Typical of the B pictures Harry Cohn's Columbia Pictures Gower Street lot ground out in the 1940s, Crime Doctor and many of the best Stooges shorts were shot during the same World War II years. Crime Doctor is one of the first films directed by Michael Gordon, who was from the Yale Drama School and The Group Theater with Elia Kazan, and who, after many years of being blacklisted during the McCarthy red scare era, eventually directed the Doris Day / Rock Hudson hit Pillow Talk.


7:15 AM -- The Crime Doctor's Strangest Case (1943)
68 min, TV-G
A criminal psychologist searches for clues in an elderly crime victim's dreams.
Dir: Eugene J. Forde
Cast: Warner Baxter, Lynn Merrick, Gloria Dickson

In this movie, Gloria Dickson is married to a man, played by Jerome Cowan, who is habitually starting fires with carelessly discarded smoking materials. There are two scenes in the movie, including the final scene, in which he starts such fires. Her character comments, "I'm practically cremated." when describing living with him. Ironically, just two short years after this movie was released Gloria was killed in a house fire, suspected to have been caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette.


8:30 AM -- The Crime Doctor's Courage (1945)
70 min, TV-G
A criminal psychiatrist investigates the murder of a two-time widower.
Dir: George Sherman
Cast: Warner Baxter, Hillary Brooke, Jerome Cowan

Warner Baxter claimed to have an early pre-disposition toward show business: "I discovered a boy a block away who would eat worms and swallow flies for a penny. For one-third of the profits, I exhibited him in a tent."


9:45 AM -- The Crime Doctor's Warning (1945)
70 min, TV-G
A criminal psychologist treats an artist whose blackouts coincide with a series of murders.
Dir: William Castle
Cast: Warner Baxter, John Litel, Dusty Anderson

Fifth of the ten Crime Doctor films.


11:00 AM -- Crime Doctor's Manhunt (1946)
61 min, TV-G
A criminal psychologist investigates the murder of a veteran with amnesia.
Dir: William Castle
Cast: Warner Baxter, Ellen Drew, William Frawley

Police Inspector Harry B. Manning (William Frawley): Say, Doctor, I'd like you to see my wife.
Dr. Robert Ordway: Split personality?
Police Inspector Harry B. Manning: No personality.


12:04 PM -- See Your Doctor (1939)
8 min
The story of a man who gets stung in his garden and the problems the man has when he seeks treatment at the doctor's office.
Dir: Basil Wrangell
Cast: Robert Benchley, Hobart Cavanaugh, Monty Woolley

One of the 16 Joe Doakes shorts, starring Robert Benchley.


12:15 PM -- The Crime Doctor's Gamble (1947)
66 min, TV-G
While visiting France, a criminal psychologist tries to clear a disturbed young man of his father's murder.
Dir: William Castle
Cast: Warner Baxter, Micheline Cheirel, Roger Dann

The Crime Doctor radio series was created by Max Marcin.


1:30 PM -- The Crime Doctor's Diary (1949)
61 min, TV-G
A criminal psychologist tries to clear his patient of arson charges.
Dir: Seymour Friedman
Cast: Warner Baxter, Stephen Dunne, Lois Maxwell

Watch for Lois Maxwell -- the original Miss Moneypenny in the first 14 James Bond films.


2:33 PM -- The Woman In The House (1942)
11 min
A John Nesbitt short exploring the human condition of anthropophobia, fear of people.
Dir: Sammy Lee
Cast: Ann Richards (no, not that Ann Richards!)

In 1901, Catherine Starr has an argument with her fiancee, who then leaves her to go and fight in the Boer War in South Africa, where he is killed. She blames herself for his death and never leaves her house for forty years until it is bombed in 1941 during the Battle of Britain.


2:45 PM -- Doctor in the House (1955)
C-92 min, TV-PG
A medical student tries to balance partying with healing the sick.
Dir: Ralph Thomas
Cast: Dirk Bogarde, Muriel Pavlow, Kenneth More

The medical school in the film was the old St. Georges Hospital Medical School which used to be on Hyde Park Corner (now a plush hotel). St. Georges was later moved to Tooting, in South West London.


4:30 PM -- Doctor at Large (1957)
C-99 min, TV-PG
A young doctor tries to survive a series of disastrous internships.
Dir: Ralph Thomas
Cast: Dirk Bogarde, Muriel Pavlow, Donald Sinden

Richard Gordon, the author of the original books (and of the screenplay here), is on screen hidden behind the anesthetist's mask in the "patient wakes up" scene. Gordon did the job in real life before turning to writing.


6:15 PM -- Doctor in Distress (1963)
C-103 min, TV-PG
An intern and his antagonistic boss bond over romantic problems.
Dir: Ralph Thomas
Cast: Dirk Bogarde, James Robertson-Justice, Samantha Eggar

Richard Gordon: The author of the original books (and of the screenplay here) is on screen hidden behind the anesthetist's mask in the "patient wakes up" scene. Gordon did the job in real life before turning to writing.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TCM SPOTLIGHT: TRUE CRIME


8:00 PM -- Badlands (1973)
C-94 min, TV-14
A young tough guy and his teen-aged girlfriend take off on a killing spree.
Dir: Terrence Malick
Cast: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates

The Badlands plot and lead characters of Kit and Holly are based on Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate, who in 1958 embarked on a murder spree that horrified the country.


9:43 PM -- The Sky Divers (1969)
C-15 min
A behind the scenes, promotional short about the making of the feature film The Gypsy Moths (1969).
Dir: Dale Mackey
Cast: Wink Martindale, Carl Boenisch, John Frankenheimer

Experienced but amateur skydivers, most with several thousand jumps to their credit, were brought in from California to double for the actors in The Gypsy Moths. During one take an unexpected gust of wind pulled the chute and caused one of the skydivers to be slammed into the ground, breaking his collar bone and dislocating his shoulder. Even though in great pain, he stayed in character and managed to get up and finish the scene. He was retained by the director as a consultant.


10:00 PM -- Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
C-111 min, TV-14
The legendary bank robbers run riot in the South of the 1930s.
Dir: Arthur Penn
Cast: Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard

Won Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Estelle Parsons, and Best Cinematography -- Burnett Guffey

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Warren Beatty, Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Gene Hackman, Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Michael J. Pollard, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Faye Dunaway, Best Costume Design -- Theadora Van Runkle, Best Director -- Arthur Penn, Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen -- David Newman and Robert Benton, and Best Picture

Gene Hackman, playing Buck Barrow, was on the set one day when he noticed a guy standing behind him and staring. The man said, "Hell, Buck would've never wore a hat like that." Hackman turned around and looked at him and said, "Maybe not." He looked like an old Texas farmer. The man introduced himself and said, "Nice to meet you - I'm one of the Barrows."


12:00 AM -- Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
A man robs a bank to pay for his lover's operation.
C-125 min, TV-MA
Dir: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning

Won an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay -- Frank Pierson (Frank Pierson was not present at the awards ceremony. Presenter Gore Vidal accepted the award on his behalf.)

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Al Pacino, Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Chris Sarandon, Best Director -- Sidney Lumet, Best Film Editing -- Dede Allen, and Best Picture

The real bank robber (John Wojtowicz) had watched The Godfather to get ideas the day he robbed the Chase Manhattan bank. Both Al Pacino and John Cazale were in "The Godfather".


2:15 AM -- The Night Holds Terror (1955)
86 min, TV-PG
Escaped convicts take over a suburban home.
Dir: Andrew Stone
Cast: Jack Kelly, Hildy Parks, Vince Edwards

Based on a true story that happened in February 1953.


3:45 AM -- Inside The Mafia (1959)
73 min, TV-PG
A mobster out to rule the underworld takes hostages at an international airport.
Dir: Edward L. Cahn
Cast: Cameron Mitchell, Robert Strauss, Grant Richards

Tagline: The raid that ripped the 'Crime Convention' in 'Apple Lake, NY'.


5:00 AM -- Some of the Best - 1944 (1944)
49 min, TV-G
Features highlights of MGM's productions from 1924 through 1943, in honor of the studio's twentieth anniversary. Hosted by Lewis Stone.