Last month, the Journal had the incredible opportunity to visit the Atlanta-based headquarters of Turner Classic Movies in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Turner Classic Movies launched in 1994, the baby of CNN and TBS founder Ted Turner. The network boasts commercial-free classic films, a promise they’ve kept for nearly 30 years. They bring on a variety of filmmakers, actors and other industry professionals to discuss movies, actors and studios that made old Hollywood fascinating. 

TCM/Warner Media Digital Marketing Manager Diana would be my tour guide for the day, giving me the history and the behind-the-scenes look at what goes on while on set. 

As you entered the studio, you could sense the same undeniable energy you feel in the Falls City Journal office on a Monday while trying to put the paper to bed. It’s the energy you have when you’re on a mission with a small staff full of passion, a mound of work and a looming deadline. Every person there poured their heart and soul into their work, ensuring that what viewers see on TCM is nothing short of perfection.

Many people worldwide, both young and old, share a love for classic cinema and a passionate dedication to TCM, the network’s knowledge, and the film library presented 24 hours a day with careful curation. 

A quick Google search turns up hundreds of personal testimonies of those affected by the recent staff changes and cuts at the network. The network has legions of fans who turn to the channel and even the staff for comfort when they struggle in their own lives. During the pandemic, the hosts and films were a great source of comfort for many who stayed home for months, many alone with no family, but who spent days online talking to other film fans about what the channel was showing. 

When David Zaslav, head of Warner Bros. Discovery, started laying off senior management this summer, people got nervous. Whenever a CEO starts tinkering with a beloved brand it’s time to worry. But when people worry about a brand or institution, it’s easy to forget there are real people and families affected by the layoffs and others working around the clock to produce and protect that institution many hold so near and dear. 

When you get to go “behind the scenes,” a certain amount of fear comes with it. There’s a saying, “Don’t meet your heroes,” and so many have put these people on a pedestal for so long.  

The Director, Make-Up, Wardrobe, and PA were all welcoming and warm as they prepared for a day of shooting with few breaks.

Ben Mankiewicz, the long-time host of TCM, was in town for the week to shoot his introductions and outros for several films. 

Writer-producer Mankiewicz was only the second person to serve as TCM host when he joined the channel in 2003. He’s now the primary primetime host, although he shares duties with Alicia Malone, Dave Karger and Jaqueline Stewart.

Mankiewicz is the grandson of Herman Mankiewicz, co-writer of “Citizen Kane,” “Dinner at Eight,” “Pride of the Yankees” and “The Wizard of Oz,” to name a few films. His great-uncle, Joseph L. Mankiewicz, directed “All About Eve,” and “Guys and Dolls”, and his brother Josh Mankiewicz has been reporting for “Dateline” since the mid-90s. Entertainment and film are in his blood. When he started his hosting duties with TCM, he admitted that for much of his life, “[he] didn’t even love classic movies.” 

“I grew to tolerate them in high school and college when I got so tired of complaining about contemporary movies where everything blows up and the scripts were horrible. I kept asking, ‘Why doesn’t anybody care?’ Mankiewicz told James Sanford of Newhouse News Service in a 2003 interview. “Well, then I realized there’s a million movies out there where the script isn’t terrible.”

He credited Alfred Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” for his awakening.

“That was the first movie that got me interested in classic movies, he stated. “My mom made me watch it when I was 16 or 17, and I remember thinking, ‘That Cary Grant guy is cool.’”

Nearly twenty years to the day Mankiewicz started with TCM, I had the privilege of watching his film introductions for that “Cary Grant guy’s films.

Seeing Mankiewicz’s meticulous attention to detail and dedication to each segment was interesting. When the time came for breaks in filming, he would walk off-set and settle behind the camera to rehearse his dialogue. When the time came to go back on camera, he often got his introductions in one take. What makes his introductions personal is the input Mankiewicz has on his scripts that are put together by a team of writers and researchers. It’s a collaborative effort. Much like a newspaper, the entire team strives for accuracy when telling the stories of the films and the people who bring them to life. 

It can be a surreal experience to see something you watch on your TV countless times come to life right before your eyes.

“Hello, I’m Ben Mankiewicz. Welcome to TCM,” a phrase many have found so comforting, were the first lines on the prompter and echoed through the TCM set as Mankiewicz delivered his introduction with the ease of a professional. 

Ben and company did introductions and outros for 15 films before they broke for lunch, including classics like “Soylent Green,” “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “I Was a Male War Bride,” “Money Business” and “The Philadelphia Story.” 

It’s difficult not to be captivated by his words, just as many were by original patriarch Robert Osborne’s. The men bring passion and knowledge only so few can. Mankiewicz delivered insightful and entertaining commentary for over an hour, bringing the films to life for worldwide viewers. 

What an extraordinary opportunity to see this gifted and small group of talent do the work many classic film fans only dream of being a part of. All while maintaining a genuine sense of camaraderie and teamwork among the staff. Despite their challenges as a smaller team, their love for classic films and commitment to delivering exceptional content shone through in every interaction.

It was the teamwork of getting the set decorations right when they had to break to decorate for the holidays. It was how they worked together to ensure Ben hit every mark and had every hair in place and how they laughed together when Mankiewicz adlibbed some good-faith ribbing at his fellow TCM Noir Alley host, Eddie Mueller. They are a well-oiled machine that works together seamlessly in a way only years of experience can provide. 

The set TCM fans know and love was much smaller in person than many could imagine. When you’re at home watching Mankiewicz or Alicia Malone talk about these films, you forget they’re in a studio which is a talent so few hosts can perfect.

This day was notable in the TCM offices. Everyone celebrated Ben Mankiewicz’s 20th anniversary at the network during the lunch break with a special lunch. The staff gathered to honor his dedication and contributions to the world of classic film. Ben was met in the commissary with balloons, dessert, a photo of himself from his first day that had been signed with congratulatory messages and a specially catered meal. 

After lunch, the TCM staff was so kind and welcoming as the stations Social Media Manager, Caroline, sat and discussed past festivals and some of her work. She’s overseen getting some of the red-carpet talent for past festivals, no small feat. 

Then came a face many film fans would recognize immediately. Genevieve McGillicuddy, whom many have come to admire so much for all the work she’s done at the network and with the festival for the past 15 years. McGillicuddy is the Executive Director of the TCM Film Festival and she graciously took time to sit down and talk before a meeting she had that afternoon. She shared stories of working with the late Robert Osborne, Hollywood, and the Film Festival, where she’s worked with some incredible talent while organizing the event including Peter O’Toole and Tony Curtis. 

Leaving the Turner Classic Movies headquarters, it was easy to feel a renewed admiration and appreciation for this small team’s incredible work. It was a reminder that sometimes, it’s not about the team size but rather the amount of heart and passion they bring to their craft. Witnessing the passion of such a small staff at Turner Classic Movies was incredibly moving. Despite their size, their love for classic films radiated throughout the experience. You could feel their dedication and genuine enthusiasm for preserving the magic of cinema. Seeing a team come together and create something unique with their shared passion is truly inspiring.

The small-town newspaper and the big-city cable network are similar. We don’t do it for the praise or the money; we do what we do because we’re passionate about what we’re doing and sometimes that’s better than anything else.

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This 90-year-old theater which received a six million dollar makeover in 2019, is an integral part of the American Legion Post 43. Post 43 was chartered in 1919 by World War I veterans in the motion picture business. Members have included Gene Autry, Ronald Regan, Mickey Rooney and Stan Lee, to name a few. Icons like Bogart and Gable shot pool and drank in the bar downstairs.

There have been rumors that Charlie Chaplin haunts the Hollywood Legion Theater, but there’s no evidence to support the claim, but I like to think it’s true. The TV series “Ghost Adventures” did a segment on it, saying some people have reported seeing a ghostly figure that resembles Chaplin in the theater’s projection booth, while others have claimed to hear unexplained noises and footsteps in the building. The entire theater is genuinely something to behold and one of the most comfortable theaters to see a film in.

It was a wet and chilly night in Hollywood as I sprinted to the theater to catch the 1970 disaster drama I had looked forward to seeing for the first time. I found my highly comfortable seat in the middle of the massive theater just in time for the intro given by TCM’s own Eddie Mueller.

Mueller said he asked to do the introduction to Airport. He said this film was a “landmark traditional film in many ways and a landmark transitional film between old and new Hollywood.”

“This is essentially Hotel with wings,” said Mueller referring to the 1967 film also based on a novel by Arthur Hailey.

This 1970 film starring Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Helen Hayes, and Jean Seberg tells the story of an airport and the various employees and passengers involved in a potential bombing plot.

While Airport was a popular and successful film, it didn’t receive the most outstanding reviews. It was nominated for ten Oscars and received a win for Helen Hayes in her supporting and memorable role. 

“This film was just this transition because 1969 you had Easy Rider, Medium Cool, The Wild Bunch, Hollywood was greatly changing, and Airport was saying ‘hold on’ there’s still a lot of people out there who want to see an old traditional movie, a movie-movie, a popcorn movie,” said Mueller during his intro. “Burt Lancaster called it a piece of junk. I don’t actually agree with him; I think Airport exists to show us that it may not be taught in film schools and things, but it is a movie-movie.”

Airport on 70mm in this large theater with an excited crowd ready to dive into the TCM Classic Film Festival was the perfect way to kick things off. As Eddie Mueller put it, “Get ready to rock and roll.”

Airport was a remarkable 70mm presentation thanks to FotoKem, to whom Mueller gave special kudos.

(Featured Image – Eddie Muller speaks onstage at the screening of “Airport” during the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival on April 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Jerod Harris/Getty Images for TCM  4/13/2023 )

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I’d like you to understand how important TCM is to us and how it has been a constant source of comfort and joy. It’s essential to have something to rely on during good and bad times; TCM has been that for us. I hope that TCM continues to provide that for us and that we continue to enjoy fantastic films with the people we love.
It’s important to acknowledge that our investment in TCM is significant in terms of money and time. We expect that our investment will be respected and that your decisions will reflect a deep understanding of the value of curation and movie history. We hope you act on this understanding and show that you genuinely care about preserving film history and our bond with fellow fans, the films and the employees of the network.
I’m passionate about my work as a reporter and the impact of Turner Classic Movies on my readers and community. I’m hopeful that the quality of the channel, the staff and the festival will continue to thrive and that the network will continue to produce quality content that matters to people.
I wish you felt the same way.

#SaveTCM

By Nikki McKim

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For four unforgettable days in Hollywood, I was transported to a world of cinematic magic and nostalgia at my favorite event of the year – the Turner Classic Film Festival.
It’s been a month since I returned from the highly anticipated event that promises one-of-a-kind programming “set within the theme ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet: Celebrating Film Legacies.'”
At this annual event, film enthusiasts from across the globe gathered to connect with other movie lovers and industry insiders, engaging in lively Q&A sessions and thought-provoking panel discussions with actors, directors, and other film professionals.
The historic Blossom Room inside the iconic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel provided a stunning backdrop for the Welcome Media Reception held on Wednesday afternoon. Pola Changnon, the General Manager of Turner Classic Movies, kicked off the event by introducing the five hosts of TCM – Ben Mankiewicz, Eddie Mueller, Alicia Malone, Jacqueline Stewart, and Dave Karger – who would be leading the Festival’s exciting programming over the next four days. As the event began, guests mingled and enjoyed refreshments while taking in the glamorous surroundings of one of Hollywood’s most legendary venues. Changnon commented how getting the five hosts together is a rare treat that happens maybe once a year at the Festival.
During the event, each host shared what they looked forward to the most. Eddie Mueller expressed his excitement about interacting with movie enthusiasts. ‘It’s the absolute best thing about the festival,’ said Mueller. “I know the fans love something about the Roosevelt Hotel is that it has the slowest elevators in the world. So then when you’re in the elevator, it’s like, you’re getting to spend quality time with the hosts., But seriously, I’m looking forward to seeing the fans. The movies are all great, but the fans are a total experience.'”
Jacqueline Stewart also expressed her excitement for the fans but added that seeing Donald Bogle win the Robert Osborne Award was amazing. ‘You know, his work has been directly influential on my research.’ said Stewart. ‘His book Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks, which is 50 years old, It’s the foundation for black film study, so he’s the perfect person to honor, and I’m excited.
Dave Karger shared that he was looking forward to an event he was hosting. ‘The first movie I ever saw when I was five was Grease. I was Didi Conn looking at Frankie Avalon as the Teen Angel singing Beauty School Dropout. So the fact that I get to introduce Beach Party starring him and Annette Funicello at the poolside… I’m going to hold it together. I’m really looking forward to that,’ said Karger.
Alicia Malone was excited about an event she would attend as a spectator. ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing Ben’s conversation tomorrow night with the legendary Angie Dickinson. And also hearing from Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson, two of the best filmmakers working today who have already directed classic films,’ said Malone. ‘I think it really speaks to our “Where Then Meets Now” tagline because you have Angie talking about Rio Bravo, and then you have Spielberg and PTA talking about the “now” and the future of the movie with film preservation. And this guy [Mankiewicz] is always fun and funny to watch.'”
Mankiewicz said he agreed with Stewart, but he came to Bogle differently. ‘I think I’ve interviewed Donald on the air more than any other person, and his passion for these movies comes across. Every conversation I have with him reminds me of something we talked about the last time. So I was touched that we decided to give him the Robert Osborne Award, and I’m thrilled to be a part of that ceremony. I’m definitely looking forward to it,’ said Mankiewicz.”
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery and was initially launched in 1994 as a joint venture between Turner Broadcasting System and MGM.
The network has also adapted to changes in the media landscape by offering streaming options and other digital content, which has helped to keep it relevant and accessible to viewers. TCM has built a loyal and dedicated fanbase online through Twitter and Facebook, with groups of fans who gather to watch films together under the hashtag #TCMParty. Overall, TCM should continue to be a significant player in the world of classic cinema for many years to come.
This year’s TCM Film Festival celebrated Warner Bros. turning 100 years old in 2023.
Founded on April 4, 1923, by brothers Harry, Albert, Sam, and Jack Warner, the company has become of the largest and most successful film studios in the world, producing many iconic movies and TV shows, including Gone with the Wind, The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca. Warner Bros. has a rich history in the film industry. The studio was the first to develop new technology and released the first talkie, The Jazz Singer, in 1927.
In May 2021, Warner Bros. announced that it would merge with Discovery Inc. to create a new media company that would be among the largest in the world. The new company, which is expected to be called Warner Bros. Discovery, will bring together some of the most iconic brands in entertainment, including Warner Bros., HBO (now Max), CNN, Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, and TLC, among others.
As the CEO of Discovery Inc., David Zaslav has expressed a strong commitment to the power of storytelling and the importance of preserving and celebrating the rich history of the media industry. TCM is widely regarded as one of the most critical and influential brands in film and television. Zaslav has expressed his admiration for TCM and its role in preserving classic films and has said that he is committed to continuing TCM’s legacy. I expect classic film fans, especially TCM fans, to hold Zaslav to that commitment.

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When the 2022 schedule was announced, Floyd Norman was announced to have a special hour-long “Conversation with Floyd Norman.” It was an event I wasn’t going to risk missing. I had seen Mr. Norman with his friend Jane Baer do an introduction to Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. Norman was an animator along with Baer for the film and it’s my favorite Disney film. I sat and cried and cried through that film. I was so happy and he was so delightful. 

Now years later, he was here across the room, just hanging out. I ran to him and all I could tell him was, “I love you. I just love you; I love you. You’re the best; I love you.” He smiled and again was such a gentleman. He let me take a photo with him. My favorite photo from the festival isn’t that photo, but the one my friend Jackie took of me when I returned to the table and Norman is in the background and you can practically hear me squealing through the photo. 

The final film of the night for a few of us was poolside film. We entered the pool area where everything was set up to find huge green Soylent Green cookies to go with the film of the night. It was my first showing of this utterly wild sci-fi film. After I yelled, “Soylent Green is people,” I found out that it was also my sister’s first showing and she didn’t know that quote; she also didn’t know that it was people. I felt terrible. She had gone her entire life avoiding that spoiler and 20 minutes before the movie, I ruined the ending. What a horrible sister and film buddy I am. So I did what any good sister would do; I asked our friend to get us more Soylent Green cookies to try to get her to forget that I had just ruined the movie by giving her sugar. 

The next day I got up bright and early to catch one of my absolute favorite films on the big screen. 

This was also another non-negotiable, can’t miss movie. I knew as tired as I would be that morning, there would be no way I’d sleep through The Third Man. 

The Third Man (1949) stars Joseph Cotton and Orson Wells. Set in postwar Vienna, Austria, tells of author Holly Martins who arrives penniless to see his friend Harry Lime. Martins quickly learns that Lime is dead and develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a “third man” present at the time of Harry’s death. While investigating, he falls for Harry’s girlfriend. I can’t go into detail because I would recommend seeing this one and I don’t want to ruin anything. The cinematography is beautiful and the “cuckoo clock speech” is an entirely different level of dialogue. All of this is brought together by a soundtrack by Anton Karas on the Zither. Something I love so much its been my ringtone since we all carried Blackberry’s. 

When I saw Floyd Norman walk in and sit down to watch The Third Man, I nearly passed out. I watched one of my favorite movies with a Disney/Pixar genius.

After the film, my friend and I had to rush to the theater next door where Cori and our other friends were supposed to be saving us seats. 

The Last of Sheila was a film I was excited to see and one I thought would be pretty empty. We were shocked to see a packed theater when we arrived a few minutes after everyone was seated. Our seats couldn’t be saved, but our friends were pointing out that Maxwell Caulfield, aka Rex Manning, aka Michael “Cool Rider” from Grease 2 and his wife Juliet Mills were in attendance a few rows in front of them to watch the film.  

We found our way to the front row because we didn’t want to miss this movie. 

I’m so glad we stayed. It was my first viewing and I loved it. 

The film stars James Coburn as Sheila’s husband, who, a year after Sheila is killed, invites a group of friends to spend the weekend on his yacht to play a scavenger hunt game. He hopes to use the game to find Sheila’s killer, but in the process, the game turns deadly. It also stars Dyan Cannon and James Mason. 

After the film, Richard Benjamin showed up to discuss the film, which was a treat for us in the front row, who had an excellent seat for his discussion. We lucked out in that sense. 

After that, it was time for a conversation with Floyd Norman. I went and saved seats for over an hour. I wanted to make sure Cori and I had great seats for this one. He is such a talent and has lived such an amazing life.

Floyd Norman is 86, almost 87, with the memory and energy of a 25-year-old. He was one of the first, if not the first black animator at Disney. He was in high school when he decided to try to get a job at Disney Studios, he didn’t get a job but went to school to learn to draw. A few years later, he joined Disney as it was expanding. 

He worked as an animator on Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone and The Jungle Book, and other various animated short projects at Disney in the 1950s and early 60s. After Walt Disney’s death, Norman left to co-found AfroKids animation studio with Leo Sullivan. They worked on various projects, including the original Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s Fat Albert television special, which aired in 1969 on NBC.

He returned to Disney to work on Robin Hood, Jabberjaw and more. He has more recently worked for Pixar on Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc. for Pixar and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mulan for Disney, among others. He has continued to work for The Walt Disney Company as a consultant on various projects.

In 2016 the documentary Floyd Norman: An Animated Life was released and it was absolutely worth a watch. 

His discussion was fascinating. After I tried to approach him, but he was whisked away. Cori found Marla Hooch from A League of Their Own (Megan Cavanagh) and struck up a conversation. It turns out Megan’s friend was also the director of Norman’s documentary. He pulled Mr. Norman aside so we could get a proper picture of us together. We were able to have an actual conversation. I got to tell him that I was at the screening of Sleeping Beauty and how much it meant to me. It was a moment I had dreamt of since the day I sat in the Egyptian theater listening to him speak about a film that means so much to me. 

(Nikki McKim attended the 2022 TCMFF as a fan and not as a member of the press. Photo of Floyd Norman by Nikki McKim)

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When the 2022 schedule was announced, Floyd Norman was announced to have a special hour-long “Conversation with Floyd Norman.” It was an event I wasn’t going to risk missing. I had seen Mr. Norman and his friend Jane Baer do an introduction to Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. Norman was an animator along with Baer for the film, and it’s my favorite Disney film. I sat and cried and cried through that film. I was so happy, and he was so delightful. 

Now, years later, he was here across the room, just hanging out. I ran to him, and all I could tell him was, “I love you. I just love you; I love you. You’re the best; I love you.” He smiled and again was such a gentleman. He let me take a photo with him. My favorite photo from the festival isn’t that photo, but the one my friend Jackie took of me when I returned to the table. Norman is in the background, and you can practically hear me squealing through the photo. 

The final film of the night for a few of us was poolside. The poolside movies are my favorite; it takes a monumental event for me to miss a poolside cinema. We entered the pool area where everything was set up and found Soylent Green cookies to go with our movie of the night. It was my first showing of this utterly wild sci-fi film. After I yelled, “Soylent Green is people,” I found out that it was also my sister’s first showing, and she didn’t know that quote; she also didn’t know that it was people. I felt terrible. She had gone her entire life avoiding that spoiler, and 20 minutes before the movie, I ruined the ending. What a horrible sister and film buddy I am. So I did what any good sister would do; I asked our friend to get us more Soylent Green cookies to try to get her to forget that I had just ruined the movie by giving her sugar. 

The next day, I got up bright and early to catch one of my absolute favorite films on the big screen. 

This was also another non-negotiable, can’t miss movie. I knew that as tired as I would be that morning, there would be no way I’d sleep through The Third Man. 

The Third Man (1949) stars Joseph Cotton and Orson Wells. Set in postwar Vienna, Austria, it tells of author Holly Martins, who arrives penniless to see his friend Harry Lime. Martins quickly learns that Lime is dead and develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a “third man” present at the time of Harry’s death. While investigating, he falls for Harry’s girlfriend. I can’t go into detail because I would recommend seeing this one, and I don’t want to ruin anything. The cinematography is beautiful, and the “cuckoo clock speech” is an entirely different level of dialogue. All of this is brought together by a soundtrack by Anton Karas on the Zither—something I love so much; it’s been my ringtone since we all carried Blackberrys. 

When I saw Floyd Norman walk in and sit down to watch The Third Man, I nearly passed out. I watched one of my favorite movies with a Disney/Pixar genius.

After the film, my friend and I had to rush to the theater next door where Cori and our other friends were supposed to save us seats. 

The Last of Sheila was a film I was excited to see and one I thought would be pretty empty. We were shocked to see a packed theater when we arrived minutes after everyone was seated. Our seats couldn’t be saved, but our friends pointed out that Maxwell Caulfield, aka Rex Manning, aka Michael “Cool Rider” from Grease 2 and his wife Juliet Mills were in attendance a few rows in front of them to watch the film.  

We found our way to the front row because we didn’t want to miss this movie. 

I’m so glad we stayed. It was my first viewing, and I loved it. 

The film stars James Coburn as Sheila’s husband, who, a year after Sheila is killed, invites a group of friends to spend the weekend on his yacht to play a scavenger hunt game. He hopes to use the game to find Sheila’s killer, but the game turns deadly. It also stars Dyan Cannon and James Mason. 

There are movies I see “blind” while at the festival occasionally. I go with no information at all. I’ll know that a particular film will have a great guest and some stars I love, but I’ll know nothing else. “Sheila” was one of those films for me, and when I tell you that I fell in love with this movie, that would be an understatement. This shot to the top of my list of all-time favorite movies. Run, don’t walk to see this movie if you haven’t. 

I have found so many new favorites by seeing them on the big screen with a crowd at the festival for the first time. It’s such a luxury and fun thing to do. 

After the film, Richard Benjamin showed up to discuss the film, which was a treat for us in the front row, who had an excellent seat for his discussion. We lucked out in that sense. 

After that, it was time for a conversation with Floyd Norman. I went and saved seats for over an hour. I wanted to ensure Cori and I had great seats for this one. He is such a talent and has lived such a fantastic life. Have I mentioned that I am wildly in love with him?

Floyd Norman is 86, almost 87, with the memory and energy of a 25-year-old. He was one of Disney’s first, if not the first, black animators. He was in high school when he decided to try to get a job at Disney Studios; he didn’t get a job but went to school to learn to draw. A few years later, he joined Disney as it was expanding. 

He worked as an animator on Sleeping Beauty, The Sword in the Stone and The Jungle Book, and other animated short projects at Disney in the 1950s and early 60s. After Walt Disney’s death, Norman left to co-found AfroKids animation studio with Leo Sullivan. They worked on various projects, including the original Hey! Hey! Hey! It’s Fat Albert television special, which aired in 1969 on NBC.

He returned to Disney to work on Robin Hood, Jabberjaw and more. He has more recently worked for Pixar on Toy Story 2 and Monsters, Inc. for Pixar and The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mulan for Disney, among others. He has continued to work for The Walt Disney Company as a consultant on various projects.

In 2016, the documentary Floyd Norman: An Animated Life was released, and it’s fantastic.  

His discussion was fascinating. After I tried to approach him, he was whisked away. Cori found Marla Hooch from A League of Their Own (Megan Cavanagh) and began conversing. It turns out Megan’s friend was also the director of Norman’s documentary. He pulled Mr. Norman aside so we could get a proper picture of us together. We were able to have an actual conversation. I got to tell him that I was at the screening of Sleeping Beauty and how much it meant to me. It was a moment I had dreamt of since that day years ago when I sat in the Egyptian theater, listening to him speak about a film that meant so much to me as a child. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. 

To be continued..

Nikki McKim attended the TCM Classic Film Festival as a paid pass holder not as a media pass holder. 

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I may have declared this back in February when the Kansas Silent Film Festival was in full swing, and I was able to sneak down for a double Lon Chaney showing, but I digress; the Turner Classic Film Festival is back, and I couldn’t have been more excited.

After the longest three years of my life, I practically sprinted into the arms of some of my best friends from all across the country. Nothing heals you faster than a big embrace from people you love and haven’t seen in years. This year, I brought along my sister, Cori. It was her first festival experience, and I was so excited to see how things would go.

We went out early early to spend a few extra days with friends and see some sites. Once the Festival starts, you’re stuck in a two-block area in the heart of Hollywood, possibly one of the least desirable places in all of L.A.

The Festival kicks off on Thursday night with the “exclusive” pass holders event. This year, it was the 40th Anniversary screening of E.T. at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX), with Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy in attendance. 

Usually, the red carpet event is one of my favorite events to attend. I can watch the attendees walk the red carpet and interact with them with my pass. This year, Turner Classic Movies nixed that I believe due to COVID.

After a hearty dinner at one of our favorite places, we finished the night with one of my closest friends, Jessica. It was nice to skip out of some of the craziness of the first night and take it easy to spend time with friends for quiet conversation and maybe some good old-fashioned gossip. What we didn’t bargain for was a downpour once we were ready to walk back to our hotel. It was the first time I’d seen rain in my years attending this Festival. It wasn’t a little rain either; by the time we made it to Jessica’s hotel, it was a downpour. My LA roommate Angie showed up a few minutes later, absolutely drenched. She had to take a blow dryer to her tights the following day. The most interesting turn of events came when the historic hotel we were staying in couldn’t handle the downpour, and the water started to back up in our bathtub, kitchen sink, and two other sinks. That smell will haunt me for the rest of my life, but it made the night entertaining.

The next day, there would be no room for error in getting up early and out the door. We had Lily Tomlin’s hand and footprint ceremony in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. Cori and I knew we wanted a good spot for this event, so we practically leaped out of bed and ran to get in line that morning. We were ushered in and checked with security wands, the first time I’ve had to do that since I started attending the Festival. I wasn’t sure if this was a sign of the times or a sign that someone super amazing would be attending. 

We ended up with fantastic spots where we watched in delight as Ms. Tomlin, Ms. Jane Fonda and Mr. Ben Mankiewicz walked out and sat before us. How exciting it was to see people my sister and I both love, June Diane Raphael from Grace and Frankie, Burning Love and more; George Schlatter, director and producer of Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In and Paul Sheer from The League and his and his wife June Diane Raphael’s hit podcast, ‘How Did This Get Made?’ and Rita Moreno. All were there to honor Lily that day.

Ben Mankiewicz briefly spoke and made introductions. As he wrapped things up, he quoted 9 to 5 to rounds of cheers and laughter, “It’s great to see them here because, for a while, it didn’t look like Jane and Lily would make it. They had a rough morning, but they tumbled out of bed and stumbled to the kitchen, Poured themselves a cup of ambition. Thankfully, they did indeed come to life.”

Tomlin’s frequent co-star, Jane Fonda, gave an emotional speech. “I can’t stop crying. I’m very moved to be here. It’s a real honor,” said Fonda. “I’ve worked with her now for a whole long time, since the 1970s, and she is always fighting against any words or statements that would hurt someone’s feelings,” she said.

She tried to pull herself together by joking, “Lily’s been pushing me around for decades, so I’m really glad she’s going to put her hands in cement. Maybe they’ll get stuck, and her feet, too.”

As Tomlin addressed the crowd, she joked, “I dreamt the sky was the limit, and here I am being celebrated as a sidewalk. What a journey it’s been from having to hit the pavement to bring the pavement.”

She thanked her friend, Jane Fonda, saying, “One of the thrills is knowing my slab of concrete will end up near the one made by the brilliant and beautiful woman who introduced me.”

She also thanked Marta Kauffman and Howard Morris, the creators of Grace and Frankie. “[They] had this radical belief that women don’t outgrow desire, friendship, humor, and relevance. They created Grace and Frankie. Like all visionaries, they didn’t play the game; they changed the game. It became the longest-running series in Netflix history.” 

Tomlin paid tribute to Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In character Edith Ann by scribbling her first name into the cement.

Once the historic moment ended and Tomlin and Fonda were out of earshot, Cori and I did what any fan[atic] would do. We screamed, “We love you, June,” and “We love you, Paul.” We received big smiles and waves as we giggled like school girls.

Sometimes, during this Festival, you find yourself in a spot where it’s too late to go to a movie and too early to stand in line for another. Cori left with Angie to see All of Me with an introduction by June Diane, and I found myself by the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel pool, meeting up with more friends arriving in town. We moved inside to the lobby, and I spotted a man I had seen do an introduction in 2019. I had fallen head over heels in love with him, and now he was standing across the room from me.

(To be continued

Nikki McKim attended the TCMFF in Hollywood as a paid pass holder not as a media pass holder.

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I miss going to the movies. It may be pure stupidity or sheer genius, but the weekend of Boys State Basketball, I managed to sneak in one more movie. I was one of five people in the theater, and it was sinfully good. It was in one of those Dream Lounger theaters, so I put the armrest up next to me (disinfected it all with Clorox wipes, remember those?) and spread out like I was on a couch. I feel all dreamy-eyed just writing about it. I would pay $50 to sit in a theater with other people and drink a fountain Coke, smell buttery popcorn and hear other people laugh or cry with me. That’s going to be the first thing I do when I’m given the all clear.  

I miss trying on sunglasses. 

What a stupid thing, right? I don’t buy expensive shoes or jewelry. I buy sunglasses, lots and lots of sunglasses. I rarely spend over ten dollars for a pair, so it’s a cheap obsession. I miss going into random stores and finding big “Jackie O” sunglasses to try on and eventually buy. What a stupid, simple little thing to lose. 

I miss family road-trips. 

One thing that is great and works for my family is our ability to hop in a car together at 5 am on a Saturday and drive for hours to a place we’ve never been, why? Because we’ve never been there. This has allowed us to eat wonderful things in different places, like, horseshoes in Illinois; some of the best burgers we’ve ever had in Smith Center, KS; olive cheese bread at the Pioneer Woman’s restaurant; amazing brisket sandwiches just north of Joplin, MO and knock your socks off garlic cheese bread from a gas station in Clear Lake, IA. 

It’s easy to miss the fun and easy stuff. I miss how fast I could get out of the house. Not worrying about having some hand sanitizer, a mask, and at least one glove in my purse. 

It’s the big stuff I’m missing that’s driving me mad. 

I miss my family. I miss sitting across from my sister casually talking to her about my life over chips and guacamole or over one of her homecooked meals on her deck. 

I miss or will miss seeing my son, Alex, graduate from the eighth grade. 

When I was a kid, that was such a big deal. Maybe it isn’t to kids now, and maybe it isn’t to boys, but I remember it being so huge. 

It’s funny that I have a kid who was supposed to graduate from eighth grade when I only graduated from eighth grade a couple of years ago, or at least that’s how it feels. I remember everything about that night. It was so special. My entire family was there packed into the ‘new gym’ at the school in Dawson. I had a new dress that was white lace on top and black on the bottom. I remember how exciting the entire night was and how angry I was at my dad for not letting me go to that party that everyone else was going to. I cried so hard you would have thought I had broken both of my legs and arms. I thought I would never survive it. To be frank, I’m still mad about it twenty-three years later, even though I would laugh in Alex’s face if he asked me to go to a party like that the night of his eighth-grade graduation. Dream on kid, not in a million years. BUT, it was different for me; everyone was going to be there, everyone! I was the only person in our whole class who didn’t go. 

We’re not going to see our oldest niece have a ‘traditional Spring’ graduation. Fingers cross that everything works out and we get to see her receive her diploma in August, but it isn’t the same. It’s great, just different. We didn’t know how this was going to work with Sacred Heart’s graduation the same night as FC Middle School’s Eighth Grade Promotion, so we may not have gotten to see her graduate, (can something be done about that in the future?) But she’s our oldest niece and this was the first and it was so exciting. 

So that’s the glass half empty. Is there any way of seeing the glass half full when it comes to a global pandemic? 

Well, I’m going to miss this time that I’m spending with my family. I have been lucky to have the ability to work from home. That means as I write this, I have a little pup at my feet. My little Chester dog rarely left my side before this started, but now we’re not out of each other’s sight for more than twenty minutes at a time. 

I’ll miss the nights that we all sit together and watch movies. We have been making Alex watch movies that we know he’ll like, and he’s found a few new favorites in doing so. 

I’ll miss the letters and postcards that I get from friends and family (Jennifer, I have one with your name on it ready to mail). I have a friend who has written me a postcard every day since the Las Vegas Strip shut down. She worked at Cipriani restaurant on the strip and was furloughed. So she’s knitting, writing, and starting her own old Hollywood podcast. Did I mention she has precisely zero children? 

Well, that list was much shorter than I thought it was going to be. I’ll miss this extra time with my family, my dogs, and mail. That’s it, nothing more. 

On Monday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m. on TCM, Best Years of Our Lives is on. Frederic March, Myrna Loy, and Dana Andrews. I can’t even find the worst to describe how lovely this film is. It’s just absolutely perfect for Memorial Day.

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I’ve told the story before so I won’t tell it again, but one night I found Harold Lloyd’s Speedy on TCM. The print was clear and didn’t for one-second look like was shot in 1928, it looked like it was shot a couple of years ago and made to look like a silent. I was mesmerized and hooked from that moment on. I did everything I could to watch Harold Lloyd films. (I later found out he was born in Burchard, NE and that put me on a whole new level of fandom) I saved up for months to buy the Harold Lloyd film collection and begged anyone I knew to watch one of his films with me. I knew I could turn them into die-hard fans of this lost art. 

The list I have is not a list of ‘intro to silent’s’ type of films. This is a list of beautiful, wonderful and my personal favorite silent films that I just can’t stop watching. 

Speedy (1928): Harold “Speedy” Swift, a fan of Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees, saves from extinction the city’s last horse-drawn trolley, operated by his girlfriend’s grandfather. There’s a great cameo by Babe Ruth, the old Yankee Stadium and Coney Island. Those glimpses of NYC in the 1920’s warm my heart. 

The Temptress (1926): An architect tries suppressing his passion for a beautiful unhappily married woman. The woman is played by Greta Garbo and the man is played by Antonio Moreno. This story of love and hate is my favorite Garbo film. There is powerful acting in this one and an appearance by Lionel Barrymore, aka, Mr. Potter for you It’s A Wonderful Life fan’s.

Exit Smiling (1926): Maid, Beatrice Lillie works for a traveling theatre troupe and wants to be an actress. She gets a few smaller roles but tries to show up the other actors. This is a film that isn’t as well known as many others, but there’s something about it that pulled me in from the start. Beatrice Lillie steals the show. It’s such a bummer that she isn’t as well known today as many others from that time. Time has not been kind to the female silent comedians of the silent era. 

Speaking of wonderful female comedians, The Patsy (1928): Marion Davies, Marion Davies, Marion Davies! This woman could do it all, she could be beautiful, kind, funny and serious. She was the entire package. In this film, she plays an awkward girl who falls in love with the man who’s interested in her older sister. She does everything she can to make him notice her. Davies is at her best in this film. Many say that Show People is THE film to watch, and I agree that its incredible, but give this one a shot if you can.

Beyond the Rocks (1922): I would be remiss if I didn’t include Valentino or Gloria Swanson on this list and this film hits on both of them. I love a love story. Swanson marries an older millionaire then meets and falls in love with Valentino on her honeymoon. This film was lost for many decades and was found in 2003 in a private collection. I watched it when it debuted on TCM in 2006 and was immediately drawn to it. I wanted to watch it as much as I could. I have since bought it on DVD, but there’s nothing like the thrill of watching a restored once lost film during its debut back into the world. According to her autobiography, Gloria Swanson said she wished this film would one day resurface.

The Unknown (1927): What is there to say about a film with the best acting I have ever seen and will probably ever see in my life? Lon Chaney delivers the greatest acting performance ever captured (in my opinion). He is everything in this film, villain, marter, and protector.  Chaney plays Alonzo, a criminal who is on the run and hiding in a circus act. He falls in love with Nanon, played by Joan Crawford and makes a great sacrifice to win her love. Chaney is my favorite actor of all time and this film proves why he is worthy of that title. (See also, He Who Get’s Slapped, 1924)

Safety Last  (1923): This film is the most recognizable of Harold Lloyd’s movies. Everyone knows the scene of him on the clock dangling for his life. The movie is about a boy who heads to the city to make enough money so his girl can join him and they can get married. There is a lot to unpack about this movie like Lloyd did these stunts missing his right thumb and index finger. This movie just speaks to the genius that is Harold Lloyd. 

The Gold Rush (1925): My son loves Harold Lloyd. He has been to his birth house and celebration dozens of times, he has seen every Lloyd movie we can get our hands on, but to my dismay, his favorite silent movie is The Gold Rush. Chaplin is a prospector who goes to the Klondike in search of gold. He meets up with a big burly man to help him through the tough times and meets Georgia who he falls in love with. The famous scene of Chaplin with dinner rolls is in this heartbreaking, yet funny film. It’s said that audiences loved the film scene so much that projectionists would stop the film during the showing and replay it. There is so much heart in this film and I rank it as my favorite Chaplin performance. 

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927): This film is a tearjerker. It gets me every time. It tells the story of a man, George O’Brien who is stepping out on his wife, Janet Gaynor. He finds a way to make his wife disappear but changes his mind at the last moment. They spend the day together, but then tragedy strikes. Sunrise was released a month after The Jazz Singer and didn’t do well in the box office due to audiences wanting to see actors who spoke. It was also the first silent film to be released on Blu-Ray. 

The General (1926): I had to include a Buster Keaton film on this list and The General was the best one to recommend. Keaton plays a man who wants to go into the military, but can’t because he is valuable as an engineer. When Union spies capture The General (his train) with his love on board, he rescues his train and his love. Admittedly Keaton is a bit of a blind spot for me. I have been to the Keaton Film Festival in Iola, KS a few times and loved it, but I’m such a Lloyd fan that I haven’t seen a lot of Keaton films.  Honorable mention: He Who Gets Slapped, (1924); The Crowd, (1928); Lady of the Night, (1925) and Show People, (1928).

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