Robert O taking a break

[Lzcutter]

For 17 years he has been hosting the nightly movies on TCM as well as The Essentials, the Guest Programmers, Private Screenings, Memorial tributes and has been the face of TCM around the world as well as at the TCM Film Festival and the upcoming TCM Cruise.

But, it was announced today on Facebook, on the home page of the TCM Website and the announcements on the Main Forum page of TCM City that Robert O is taking a short vacation:

Beginning today, Robert Osborne plans to take a short break from his TCM hosting duties for minor surgery, followed by a vacation. Osborne, who recently signed a multi-year agreement with TCM, plans to return to the network in three months and will also attend the first TCM Classic Cruise in December. He will continue to appear on TCM as part of several features, including the Guest Programmer series, The Essentials and Race & Hollywood: Arab Images on Film. Many of Osborne's hosting duties will be handled on a temporary basis by a number of special guests and friends of the network, including Robert Wagner (week of July 11), Jane Powell (week of July 18) and Tippi Hedren (week of July 25). Other guest hosts will be announced in the coming weeks.

I'm sure I'm not alone in wishing him a complete and speedy recovery as well as a swell vacation!

Hurry back, Robert O! We will miss you!!!

[movieman1957]

I hope he recovers quickly but what a clever idea for the substitute hosts.

[JackFavell]

Lots of well wishes to RO.

[mrsl]

.
What do you mean 'will' miss you? I miss him already.

[Moraldo Rubini]

Oh dear. I hope he's okay. I hate vague news articles (and you know how I worry). It'd be swell if he'd come to the Oasis and hang out with us. I'd be his Oasis houseboy and bring him cool drinks and change the DVDs in the Oasis Home Entertainment system.

[moira finnie]

Oh dear. I hope he's okay. I hate vague news articles (and you know how I worry). It'd be swell if he'd come to the Oasis and hang out with us. I'd be his Oasis houseboy and bring him cool drinks and change the DVDs in the Oasis Home Entertainment system.

I don't know how he could resist that invitation. I can see his face now as he listens to your offer, wreathed in that little naughty boy smile he gets sometimes when listening to someone being outrageous.

Like everyone else, I'm hoping that RO sails through this medical bump in the road with ease--and for heaven's sake, enjoys a well-deserved vacation. Jeez, I just realized that for most of us, the man has been the face of TCM longer than this guy:

[movieman1957]

I saw Robert Wagner's intro to "Return To Treasure Island" (though I had no interest in watching the film) and I thought he did a fine job. It was nice he knew Hunter and some of his comments played on that and he seemed quite at ease.

[mongoII]

[moira finnie]

Are you anticipating the return of Robert Osborne as keenly as most of us? We shall have to find solace in those previously filmed encounters with the genial Robert for some more weeks. Take care, Bob. We really miss you and will put a circle around December 1st on the calendar!

This just in yesterday from the Turner newsroom:

Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers and Singer-Songwriter Chris Isaak to Serve as TCM Guest Hosts in October

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has announced that Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers and singer-songwriter Chris Isaak will each host the network’s primetime lineup during the first two weeks of October, while TCM host Robert Osborne is on a break. Osborne will be back on the air beginning Dec. 1. TCM will announce guest hosts for the rest of October and November soon.

Oct. 3-9: Rolling Stone film critic Peter Travers
The week will include the Oct. 3 premiere of TCM’s new documentary special A Night at the Movies: The Horrors of Stephen King, followed by a night of classic horror; the Oct. 4 opening of TCM’s month-long look at groundbreaking filmmaker Nicholas Ray, marking 100 years since his birth; and the Oct. 9 opening night of TCM’s celebration of “The Great Stoneface,” Buster Keaton. The week will also include filmmaker John Carpenter (Halloween, Escape from New York), who will present four films on Oct. 5 as the TCM Guest Programmer for the month.

Oct. 10-16: Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Chris Isaak
Isaak, who presented a special poolside screening of Elvis Presley in Girl Happy (1965) at the 2011 TCM Classic Film Festival and chose an entire night of films as TCM’s Guest Programmer for June, will introduce more classic horror on Oct. 10, including The Wolf Man (1941) and The Uninvited (1944); Nicholas Ray’s envelope-pushing classics Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Johnny Guitar (1954) on Oct. 11; a Mark Twain celebration on Oct. 13; and a look at Italian neorealist filmmakers on Oct. 15.

[JackFavell]

Ugh! I was hoping he would be back sooner than that!

However, I think it's good for TCM's viewers to try on for size some of these newbies, and it also would be interesting to see if they have drawn any newcomers to the channel.

[moira finnie]

Ugh! I was hoping he would be back sooner than that!

However, I think it's good for TCM's viewers to try on for size some of these newbies, and it also would be interesting to see if they have drawn any newcomers to the channel.

It would be hard to gauge the number of people just tuning in to to see if RO is back yet, but maybe that would send the ratings up. I have liked some of the guest hosts, but a few just made me realize how deceptively easy Mr. Osborne has made his job look.

[srowley75]

Might anyone have caught how Cher did during her guest programmer segments? I was hoping to catch these but (again) forgot to TiVo them, especially as she was hosting a personal favorite, Hobson's Choice.

I've been impressed with Cher's classic movie knowledge in several interviews - I'd even heard her angrily complain about AMC's changes in one interview. She seemed like a true fan to me, as opposed to certain others here and there who simply seemed to be filling the slot to promote some recent book, show, or film.

-S.

[JackFavell]

She was very engaging, definitely a true starstruck fan.... you could see her almost revert to a little girl looking up at the screen when she talked about her favorites. She had specific scenes that she loved and could pinpoint them easily. However, on the down side, she was not able much of the time to put her reasons for liking a movie into words.

[moira finnie]

Might anyone have caught how Cher did during her guest programmer segments?

Below is a link to highlights of Cher's guest programmer spot with RO. I have seen her interviewed before when she mentions how whenever she is traveling the first thing that she does in any hotel room is turn on TCM in the background, hoping that one of her favorite movies (though not one she chose the other night), The Enchanted Cottage (1945), might be playing. I believe I've heard that she has been seen in the crowds at the TCM Film Festival in the past.

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/443746/Now-Playing-Cher-TCM-Original-September-2011.html