Robert Osborne

Robert Osborne
Osborne at the 2014 Peabody Awards
Born	Robert Jolin Osborne (1932-05-03)May 3, 1932 Colfax, Washington, U.S.
Died	March 6, 2017(2017-03-06) (aged 84) New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Washington
Occupation	Film historian television presenter author actor
Years active	1958–2016
Partner(s)	David Staller

Robert Jolin Osborne (/ˈɒzbɔːrn/; May 3, 1932 – March 6, 2017)^[1][2] was an American film historian, television presenter, author, and actor best known for more than 20 years as the primary host of the cable channel Turner Classic Movies (TCM). Prior to hosting at TCM, Osborne had been a host on The Movie Channel,^[3] and earlier, a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter. Osborne also wrote the official history of the Academy Awards, originally published in 1988. He died in 2017.^[4]

Early life[]

Osborne was born on May 3, 1932, in the small town of Colfax, Washington, where he was raised. His parents were Robert Eugene Osborne, a public school teacher, and Hazel Ida (née Jolin). His older sister was Joan Osborne Beck. He had three nieces.^[5][6] Osborne graduated from the University of Washington School of Journalism in 1954.^[7]

Career[]

Actor[]

Osborne began his career working as a contract actor for Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball's Desilu Studios.^[6] There, Osborne became part of Lucille Ball's Desilu Workshop,^[8] in which Ball worked with and nurtured such young performers as Osborne and actress-singer Carole Cook.

One of Osborne's early television appearances was in a 1959 episode of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse called "Chain of Command", starring Hugh O'Brian. He was also featured in the Christmas Day Desilu Playhouse installment "The Desilu Revue" in December 1959. He also had small roles in such TV shows as The Californians and the 1962 pilot episode of The Beverly Hillbillies, "The Clampetts Strike Oil" (in the role of Jeff Taylor). He refrained from signing on for the series, however, thinking the show would not be a success, and instead focused his attention on acting in television commercials.^[9]

Ball suggested that Osborne focus his energies on becoming a journalist, as he would often quip, "especially after she saw me act".^[10] After The Beverly Hillbillies, Osborne focused more on writing and journalism. In 1965, Osborne had his first book published, Academy Awards Illustrated.^[11]

Columnist[]

In 1977, Osborne began a long-standing stint as a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter.^[12] The following year, he published 50 Golden Years of Oscar, which won the 1979 National Film Book award.^[13] Having joined the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, he was elected its president in 1981, and served as such till 1983.^[14][15] In 1982, Osborne began a five-year stint as the entertainment reporter on KTTV Channel 11 in Los Angeles.^[15] In addition, he began his Rambling Reporter column for The Hollywood Reporter, published five times weekly.^[15]

In 1984, Osborne began hosting for The Movie Channel,^[16][17] as well as winning the Publicists Guild of America 1984 Press Award.^[18] The following year, he began a relationship with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), when he hosted a tribute to Shirley Temple at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theatre in Beverly Hills. In 1988, AMPAS commissioned him to write 60 Years of the Oscar; he later wrote five updates to the volume, the latest being 85 Years of the Oscar in 2013.^[3][4]

Turner Classic Movies[]

In 1993, Osborne was in a television commercial for The Psychic Network.

Robert Osborne in 2007

In 1994, Ted Turner created Turner Classic Movies as a competitor to American Movie Classics (now known as AMC).^[19][20] Osborne was selected as the host of their nightly broadcasts.^[9] For TCM, in addition to hosting four primetime movies seven days a week, he was also the host of special one-on-one "Private Screening" interviews featuring many familiar actors and directors. Beginning in 2006, Osborne also co-hosted TCM's The Essentials. His co-hosts were Molly Haskell from 2006 to 2007, Carrie Fisher from 2007 to 2008, Rose McGowan from 2008 to 2009, Alec Baldwin from 2009 to 2011, Drew Barrymore and finally Sally Field.^[21]

Osborne also participated in events at the Paley Center for Media in New York City saluting the television careers of Lucille Ball and Cloris Leachman. Beginning in 2005, Osborne hosted the annual "Robert Osborne's Classic Film Festival"^[22] in Athens, Georgia.^[23] The nonprofit event is held by the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.^[23] In 2010, Osborne hosted the first TCM Classic Film Festival, and participated in subsequent annual festivals.^[12]

In 2011, Osborne became ill and TCM announced that Osborne would be taking "a short break from his TCM hosting duties for minor surgery, followed by a vacation." Osborne continued to appear on Saturday nights, hosting The Essentials with Alec Baldwin.^[24] In 2012, Osborne began to share some of his hosting duties with Ben Mankiewicz.^[25][26] Mankiewicz hosted primetime films two nights a week, as well as many daytime events.^[27] Osborne stated that he would continue to work "as long as I have health, and as long as I think I look O.K. on camera." He also said, "If I really couldn't do it with enthusiasm, that would be the time to quit."^[28]

In 2013, Osborne presented the Honorary Academy Award to Dame Angela Lansbury at the Fifth Governors Awards.^[29] Osborne introduced Lansbury by saying he thought it was "one of the best decisions the Academy has ever made". In Lansbury's acceptance speech, she made it known that she chose Osborne to present the Oscar to her, stating, "the one person who really knew about my early work was Robert Osborne". She also thanked Osborne and TCM, saying, "Thanks to Turner Classic Movies and Robert, those great films are shown and studied and discussed by students everywhere, as well as seen by a huge general audience, so thank you TCM and thank you Robert for keeping me alive all these years."^[30]

In 2014, as part of an exclusive programming deal with Disney, TCM agreed to become the sponsor of The Great Movie Ride. The attraction underwent a refurbishment in 2015, with the addition of a new preshow and postshow hosted by Osborne, who also provides onboard narration to the ride.^[31] The changes were unveiled on May 29, 2015.^[32]

In 2015, nearing the end of his career, Turner Classic Movies hosted a surprise Special 20th Anniversary Tribute in his honor hosted by Alex Trebek. The special has since been rerun several times on TCM latenight.

Death[]

Osborne retired from the air in early 2016 due to ill health and missed a number of TCM annual events over the next year.^[33][34] Osborne died at his New York City apartment in The Osborne on West 57th Street on March 6, 2017, from natural causes at the age of 84.^[35][11]

Reactions to his death included tributes from many in the entertainment industry. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences released a statement saying, "The affection he had for the Oscars and the Academy was wholeheartedly reciprocated, and we are grateful for his friendship and indelible contribution to film history and our community."^[36] Others in the industry who mourned Osborne included Alec Baldwin, Eva Marie Saint, Liza Minnelli, Cher, Larry King, Leonard Maltin, Patricia Arquette, Bryan Cranston, and Patton Oswalt.^[37]

On the day of Osborne's death, The Hollywood Reporter published a statement by Dame Angela Lansbury: "He was also the ultimate fan — and the ultimate friend — and our friendship will endure in my memory always".^[38]

Personal life[]

Osborne moved to New York City in the late 1980s. During his lifetime, few details of his personal life were reported, but upon his death he was confirmed to have been in a 20-year relationship with David Staller, a New York City theater producer and director; Staller confirmed Osborne's death to the media.^[39][40]

Favorite films[]

In an interview in 2009, with the Screen Actors Guild Foundation,^[41] Osborne stated his favorite films included:

• A Place in the Sun (1951)
• All About Eve (1950)
• The Third Man (1949)
• Sunset Boulevard (1950)
• Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
• Rebecca (1940)
• Red River (1948)
• Stagecoach (1939)
• The Razor's Edge (1946)
• This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Osborne also mentioned modern films he loves such as Martin Scorsese's The Age of Innocence (1993), and The Departed (2006), as well as Christopher Guest's Best in Show (2000).

Filmography[]

Awards and honors[]

Osborne won the Publicists Guild of America 1984 Press Award. He also received an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Art University in 2005, and was awarded a star at Vine Street on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. In 2007, he received the National Board of Review's William K. Everson Award.^[42]

In January 2016, Osborne was given the inaugural William Cameron Menzies Award from the Art Directors Guild, recognizing his 35 years as a film historian, columnist, and critic championing visual entertainment.

In March 2018, Turner Classic Movies announced the establishment of the Robert Osborne Award, to be presented at the annual TCM Classic Film Festival "to an individual whose work has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic films alive and thriving for generations to come." The inaugural recipient was film director Martin Scorsese for his work with The Film Foundation, which Scorsese helped found in 1990.^[43]

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences honored Osborne by including him in their In Memoriam montage during the Oscars telecast.

The Robert Osborne Award[]

In 2018, the TCM Film Festival created the Robert Osborne Award.^[44]

The winners included:

• 2018: Martin Scorsese
• 2019: Kevin Brownlow
• 2020: Leonard Maltin

Bibliography[]

Books

• Academy Awards Illustrated. ESE California. 1965. ISBN 978-0912076041.
• Hollywood Legends: The Life and Films of Humphrey Bogart and Greta Garbo. Marvin Miller. 1967. ASIN B0075MDDA0.
• Academy Awards Oscar Annual. ESE California. 1971–1976.
• Best Actor Oscar Winners Since 1927. ESE California. 1977. ISBN 978-0912076034.
• Best Picture Oscar Winners Since 1927. ESE California. 1977. ISBN 978-0912076058.
• Best Actress Oscar Winners. ESE California. 1977. ISBN 978-0912076027.
• 50 Golden Years of Oscar. ESE California. 1978. ISBN 978-0912076300.
• 60 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. Equation. 1988. ISBN 978-1853361463.
  • 65 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. Abbeville Press. 1994. ISBN 978-1558597150.
  • 70 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. Abbeville Press. 1999. ISBN 978-0789204844.
  • 75 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. Abbeville Press. 2003. ISBN 978-0789207876.
  • 80 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. Abbeville Press. 2008. ISBN 978-0789209924.
  • 85 Years of the Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards. Abbeville Press. 2013. ISBN 978-0789211422.
• Osborne, Robert; Foreman, Alexa L.; Peltason, Ruth A.; Vieira, Mark A. (2004). In the Picture: Production Stills from the TCM Archives. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811844161.

Forewords

• Edwards, Dianna (2003). Picture Show: Classic Movie Posters from the TCM Archives. Foreword by Robert Osborne. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811841542.
• Carlyle, John (2006). Under the Rainbow: An Intimate Memoir of Judy Garland, Rock Hudson and My Life in Old Hollywood. Foreword by Robert Osborne. Da Capo Press. ISBN 0786720344.
• Turner Classic Movies (2006). Leading Men: The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era. Foreword by Robert Osborne. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811854672.
• Turner Classic Movies (2006). Leading Ladies: The 50 Most Unforgettable Actresses of the Studio Era. Foreword by Robert Osborne. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811852487.
• Miller, Frank (2008). Leading Couples: The Most Unforgettable Screen Romances of the Studio Era. Introduction by Robert Osborne. Chronicle Books. ISBN 978-0811863018.
• Arnold, Jeremy (2016). The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter. Foreword by Robert Osborne. Running Press. ISBN 978-0762459469.

References[]

Notes

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Osborne.

• Official website
• Robert Osborne at IMDb
• Robert Osborne at the TCM Movie Database
• Robert Osborne's column in The Hollywood Reporter (2009)
• "Robert Osborne Biography: The Host of Turner Classic Movies". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008. Retrieved November 24, 2014. Turner Classic Movies biography.
• Cinema Retro interview with Robert Osborne
• Gilbert Gottfried's Amazing Colossal Podcast long-form interview with Robert Osborne, July, 2014
• Thomas, Nick (March 8, 2017). "Remembering Robert Osborne'". The Spectrum. Retrieved March 10, 2017.