TV and Movies

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Calling all fans of those marvelous MGM musicals, dramas, comedies, epics and other fantastic films. TCM is presenting the second installment of a three-part documentary, "MGM: When the Lion Roars, Part II: The Lion Reigns Supreme" (1992) on Saturday, April 12th at 11:45 AM ET. Host Patrick Stewart takes viewers through the history of Hollywood's greatest film studio at its height during the thirties and early forties during the post-Irving Thalberg period, focusing on the productions of 1936-1946. Included: clips from "The Wizard of Oz." Also featured are interviews with Katharine Hepburn and Joan Crawford. This spectacular documentary is rarely seen on TV, therefore this is a special treat.

Next Saturday, April 19th, at 11:45 AM ET, the documentary concludes with "MGM: When the Lion Roars, Part III: The Lion in Winter" (1992) in which host Patrick Stewart takes viewers through the history of Hollywood's greatest film studio as it fades from glory during the 1950s. Featured are interviews with Gene Kelly and Charlton Heston.

I remember seeing this spectacular documentary years ago and couldn't wait to watch it again and record it. The production values, including magnificent sets and costumes, are comparable to the lavish musicals of MGM's heyday.

Presentation of "MGM: When the Lion Roars" serves as a prelude to TCM's 48-hour salute to the 90th anniversary of the legendary Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which boasted of having "more stars than there are in the heavens," featuring performers ranging from Jean Harlow to Julie Christie, John Barrymore to Cary Grant, Greta Garbo to Judy Garland, and Clark Gable to Fred Astaire.

This special programming kicks off at 6 am (ET) on Thursday, April 17, with the 1925 silent version of Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ and ends, fittingly enough, on April 18 with the 1959 remake Ben- Hur. In between are classics of genres for which MGM was celebrated including all-star entertainments (Dinner at Eight, 1933), comedies (The Thin Man, 1934), dramas (Boys Town, 1938), animal films (Lassie Come Home, 1943), adventures (Mutiny on the Bounty, 1935), musicals (Meet Me in St. Louis, 1944), films noir (The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1946), thrillers (North by Northwest, 1959), Westerns (How the West Was Won, 1962) and romantic epics (Doctor Zhivago, 1965).

For the complete schedule, go to: tcm.com.