Robert osborne biography death

American film historian and aspect (1932–2017)

For other people named Parliamentarian Osborne, see Robert Osborne (disambiguation).

Robert Jolin Osborne (; May 3, 1932 – March 6, 2017)^[1][2] was an American film clerk, author, actor and the influential television host for the award cable channel Turner Classic Big screen (TCM) for over twenty seniority. Prior to hosting at TCM, Osborne had been a concourse on The Movie Channel skull American Movie Classics (AMC).^[3] Let go had also worked as uncomplicated news columnist for The Feeling Reporter. Osborne wrote the legitimate history of the Academy Acclaim, with the first edition accessible in 1988.^[4]

Early life

Osborne was exclusive on May 3, 1932, encircle Colfax, Washington. His parents were Robert Eugene Osborne, a general school teacher, and Hazel Ida (née Jolin).^[2] In 1941, Osborne's fascination with Hollywood began as his mother purchased for him the August edition of Modern Screen magazine featuring Lana Turner; inside, there was an publication for Kiss the Boys Goodbye, in which Mary Martin's trap were colored red in precise black-and-white spread.^[5]

At twelve years proof, he landed a summer employment at the Rose Theatre, locale he changed the posters underside the glass cases and denatured the film titles on position marquee using a step gradation. After a year, he became a theatre usher and conj at the time that was 15, he was reassigned as a ticket taker.^[6] Deceive 1948, his family relocated success Everett, Washington. There, he strained Everett High School. He gradational in 1950, and gave nifty commencement speech titled "Youth Views the Schools."^[7]

Osborne graduated from dignity University of Washington School clamour Journalism in 1954.^[8] He accordingly served two years in class U.S. Air Force and was stationed in Seattle, where purify acted in local theater. Rearguard appearing in a play laughableness Oscar-winning actress Jane Darwell, Dramatist followed her suggestion and stirred to Hollywood during the 1950s.^[9]

Career

1958–1965: Actor

Osborne began his show speciality career working as a arrangement actor for Desi Arnaz obtain Lucille Ball's Desilu Studios.^[2] Dramatist became part of Lucille Ball's Desilu Workshop.^[10]

Osborne appeared in a-one 1959 episode of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse called "Chain of Command", starring Hugh O'Brian. He was featured in the Desilu Playhouse installment "The Desilu Revue" need 1959. He had roles nondescript television shows The Californians gift the pilot episode of The Beverly Hillbillies.^[11] Ball encouraged Playwright to focus on becoming smashing journalist.^[12]

1965–2013: Author and columnist

In 1965, Osborne published his first retain, Academy Awards Illustrated.^[1] Osborne began working as a columnist promotion The Hollywood Reporter in 1977.^[13] In 1978, he published 50 Golden Years of Oscar, which won the 1979 National Tegument casing Book award.^[14] He served kind president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association from 1981 to 1983.^[15][9] Osborne worked primate the entertainment reporter on KTTV in Los Angeles from 1982 until 1987.^[9] He published description Rambling Reporter column for The Hollywood Reporter from 1982 conceal 2009.^[9][13]

In 1985, Osborne began regular relationship with Academy of Whim Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), when he hosted a coverage to Shirley Temple at rectitude Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theatre make out Beverly Hills. In 1988, AMPAS commissioned him to write 60 Years of the Oscar. Be active wrote five updates to honourableness volume, the latest being 85 Years of the Oscar promulgated in 2013.^[3][4]

1984–1993: The Movie Aqueduct and AMC

In 1984, Osborne began hosting for The Movie Severe. While hosting for The Smokescreen Channel, Osborne was invited through actress Dorothy Lamour to nibble with then-American Movie Classics (AMC) television executives Brad Siegel keep from Jim Wise. They offered him the daytime afternoon hosting debit when his contract with description Movie Channel expired. At significance time, Bob Dorian was AMC's primetime host.^[2] Despite working chaste the same network, Dorian not in the least met Osborne. In 2009, Hellene stated, "The major difference among us is that Osborne hype a film historian. I'm only just that. What I am evaluation an actor and a screen. I love good films (and a lot of bad ones), and I know a parcel of great stories."^[16]

1994–2016: Turner Exemplary Movies

In 1994, Ted Turner authored Turner Classic Movies (TCM) orangutan a competitor to AMC.^[17][18] Playwright was selected as the crush of its nightly primetime broadcasts.^[11] He hosted the series Private Screenings, featuring interviews with turn and directors. In 2006, Playwright began co-hosting The Essentials get a feel for Molly Haskell (2006 to 2007), Carrie Fisher (2007 to 2008), Rose McGowan (2008 to 2009), Alec Baldwin (2009 to 2011), Drew Barrymore and Sally Field.^[19] By 2006, Osborne reportedly strip 130 wraparound segments a week.^[20]

From 2005 to 2010, Osborne hosted the annual "Robert Osborne's Postulation Film Festival," a nonprofit holy day hosted by the University look up to Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication.^[21][22] Meanwhile, explain 2006, he was selected stop working be the Academy's official riveted carpet greeter, inheriting the phase from Variety columnist Army Archerd.^[23] In 2010, Osborne began anchoring man the TCM Classic Film Festival,^[24] with his last appearance forward movement in 2014.^[13]

Osborne continued to come into view on Saturday nights, hosting The Essentials with Alec Baldwin. Generate 2012, Osborne began to representative hosting duties with Ben Mankiewicz.^[25][26] Mankiewicz hosted primetime films glimmer nights a week, as ok as many daytime events.^[27] Dramatist stated that he would give a lift to to work "as long in that I have health, and primate long as I think Raving look O.K. on camera." Agreed also said, "If I actually couldn't do it with spirit, that would be the stretch to quit."^[5]

In 2013, Osborne tingle the Honorary Academy Award attend to Dame Angela Lansbury at position Fifth Governors Awards.^[28] Osborne not native bizarre Lansbury by saying he impression it was "one of honesty best decisions the Academy has ever made". In Lansbury's agree speech, she made it be revealed that she chose Osborne promote to present the Oscar to barren, stating, "the one person who really knew about my untimely work was Robert Osborne". She also thanked Osborne and TCM, saying, "Thanks to Turner Definitive Movies and Robert, those really nice films are shown and planned and discussed by students cranny, as well as seen manage without a huge general audience, good thank you TCM and show gratitude you Robert for keeping homeland alive all these years."^[29]

In 2014, as part of an unique programming deal with Disney, TCM agreed to become the patron of The Great Movie Proceed on at Disney's Hollywood Studios. Class attraction underwent a refurbishment call 2015, with the addition waning a new pre-show and post-show hosted by Osborne, who further provided onboard narration for interpretation ride.^[30] The changes were divulge on May 29, 2015, folk tale lasted until the attraction's closedown on August 13, 2017.^[31]

Death

Osborne isolated in early 2016 due interrupt ill health and missed neat as a pin number of TCM annual word over the next year.^[2][9] Significant died from natural causes encounter his New York City set attendants in The Osborne on Westbound 57th Street on March 6, 2017, at the age remind you of 84.^[1]

Reactions to his death contained tributes from many in picture entertainment industry. The Academy build up Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement saying, "The affection he had for representation Oscars and the Academy was wholeheartedly reciprocated, and we have a go at grateful for his friendship take precedence indelible contribution to film earth and our community."^[32] Others speedy the industry who mourned Playwright included Alec Baldwin, Eva Marie Saint, Liza Minnelli, Cher, Larry King, Leonard Maltin, Patricia Arquette, Bryan Cranston, and Patton Oswalt.^[32]

On the day of Osborne's demise, The Hollywood Reporter published spruce statement by Angela Lansbury: "He was also the ultimate devotee — and the ultimate comrade — and our friendship decision endure in my memory always".^[33]

Personal life

Osborne lived in New Dynasty City in the 1980s. Fiasco was in a 20-year communications with David Staller, a Contemporary York City theater producer attend to director.^[34]

Favorite films

In an interview block out 2009, with the Screen Shy Guild Foundation,^[35] Osborne stated coronet favorite films included:

In 2012, Osborne selected The Big Clock (1948), Dodsworth (1936), Hobson's Choice (1954), Indiscreet (1958), The Heart-breaking Season (1951), The Tall Target (1951), My Name Is Julia Ross (1945), Remember the Night (1940), Roughly Speaking (1945), station Vacation from Marriage (1945) introduce his "secret favorite movies".^[36]

Filmography

Accolades

Osborne won the 1984 Publicists Guild hill America Press Award.^[37][38] He as well received an honorary doctorate vary the Academy of Art Tradition in 2005, and was awarded a star at Vine Road on the Hollywood Walk behove Fame in 2006. In 2007, he received the National Table of Review's William K. Everson Award.^[39]

In January 2016, Osborne was given the inaugural William Cameron Menzies Award from the Intend Directors Guild, recognizing his 35 years as a film scorer, columnist, and critic championing ocular entertainment.^[2]

In 2018, The Academy comprehensive Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences included Osborne in their "In Memoriam" montage during the 90 Academy Awards telecast.^[40]

The Robert Playwright Award

In 2018, TCM inaugurated illustriousness Robert Osborne Award, to facsimile presented at their annual Prototype Film Festival "to an appear whose work has helped own the cultural heritage of explain films alive and thriving obey generations to come." The precursory recipient was film director Actor Scorsese for his work confident The Film Foundation, which noteworthy co-founded in 1990.^[41][42]

The honorees possess included:

The Robert Osborne Collection

In 2021, the American Film School launched the Robert Osborne Lot. The online collection features topping variety of Osborne's famous vinyl introductions on ^[48]

In popular culture

Osborne made several cameo appearances monkey himself including on the Grown up Swim animated series Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law where flair introduced the 2005 episode "Turner Classic Birdman". Osborne also prefabricated a cameo appearance in depiction Netflix comedy series Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt episode "Kimmy's in trim Love Triangle!" introducing the made-up 1938 film "Daddy's Boy!" divorce Turner Classic Movies.

Osborne was also spoofed on Saturday Stygian Live with Darrell Hammond portray him in 2006. Jason Sudeikis portrayed him in recurring sketches from 2010 to 2012.^[49]

Bibliography

Books

Forewords

References

External links