August lull? TCM offers star marathons

Just as TV hits its low point, Turner Classic Movies fills the void.
It does that each August, with “Summer Under the Stars.” Each day brings a marathon of films from one star.
Some of those people have been featured often. On Saturday and Sunday (Aug. 9-10), Elizabeth Taylor (shown here with Paul Newman) and Clark Gable will be back-to-back.
But others get their first time in the August spotlight.
Ruby Dee will be Thursday (Aug. 7), including “A Raisin in the Sun” (1961) at 8 p.m. ET; Donald O’Connor will be Aug. 28, including his spectacular dancing in “Singin’ in the Rain” (1952) at 8. Other newcomers are Christopher Plummer, Aug. 2; Pedro Armendariz, Aug. 12; Charles Bronson, Aug. 16; James Gleason, Aug. 18; Gina Lollobrigida, Aug. 24; and Tom Courtenay, Aug. 26.
The month started with Lana Turner, Plummer and Audrey Hepburn. Here’s the rest of the month, singling out a few of the films; all times ET:
— Monday (Aug. 4): Howard Keel, in an all-musical day.
— Tuesday: Claud Rains, including “Casablanca” (1942) at 8.
— Wednesday: Judy Garland, including “A Star is Born” (1954) at 8.
— Thursday, Dee; Friday, James Garner.
— Saturday: Taylor, including “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” (1958, shown here) at 3 p.m.
— Sunday: Gable, including “Teacher’s Pet” (1958) and “The Misfits” (1961), 8 and 10:15 p.m.
— Monday, Aug. 11: Glenda Ferrell; Aug. 12, Armendariz.
— Aug. 13: Shirley MacLaine, including “Terms of Endearment” (1983) and “Sweet Charity” (1969) at 8 and 10:30.
— Aug. 14: Sterling Hayden.
— Aug. 15: “Janet Leigh,” including “Psycho” (1960) and the restored “Touch of Evil” (1957) at 8 and 10:30.
— Aug. 16, Bronson; Aug. 17, Jennifer Jones; Aug. 18, Gleeson; Aug. 19, Hedy Lamar; Aug. 20, James Cagney; Aug. 21, Patricia Neal.
— Aug. 22: Frank Sinatra, including “Guys and Dolls” (1955) at 8.
— Aug. 23: Lollobrigida, including the comedies “Come September” (1961) and “Strange Bedfellows” (1965), 8 and 10 p.m.
— Aug. 24: Henry Fonda, including the 1964 political dramas “Fail-Safe” and “The Best Man,” at 8 and 10.
— Aug. 25: Shirley Jones, including the musicals “Oklahoma” (1955), “Carousel” (1956) and “Music Man” (1961), at 5:30, 8 and 10:15.
— Aug. 26, Courtenay; Aug. 27, Joan Crawford; Aug. 28, O’Conner; Aug. 29, Alexis Smith; Aug. 30, Kirk Douglas; Aug. 31, Irene Dunne.