February 18, 2018

Spring into Spring With Lorre on TV

Winter becomes spring, and Peter's fans can enjoy many Lorre films on television and Turner Classic Movies.

All times shown are Eastern Standard.

Peter Lorre's page on the TV Guide Channel website lists the Lorre films scheduled on various television channels over a 2-week period.



February, 2018

Throughout February and into March, the Turner Classic Movies channel holds its annual “30 Days of Oscar” festival – with several Lorre Oscar winners and nominees included.

Feb 21 (Wed), 7:30 am, Antenna TV channel – The Jack Benny Program (originally broadcast over CBS, Jan. 22, 1963). Jack welcomes guest Peter Lorre and recounts the nightmare he had involving Peter as a wanted killer.

Feb. 26 (Sun), 8 am, Turner Classic Movies channel – The Maltese Falcon (1941). Today’s daytime theme on TCM is “Best Picture Nominees”, including Peter Lorre’s first movie for Warner Bros. – and his first movie with Humphrey Bogart and Sydney Greenstreet.

Feb. 27 (Tues), 2:45 am, TCM – Around the World in 80 Days (1956). “30 Days of Oscar” continues with “Best Picture Winners”. Peter Lorre is one of many cameos in this all-star extravaganza about the Victorian London gentleman (David Niven) who bets he can circle the globe in 80 days.



March, 2018

The “30 Days of Oscar” festival concludes on March 3, but March has plenty of other Lorre movies.

Mar. 1 (Thurs), 4:15 am, TCM – Casablanca (1943). March begins in the “30 Days of Oscar” fest with more “Best Picture Winners” – and the role that won Peter Lorre a contract with the Warner Bros. studio.

Mar. 10 (Sat), 12 midnight, TCM – Stranger on the Third Floor (1940). TCM's "Noir Alley" moves to Saturday nights at midnight (EST), 9 pm (PST), and tonight, host Eddie Muller presents the movie considered by many to be the first true noir film.

Mar. 11 (Sun), 10 am, TCM – Stranger on the Third Floor (1940). Missed the midnight showing of the "Noir Alley" feature? Fear not! The "Czar of Noir" Eddie Muller presents an encore showing of Peter as "the Stranger".

Mar. 12 (Mon), 2:45 pm, TCM – Mad Love (1935). The daytime theme is "30s Horror", including Peter Lorre”s first American movie.

Mar. 19 (Mon), 10:45 pm, TCM – Strange Cargo (1940). The daytime theme is "Prison Escapes". Peter Lorre plays Monsieur Cochon ("The Pig"), who earns a living in the French penal colony of Guiana by reporting escaped convicts (such as Clark Gable's Verne) to the authorities.

Mar. 20 (Tues), 1:30 am, MeTV – Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "Man From the South" (CBS, Mar. 13, 1960)

Mar. 22 (Thurs), 2 am, TCM – Casablanca (1942). A week of "Great Movie Endings" continues with a night of movies with "Famous Last Words".



April, 2018

April brings several Lorre movies infrequently shown on TCM.

Apr. 12 (Thurs), 10 pm, TCM – Around the World in 80 Days (1956). Every Thursday in April, the TCM primetime theme is "The Victorian Era in Film", and tonight's sub-theme is "Victorian Science and Exploration".

Apr. 18 (Wed), 6 pm, TCM – Passage to Marseille (1944). Every Wednesday in April, TCM turns the spotlight on director Michael Curtiz, including the wartime film that paired Peter Lorre with Humphrey Bogart for a final time at Warner Bros.

Apr. 18 (Wed), 8 pm, TCM – Casablanca (1942). The Curtiz Spotlight continues with the movie that won Peter a contract with Warner Bros.

Apr. 19 (Thurs), 6 am, TCM – Muscle Beach Party (1963). The daytime theme is "Swinging '60s", as TCM includes one of Peter's final films – the movie that was in release as newspapers ran stories of Peter's passing and funeral.



Many of these and other Lorre movies are now available on DVD and Blu-Ray – many remastered and packaged with extra features. For more information on the films of Peter Lorre released to home video, head on over to the DVD – VHS section of The Lost One website.

In The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, Stephen D. Youngkin discusses the making of Peter’s movies, including interviews with many of the directors, writers, actors, and crew who worked with Peter.

A complete list of Peter’s movies and television credits is available in the book’s Appendix.

Purchase The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre from Amazon.

Happy viewing!

February 16, 2018

Lorre Film Kicks off Seattle Noir Fest

Hosted by the “Czar of Noir” Eddie Muller, the annual Noir City festival of film noir movies will kick off with a showing of The Maltese Falcon (1941) on Friday, Feb. 16, 2018, at the SIFF Cinema Egyptian in Seattle, Washington.

The program begins at 6:30 pm with live music by the Casey MacGill Trio and a cider tasting, courtesy of Capitol Cider. Attendees are encouraged to dress in 1940s era and test their Noir knowledge with “Shadow Play”, the game of noir trivia.

The Maltese Falcon will begin at 7 pm. A second showing of the movie is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 19, at 12:30 pm at the Egyptian.

Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for seniors 65 and older, and $10 for SIFF members. Passes for the entire festival are also available for $150 for adults and $100 for SIFF members.

Tickets may be purchased at the Egyptian box office, which opens 30 minutes before the first show of the day, or by calling 206-324-9996, Monday through Friday, between 10 am and 5 pm. Tickets may also be purchased on-line through the SIFF website. SIFF members must log-in first to get their discount. A nominal service fee will be added to all tickets purchased on-line.

The SIFF Cinema Egyptian is located at 805 E. Pine Street, between Harvard Avenue and Broadway Street, in Seattle, Washington.

Parking is available in the Seattle Central College Harvard Parking Garage, located across the street from the Egyptian at 1609 Harvard Avenue, in Seattle.

The Egyptian is also served by public transportation. More information on bus lines, as well as parking, is available on the venue’s website.

Noir City 2018 will run from Friday, Feb. 16, to Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018. The complete schedule is available on the SIFF website.

And in addition to hosting Seattle’s Noir City fest, Eddie Muller appears on SIFFcast’s 100th episode, discussing with Siffcast host Jeremy Cropf the 18 classic movies on this year’s schedule. The podcast is available on the SIFF website.

February 10, 2018

Lorre Lovers, Celebrate Valentine’s Day with Peter

Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14, falls on a Wednesday in 2018 – and many cinemas across the United States will show Casablanca (1942), considered by many film fans as one of the most romantic movies in cinema history.

And although limited to only a few scenes – in the pivotal role of Ugarte, the black market dealer in exit visas – Peter Lorre is always a treat to watch in a movie theater, including these ~
  • Old Town Music Hall – El Segundo, California
  • Redford Theatre – Detroit, Michigan
  • Amherst Screening Room – Amherst, New York
  • Movie Tavern chain – various US states
  • Brattle Theatre – Cambridge, Massachusetts
  • Skylight Cinema – Bentonville, Arkansas



Old Town Music Hall ~ The Old Town Music Hall, in El Segundo, California, will present Casablanca on the following dates and times ~
  • Feb. 9, Friday – 8:15 pm
  • Feb. 10, Saturday – 2:30 pm and 8:15 pm
  • Feb. 11, Sunday – 2:30 pm
It’s a step back in time at this cinema, where every program begins with music on the mighty Wurlitzer pipe organ, an audience sing-along, and a comedy short. After a 15-minute intermission, the main feature will begin.

Admission is $10 for adults, and $8 for seniors age 62 and over. Tickets may be purchased at the cinema’s box office 30 minutes before each show time. Tickets are not available on-line.

The Old Town Music Hall is located at 140 Richmond Street, in El Segundo, California. For more information, please call the cinema at 310-322-2592.



Redford Theatre ~ The Redford Theatre, in Detroit, Michigan, will show a 35mm film print of Casablanca on the following dates and times ~
  • Feb. 9, Friday – 8 pm
  • Feb. 10, Saturday – 2 pm and 8 pm
For 30 minutes before each show, the Barton organ will be played, followed by a 15-minute intermission.

Admission is $5 for everyone. Tickets may be purchased at the box office an hour before the movie begins. Tickets may also be purchased on-line through the venue's website. A nominal processing fee will be added for all tickets purchased on-line.

The Redford Theatre is located at 17360 Lahser Road, just north of Grand River Avenue, in Detroit, Michigan.



Amherst Screening Room ~ The Amherst Screening Room, in Amherst, New York, will show Casablanca throughout the Valentine’s Day holiday ~
  • Feb. 10, Saturday – 7:30 pm
  • Feb. 11, Sunday – 6 pm
  • Feb. 13, Tuesday – 7:30 pm
  • Feb. 14, Wednesday – 7:30 pm
  • Feb. 16, Friday – 7:30 pm
  • Feb. 17, Saturday – 7:30 pm
On Valentine’s Day, Casablanca will be shown on a double-feature with The Princess Bride (1987). Admission for Casablanca only is $7, and $10 for both films. Admission is $6 for all other showings of Casablanca.

The Amherst Screening Room is located at 880 Alberta Drive, in Suite 207 of the Boulevard Mall, in Amherst, New York. For more information, please call the theater at 716-837-0376.



Movie Tavern ~ Many cinemas in the Movie Tavern chain will present Casablanca on Sunday, Feb. 11 and Wednesday, Feb. 14, as part of their “Flashback Cinema” series.

Dates and times vary by participating cinema, with some cinemas showing Casablanca on Valentine’s Day only.

Cinemas in the Movie Tavern chain are located in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

Ticket prices vary by theater.



Brattle Theatre ~ The Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, continues its popular Valentine’s Day tradition of Casablanca screenings with a 35mm print of the movie ~
  • Feb. 13, Tuesday – 4 pm available only; 7 pm show is sold out
  • Feb. 14, Wednesday – 4 pm available only; 7 pm show is sold out
Tickets for the 4 pm matinee showing are $9 for adults, students, and members of the Brattle; $8 for seniors age 65 and older, as well as children under age 12. Special Premium tickets are also available for $20 and include seating in a reserved section and unlimited popcorn and soda. Tickets may be purchased at the box-office, as well as on-line through the Brattle website.

The Brattle Theatre is located at 40 Brattle Street, in Brattle Hall, one block from Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts. For more information, please call the Brattle at 617-876-6837.



Skylight Cinema ~ Lorre fans attending Casablanca at the Skylight Cinema, in Bentonville, Arkansas, can enjoy reserved seating in rocker or reclining seats, as the theater presents the film as a Valentine treat at 6:30 pm and 9:05 pm.

Admission is $11 for adults, and $8 for children ages 2 to 12, seniors age 60 and older, and military personnel. Tickets may be purchased at the box office, as well as on-line through the cinema website. Seats are selected and reserved when tickets are purchased.

The Skylight Cinema is located at 350 SW A Street, in Bentonville, Arkansas. For more information, please call the theater at 479-367-7629.



Happy Valentine’s Day!

February 6, 2018

Buffalo Film Seminars Includes Casablanca

As part of the Buffalo Film Seminars series, Casablanca (1942) will be shown at the Dipson Amherst Theatre in Buffalo, New York, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018.

Presented by the University at Buffalo, the program will begin at 7 pm with an introduction by Diane Christian and Bruce Jackson, who also lead a discussion with the audience following the movie and a brief break.

Handouts with production details, anecdotes, and critical comments about each week's film are available on goldenrod paper in the theater lobby 45 minutes before each session. The Goldenrod handouts, including the handout for Casablanca, are also available online.

The complete schedule for the 2018 seminar is available on-line.

Tickets are $9.50 for adults, $7.25 for seniors, and $8 for students, military, and children. Although the film seminar is primarily for students in the University at Buffalo film class, all are welcome to attend and participate in the discussion.

Tickets may be purchased at the cinema’s box office. Tickets may also be purchased on-line through the venue’s website. A nominal fee of $1 will be added for each ticket purchased on-line. Season tickets for the seminar are also available.

The Dipson Amherst Theatre is located at 3500 Main Street, in the Tops University Plaza, in Buffalo, New York. Directions may be found on the cinema’s website.

Ample parking is available near the theater in the Tops University Plaza.