Lorre on TV This Spring

2013 begins with several Peter Lorre movies on Turner Classic Movies during January, February, and March. 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.

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January, 2013

Jan. 5 (Sat.), 3 am, Turner Classic Movies channel – M (1931).

Jan. 11 (Fri.), 12:30 pm, TCM – Background to Danger (1943).

Jan. 11 (Fri.), 2 am, Antenna TV – The Jack Benny Show, originally broadcast Jan. 22, 1963.

Jan. 14 (Mon.), 2:45 pm, TCM – The Boogie Man Will Get You (1942).

Jan. 19 (Sat.), 9 am, TCM – They Met in Bombay (1941).

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February, 2013

February brings TCM’s annual “31 Days of Oscar” festival, with each day devoted to a different movie star.

Feb. 2 (Sat.), 8 pm, TCM – Casablanca (1942). A weekend of Oscar nominees and winners from the Warner Bros. studio brings Casablanca, which took the award “Best Picture of 1943”.

Feb. 2 (Sat.), 10 pm, TCM – The Maltese Falcon (1941). Had his part been larger, Peter Lorre might have been nominated “Best Supporting Actor” in his first film at Warners. However, his co-star Sydney Greenstreet, with whom Peter would make another 8 movies, did receive the nomination in that category – but lost to Donald Crisp in How Green Was My Valley.

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March, 2013

Mar. 2 (Sat.), 8 pm, TCM – Around the World in 80 Days (1956). “31 Days of Oscar” concludes with a weekend of United Artists movies, including this all-star extravaganza, winner of “Best Picture of 1956”.

Mar. 25 (Mon.), 4 pm, TCM – The Big Circus (1959).

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Many of these and other Lorre movies are now available on DVD and VHS – some 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.

Happy viewing!

The Maltese Falcon On-Screen in Decatur, Georgia

As part of their Golden Classic Films series, the Friends of the Decatur Library will screen The Maltese Falcon (1941) on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2012, at the DeKalb County Public Library.

The program will begin at 2 pm.

Admission is free and open to the public.

The DeKalb Library is located at 215 Sycamore Street, in Decatur, Georgia. Parking is available at the library.

For more information, please call the library at (404) 370-3070.

The making of The Maltese Falcon is recounted in the pages of the authorized Peter Lorre biography The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre (2005). The movie was Peter’s first at Warner Bros. – and the first of five movies he would make with his co-star Humphrey Bogart.

Hyde Park Library Screens The Maltese Falcon

As part of their “Shadow of THE FALCON” series, the Hyde Park Library will present The Maltese Falcon (1941) on Sunday, Dec. 9, 2012.

The program begins at 2 pm. Admission is free to the public.

The Hyde Park Library is located at 2 Main Street, at the corner of Main Street and Route 9, in Hyde Park, NY. Directions to the library may be found on the library’s website.

For more information, please contact the library at (845) 229-7791.

In the pages of The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, the biography of Peter Lorre, author Stephen Youngkin recounts the making of The Maltese Falcon in the summer of 1941.

Not only was it the first movie Peter made with Humphrey Bogart, who would become his best friend – but it was also the movie on which Peter met Karen Verne, a young German actress who would soon be under contract to Warner Bros., work with Peter in another Warner film All Through the Night (1942) and in 1945, become the second Mrs. Lorre.

Casablanca On-Screen at the Center for Jewish History

On Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, the Center for Jewish History will celebrate the 70th anniversary of Casablanca (1942) with a screening of the classic movie and a discussion led by film historian Noah Isenberg.

The program begins at 6 pm.

Admission is $8 for the general public, and $5 for Center members, seniors, and students. Tickets may be purchased online through the Center’s website.

The Center for Jewish History is located at 15 West 16th Street, in New York City, NY. For more information, please call (212) 294-8301.

The Center is easily reached by public transportation. If arriving by car, the Center is able to offer visitors discounted parking at the following locations: Creative Parking LLC, located at 16 West 16th Street; and Universal Parking LLC, located at 55 West 14th Street. More information may be found on the Center website, under “Getting to the Center”.

Peter Lorre was among the many Jews working before and behind the cameras on Casablanca – a roster that included the director Michael Curtiz and screenwriters Philip and Julius Epstein and Howard Koch. Noah Isenberg recently published in the Wall Street Journal an article on the making of Casablanca, Nov. 24, 2012.

Arsenic and Old Lace at the Lansing Public Library

On Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, the Friends of Lansing Library will sponsor a showing of Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) at the Lansing Public Library.

The program will begin at 1 pm in the library’s Community Room.

Admission is free, but patrons must register for the event through the library’s website or by calling (708) 474-2447. The event is sponsored by Friends of Lansing Library.

The Lansing Public Library is located at 2750 Indiana Avenue, in Lansing, Illinois. Parking is available at the library. For more information, please contact the library at (708) 474-2447.

In his book The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre (2005), Stephen Youngkin details the making of Arsenic and Old Lace. The movie was released in the fall of 1944, but filmed in 1941 on the Warner Brothers lot. Not yet under contract to the studio, Peter Lorre was cast in the film after completing The Maltese Falcon and All Through the Night. Peter would work on several more films before the studio would add him to their stable of contract players – and Peter would enter the most productive period of his career with radio and stage appearances in addition to movies.

Rare Lorre Film at SPERDVAC Convention

Peter Lorre fans attending the SPERDVAC convention the weekend of November 9 to 11 will have the opportunity to enjoy a rare treat – a color film of Lorre rehearsing and then broadcasting live the Suspense episode “Nobody Loves Me”, which aired originally on Thursday, August 30, 1945.

The film is among the highlights of the weekend convention, which will include guest speakers and re-creations of old-time radio programs such as The Shadow and Suspense. More information about the convention may be found on the SPERDVAC website.

The convention will be held at the Hacienda Hotel, located at 525 North Sepulveda Blvd. in El Segundo, California, 1 mile south of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). A special SPERDVAC convention rate of $79 a night has been arranged. Parking fees are $8 for overnight guests, and $4 for daily guests. For more information, please contact the hotel at (310) 615-0015.

The convention begins at 5 pm on Friday, Nov. 9 and ends on Sunday, Nov. 11. Attendees may choose to include Friday and Saturday night dinners, as well as Sunday brunch, in addition to the Saturday daytime program. Tickets for all events will be available at the door.

SPERDVAC – “The Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety and Comedy” – was founded with the intent to preserve old-time radio recordings. Members enjoy access to the SPERDVAC library of old-time radio programs and radio scripts, as well as monthly meetings, and The RadioGram, SPERDVAC’s monthly publication.

Information on joining SPERDVAC can be found on the SPERDVAC website.

“Nobody Loves Me” was Peter Lorre’s sixth and final performance on Suspense. Joining Peter before the microphone were Wally Maher, Bill Johnstone, and host Joseph Kearns, “The Man in Black”. On July 31, 1947, Peter re-created the character “Joe Reeze” on his own radio series, the 13-week summer program Mystery in the Air.

In the pages of the Lorre biography The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, author Stephen Youngkin discusses Peter’s radio career, including interviews with fellow radio actors such as Harry Morgan. A complete-to-date list of Peter Lorre’s radio work can be found in the book’s Appendix. A partial list of available radio programs can be found in the Radio section of the book’s official website.

Three Strangers at the AFI Silver

Peter Lorre fans in the Silver Spring, MD, area will have an opportunity to catch the preserved print of Three Strangers (1946) at the Noir City film noir fest, presented at the AFI Silver in downtown Silver Spring.

The 35mm preserved print has been shown at Noir City festivals in several U.S. cities this year, including Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, and Los Angeles.

Note: The arrival of hurricane Sandy in the Silver Spring area forced the AFI to cancel the screening for Monday, Oct. 29. Three Strangers has been rescheduled for Thursday, Nov. 1, at 9:45 pm. Ticket prices for this showing are $11.50 general admission, $7 for children 12 and under, and $9 for seniors 65 and over.

The AFI Silver will show Three Strangers on Sunday, Oct. 28, at 3 pm, and on Monday, Oct. 29, at 5 pm.

On Sunday, Oct. 28, Film Noir Foundation board member Foster Hirsch will introduce Three Strangers.

Ticket prices for Sunday are $11.50 for general admission, $7 for children 12 and under, and $9 for seniors 65 and over.

Ticket prices for Monday’s matinee are $8.50 for general admission and seniors, and $7 for children. AFI member passes will be accepted; admission is $8.50.

AFI member passes will be accepted for all movies in the Noir City festival. Admission for AFI members is $8.50.

Tickets may be reserved on-line through the AFI Silver website. Click the “Buy Tickets” button and select Three Strangers and a show date and time. No booking fee will be charged, but tickets reserved on-line must be claimed at the box office with the same credit card used to make the reservation. The AFI Silver accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover cards.

Tickets may also be purchased at the AFI Silver box office, which opens 30 minutes before the first film of the day.

Noir City DC runs from October 20 to November 1, 2012. The full schedule can be found on the AFI Silver website.

The AFI Silver Theatre is located at 8633 Colesville Road, at the intersection of Colesville Road and Georgia Avenue, in Silver Spring, MD. Directions to the cinema may be found on the AFI Silver website.

Parking is available in several public parking decks close to the theater. Most convenient is the Wayne Avenue garage, located at 921 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD. Parking at the Wayne Avenue garage is free on weekends and after 8 pm on weekdays. More information on parking can be found on the AFI Silver website, under Parking.

For The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre, author Stephen D. Youngkin interviewed both Geraldine Fitzgerald and Joan Lorring, who recounted their experiences working with Peter on Three Strangers. As one of the title characters, Ms. Fitzgerald described Peter’s advice in handling a stunt sequence. And Ms. Lorring confessed to a huge crush on Peter – which may have informed her portrayal of Johnny West’s loyal girlfriend, Icy Crane!

The Lost One is now available on both the Kindle and the Nook, as well as paperback and hardbound.

Celebrate Halloween with Peter Lorre

Only treats – no tricks – for Lorre fans this Halloween season, as theaters in Asheville, North Carolina, and Seattle, Washington, present a couple of classic comedy-murder films.

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On Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2012, the Asheville Film Society will show You’ll Find Out (1940) at the Carolina Asheville Cinema Lounge.

The program will begin at 8 pm. Admission is free, however a $10 membership in the Asheville Film Society helps to support the AFS, as well as offering members invitations to special screenings and discounts on special events. Memberships will be available at the cinema.

The Carolina is located at 1640 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC. Parking is available at the cinema. For more information, please call (828) 274-9500.

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From now until Thursday, Oct. 25, The Grand Illusion Cinema will be showing Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

The film begins at 6:45 pm.

Ticket prices are $8 for regular admission, and $5 for Grand Illusion members. Senior and Student tickets are available for $6. Tickets may be purchased at the box office. Credit cards are not accepted.

The Grand Illusion Cinema is located at 1403 NE 50th Street, Seattle, Washington. For more information, please call (206) 523-3935.

Lorre Films on TV This Fall

October, November, and December bring a number of Peter Lorre movies on 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.

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October, 2012

Oct. 2 (Tues.), 6:15 pm, Turner Classic Movies channel – The Story of Mankind (1957).

Oct. 8 (Mon.), 2:15 pm, TCM – Silk Stockings (1957).

Oct. 22 (Mon.), 11:30 am, TCM – The Constant Nymph (1943).

Oct. 24 (Wed.), 8 pm, TCM – The Raven (1963). A night of horror films based on Edgar Allan Poe stories includes this American International Pictures entry in their Poe film series of the 1960s.

Oct. 28 (Sun.), 2:45 am, TCM – M (1931).

Oct. 28 (Sun.), 4:30 am, TCM – Hotel Berlin (1945).

Oct. 31 (Wed.), 11:30 am, Antenna TV – Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "The Diplomatic Corpse". A marathon of episodes from the anthology series includes this episode, which originally aired Dec. 8, 1957.

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November, 2012

Nov. 3 (Sat.), 7:45 am, TCM – Stranger on the Third Floor (1940).

Nov. 7 (Wed.), 7 am, Antenna TV – Crime and Punishment (1935).

Nov. 9 (Fri.), 5 am, Antenna TV – Crime and Punishment (1935).

Nov. 9 (Fri.), 1:30 pm, TCM – The Conspirators (1944).

Nov. 10 (Sat.), 7 am, Antenna TV – Crime and Punishment (1935).

Nov. 14 (Wed.), 8 pm, TCM – The Maltese Falcon (1944). An evening of Great Adaptations: Novel to Film includes this Dashiell Hammett mystery novel in the category "National Book Award Winners and Finalists".

Nov. 15 (Thurs.), 10 am, TCM – The Mask of Dimitrios (1944). The salute to Great Adaptations: Novel to Film continues with the Eric Ambler mystery novel.

Nov. 18 (Sun.), 2 pm, TCM – Casablanca (1942).

Nov. 29 (Thurs.), 9:45 pm, TCM – Silk Stockings (1957).

Nov. 30 (Fri.), 6 pm, TCM – The Story of Mankind (1957). Peter plays Emperor Nero, who fiddles while Rome burns, and Mr. Scratch (Vincent Price) and the Spirit of Man (Ronald Colman) discuss whether or not mankind is worthy of redemption.

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December, 2012

Dec. 6 (Thurs.), 8 pm, TCM – Casablanca (1942). Jim Grant (pen-name Lee Child), author of the Jack Reacher series of adventure novels, is the guest co-host of an evening of his favorite movies – films that influenced his writing.

Dec. 10 (Mon.), 12 midnight, Antenna TV – Alfred Hitchcock Presents, "Man From the South". Peter Lorre plays Carlos, a South American gambler with an unusual wager.

Dec. 24 (Mon.), 3:20 pm, Encore Western – Wagon Train, "The Alexander Portlas Story". Peter Lorre plays Alexander Portlas, an archeologist hunting Incan treasure.

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

Happy viewing!

Casablanca On-Screen at Saenger Theatre, Pensacola

Peter Lorre fans in the Pensacola, Florida, area will have another chance to catch Casablanca (1942) tonight at the historic Saenger Theatre, as their summer Classic Film Festival comes to a close.

The movie begins at 7 pm.

Admission is $5 for all seats. Tickets are available in advance at the theater’s box office or purchased within an hour before the show. For more information, please call the theater at (850) 595-3882.

The Saenger Theatre is located at 118 South Palafox Place, in Pensacola, Florida. The theater’s box office is located around the corner on Intendencia Street, between the corners of Palafox and Jefferson streets. Driving directions may be found on the cinema’s website.

Parking is available in the Jefferson Street parking garage, located at 53 S. Jefferson Street. A flat rate of $2 is charged after 6 pm. More information about parking may be found on the Park First website.