On the evening of March 3, Phillips Auditorium buzzed excitedly as students, faculty and donors waited to hear renowned film historian and host of Turner Classic Movies Robert Osborne speak. For many students who grew up watching Osborne introduce classic film after classic film, seeing him speak in person was a thrilling experience.
In addition to his long career with Turner Classic Movies, Osborne also hosts several film festivals and has written a series of books on the Academy Awards – the most recent titled “80 Years of the Oscar.”
Osborne has been invited to speak on campus several times, but he was repeatedly unavailable due to conflicts with the Academy Awards, Associate Vice President for External Affairs Timothy Caspar said.
Osborne took the stage to thunderous applause from the packed room and began by expressing his gratitude for the warm welcome and commented on Hillsdale’s picturesque campus.
“It looks like one of those movies from the ’40s,” Osborne said.
The acclaimed TCM host then proceeded to discuss the significant changes in Hollywood that came about as a result of World War II.
“It was a bit of a schizophrenic place,” Osborne said.
He went on to explain how many beloved stars such as Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda and Clark Gable dropped their successful careers to enlist, and how new actors emerged to fill the void that they left, playing opposite famous actresses such as Betty Grable.
Civilian Hollywood immersed itself in the war effort. Stars participated in tours to sell bonds and performed for troops overseas. Osborne cited stars such as Bob Hope, who was paid to perform for troops, and others volunteered their time.
Osborne seemed particularly impressed by the actions of Marlene Dietrich, a German actress who became an American citizen in 1939. She dropped her career during the war and traveled within a few miles of the front lines to entertain U.S. soldiers, while staunchly denouncing the Nazi party.
She wanted to prove, Osborne said, that there were “good Germans”.
Osborne also discussed Hollywood’s influence on the attitudes of the American public. Many films such as “Sergeant York” and “Yankee Doodle Dandy” served to boost both moral and recruitment numbers. Other films were escapist, helping to keep audience’s spirits high. Even the saddest films would end with some sort of inspirational speech or uplifting message.
Production companies wanted audiences coming back week after week, Osborne said, so they “wanted you to leave the movies feeling good.”
Osborne emphasized the lack of cynicism that the country at large felt regarding the war and asserted that cynicism only appeared significantly in Hollywood once the war had concluded.
While answering questions, Osborne expressed his pleasure at modern audiences’ ongoing interest in classic films.
“I’m very proud that these old films that sat in vaults for so long are being seen again.”
