It’s a sad day for entertainment fans.
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Film historian Robert Osborne, the bubbly primetime host of Turner Classic Movies since its inception in 1994, has passed away, Variety reports. He was 84.
“All of us at Turner Classic Movies are deeply saddened by the death of Robert Osborne. Robert was a beloved member of the Turner family for more than 23 years. He joined us as an expert on classic film and grew to be our cherished colleague and esteemed ambassador for TCM. Robert was embraced by devoted fans who saw him as a trusted expert and friend,” said Jennifer Dorian, TCM’s general manager.
“His calming presence, gentlemanly style, encyclopedic knowledge of film history, fervent support for film preservation and highly personal interviewing style all combined to make him a truly world-class host. Robert’s contributions were fundamental in shaping TCM into what it is today and we owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this time,” she continued.
Osborne lived in New York but shot his TCM appearances at the network’s headquarters in Atlanta. TCM is the last movie network to regularly feature hosts who offer information about a movie before it starts.
Osborne got his start in showbiz as an actor under contract to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s Desilu. He made guest appearances on shows like The Beverly Hillbillies when he was younger, and later, on the hit Netflix series, The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Osborne was on the staff of The Hollywood Reporter in 1977 and penned its “Rambling Reporter” column from 1982 to 2009, writing breezy items and reviewing movies and plays.
In addition to his TCM-related gigs, Osborne also sponsored an annual classic-film festival, named after him, at the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications in Athens, Georgia.
Osborne was born in Colfax, Washington, and served in the Air Force as a lieutenant before graduation from the University of Washington’s School of Journalism.
This article first appeared on Womanista.com
