TCM Host Eddie Muller on Comedy Gold

 On Monday night, July 10th, Shari Belafonte was a terrific Guest Programmer on TCM. The actress, writer, producer and daughter of the late, great Harry Belafonte has a keen knowledge of classic film. She selected films to air and her first choice was the strong 1959 crime drama, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW starring her father and Robert Ryan. Her next selection was a comedy starring James Stewart and based on a hit Broadway play. The movie was 1950's HARVEY with James Stewart as the lovable Elwood P. Dowd, a man whose best friend is an imaginary giant rabbit. Elwood is a gentle soul who likes to drink. His great gift is his kindness. His fluttery, critical sister wants him committed to a sanitarium. Josephine Hull played the sister and won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance.

Shari Belafonte did her segments with film noir expert/author Eddie Muller. Eddie said to Shari that Hull's win was noteworthy because the Academy doesn't give Oscars for comedy performances. I tweeted to Eddie's attention that Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert won Oscars for the classic screwball comedy IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, Judy Holliday won Best Actress for BORN YESTERDAY and Whoopi Goldberg won for GHOST. That was all the space I had a single tweet on Twitter. He tweeted back, "Out of how many nominations? I'll stand by this statement, but thanks for pointing out the rare exceptions."

I replied that there have been Oscar nominations for comedy performances -- Carole Lombard in MY MAN GODFREY, Rosalind Russell and Peggy Cass for AUNTIE MAME, Jack Lemmon for SOME LIKE IT HOT, Dustin Hoffman in TOOTSIE and Melissa McCarthy for BRIDESMAIDS. But it's oddly rare for actors to win for the hard work of screen comedy. Again, all the room I had for one single tweet.

THEN...a tweeter messaged me that Marisa Tomei won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for MY COUSIN VINNY. Another tweeter reminded me that Sir John Gielgud won his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his wisecracking but loving butler role in ARTHUR -- a comedy that brought Dudley Moore a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his starring role. Another chimed in with the Best Actress Oscar Cher won for MOONSTRUCK. Olympia Dukakis won for Best Supporting Actress.

Those tweets juiced up my movie memory and I added these Oscar winners for comedy performances: Diane Keaton ... Best Actress for Woody Allen's ANNIE HALL...

Mira Sorvino -- Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner for Woody Allen's MIGHTY APHRODITE...

...and Dianne Wiest got one of her two Best Supporting Actress Oscars for Woody Allen's BULLETS OVER BROADWAY.

After years of dramatic work, what did Lee Marvin win a Best Actor Oscar for? The 1965 comedy western, CAT BALLOU.

And there you have it. I'd like to take Eddie Muller out for a drink and tell him about all this. I'd also add the Barbra Streisand Best Actress Oscar victory for FUNNY GIRL -- especially the first half of the film.

I hope Shari Belafonte is invited back to be a special TCM Guest Programmer again. She was wonderful.