Are you a regular viewer of Turner Classic Movies? In this enticing article, we will discuss the SOTM or star of the month of Turner Classic Movies or TCM in short. TCM viewers are always waiting to see who is going to be the next star of the month. It is a very prestigious program. It is given to old film stars who starred in classics. Every month a new actor or actress is nominated as the star of the month. Let’s explore some of the stars of this year in TCM.
What Is TCM?
TCM, also known as Turner Classic Movies, is a Television network channel that airs various movies in The United States of America. TCM started in 1994, and it has been telecasting movies regularly since then. Though the channel originally started airing movies in the United States, it has spanned its network in many other countries such as Southern America, UK, Canada, Middle East, and many European countries.
The TCM channel showed classic movies from popular studios like WB, MGM, RKO Pictures. They also gained rights to show movies from various other studios as they started to gain popularity. TCM normally shows classic movies from the 60s and 70s era. It is a very popular channel, especially for those who enjoy old classic movies. Most of them are in B&W.
TCM tries to show those movies at a higher resolution. TCM also features movies from the 80s and 90s. Classic movies are hand-picked from different timelines from the 20th century. Though TCM regularly airs old movies, some new movies from the year 2000 to 2020 are also shown from time to time.
What Is TCM Star Of the Month?
Every month, Western Sydney University’s (WSU) China Studies Centre selects one Chinese movie star as ‘TCM Star of the Month’ and we will introduce them in detail through public lectures and other activities. This is a good opportunity to promote Australia-China cultural exchanges and enhance students’ knowledge about contemporary China. The selection criteria for TCM Star of the Month are:
(1) whether they have performed well in recent productions; and
(2) their popularity and influence among Chinese-speaking movie fans.
Top TCM Star of The Month 2021
TCM gives its star of the month (SOTM) award to a single actor or actress every month, and this award has been given by TCM since 1994. The first star of the month was announced in May 1994. This year the star of the month has been given from January to July. The star of the month for August is still to be seen. Here is the list of the star of the month from January all the way to July for the year 2021.
January
The TCM star of the month for January was “Miriam Hopkins.” Miriam was born in New York. She became an actress in the early 20s and continued her acting career all the way to the 70s. She was a very versatile actress and starred in many Hollywood films. She got nominated for two very prestigious awards. Academy Award and Golden Globe are the two awards she got nominated for. Miriam later started doing television drama and is now considered one of the best pioneers of television drama to this day.
February
“John Garfield” was the TCM star of the month for February 2021. Born in early 1900, John went to Hollywood in 1937 to pursue his career as an actor. He was a very famous actor. Warner Bros studio helped him to rise to his fame. John was portrayed as a working-class man in his films.
His characters were generally rebellious with a brooding expression that could be seen throughout the films he starred in. He was also born in New York and later moved to Hollywood. At an early age, he had a heart attack what ultimately caused his death.
March
Doris Day, born in 1922, was the star of the month in Turner Classic Movies. Doris first started her career as a singer for a band and later shifted to acting. Her singing career was very bright. Two of her songs topped number one in charts.
First, she was in a band. After singing in a band for some years, she left the band and started her solo career as a solo singer. She made over 600 songs when she was a solo singer. Doris Day is considered one of the best and most famous movie stars of the 1950s and the 1960s.
May
In the month of April, no star of the month was featured by TCM. But in the month of May, TCM had a surprise for the viewers. In this month, there was no individual star of the month, and rather they announced a group of stars as the star of the month program. The last time TCM featured a group as the star of the month was back in 2017.
In May, the star of the month was the star with the name “Robert.” The tagline was “Hello my name is Robert.” It featured different film starts, and all of their name either started with Robert or ended with Robert. Robert Armstrong, Robert Osborne, Robert Wagner, Robert Taylor, Robert Downey Jr, Robert de Niro are, to name a few, of the stars.
June
The TCM star of the month for June was “Cyd Charisse.” Cyd Charisse was born in Texas. It was around the 1920s. Charisse was an actress. Charisse was also a dancer. She at first used to dance in her films. Her first debut film was in the 40s. Later on, she only focused on her acting career and gave up dancing in the films. She also started doing Broadway in the 90s. She was also recognized for her humanitarian works beside her career.
July
Elvis Presley, the everlasting king of rock and king of roll. He was nominated as star of the month for TCM. It was in the month of July. Elvis Presley is one of the most popular and biggest stars of the American entertainment industry. Elvis Presley had a very successful career in both singing and acting.
He was an idol to many of his fans, and he was also regarded as a sex symbol. Elvis Presley made his debut in his acting career in the year of 1956. He starred in his own film called Love Me Tender. His career as a musician began even before his acting career. He was a commercial success and achieved many awards in his life.
August
In August, TCM is coming with their latest program, Summer Under the Stars. It will feature 12 stars from the early film era. The 12 stars who will be featured are Robert Young, Eve Arden, Maurice Chevalier, Setsuko Hara, Tony Randall, Robert Redford, Abbott and Costello, George Segal, Louis Armstrong, Margaret Rutherford, Richard Burton, and Ramon Novarro.
Conclusion
Waiting for the start of the month program of TCM is as exciting as it gets. It feels very satisfying when your favorite star is featured as the star of the month. Even if your favorite actor or actress is not featured, there is a very good chance he or she maybe be featured in the near future as TCM gives every star a fair chance.
 Frequently Asked Questions:
1. Where To Stream TCM?
Ans: If you are thinking about streaming TCM online, there are two available options to choose from. You can either buy a subscription plan from Hulu or subscribe to YouTube TV. Both of these services stream TCM and feature a one-week free trial.
2. Can You Watch TCM For Free?
Ans: TCM requires a TV subscription or online streaming platform subscription like Hulu or YouTube TV. A monthly fee is required for these subscription systems. They feature an advertisement-free 24-hour movie streaming service.
3. What Is The First series Of Seven Stories On TCM about?
Ans: The first series of Seven Stories on TCM was launched by WSU’s China Studies Centre on 1 June 2012, featuring stories of legendary Taiwanese actress Kuei Ya-Lei (Guillaume) (1920-1996); three-time winner of the Golden Horse Award.
4.Who Is The Star Of The Month In July 2021?
Ans: We proudly present Taiwanese actress and singer Kuei Ya-Lei (Guillaume)! Kuei Ya-Lei (Guillaume) (1920-1996) was a legendary star in early Taiwanese film industry, she had been highly praised by the audiences and media. She won three Golden Horse Awards.
5. Who Are The Celebrities That Died Recently?
Ans: Shirley Temple Black (actress) (1928-2014)
John Heard (actor) (1946-2017)
Kate Spade (designer) (1964-2018)
Tony Johnston (comedian and actor, writer and theatrical agent, performer of Papa Lazarou in The League of Gentlemen) (1957-2018).