Happy Birthday To Turner Classic Movies

ALEC BALDWIN AND ROBERT OSBORNE

On this date in 1994, a new cable channel called Turner Classic Movies went on the air. It was the centennial anniversary of the first public movie showing in New York City, and perhaps fittingly the first movie shown was the classic epic Gone With the Wind.

Some 17 years on, TCM remains much the same as it was that day -- "Uuninterrupted, uncolorized and commercial-free!" at it advertised itself, only better.

It has steadfastly presented movies as they were meant to be seen (in their original screen formats), steadily added original content in the form of short- and feature-length documentaries, sponsors competitions for young filmmakers and composers, as well as an annual three-day film festival, while its channel IDs and other identifiers have become visual feasts and promotion of its own magazine, books, boxed DVD sets and other products decidedly low key.

TCM, for this devoted cinephile, is really the only cable channel I need. While I do watch the Weather Channel during breakfast, I can always look out the window to see what's up.