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TCM's March 5 showing of Zero Hour! Robert Osborne gave mis-information

posted 14 years ago by allenblank
10 replies | jump to latest

In talking about Zero Hour! Friday night Robert Osborne gave wrong information. He mentioned that Arthur Hailey who co-wrote the screenplay, and wrote the story Zero Hour! was based on, wrote the novel Airport, which is true. But then he went on to say that Hailey wrote the screenplay which is not true. George Seaton who directed the film also wrote the screenplay. Then Osborne went on to say that Hailey wrote the movie The Concorde: Airport'79 which is not true. Eric Roth wrote that sequel from a story by Producer Jennings lang. The only credit that Hailey received on that film was that he wrote the Novel Airport. I am surprised that a man as knowledgeable as Osborne would make such a mistake. But then we are only human.

[–] preppy-3 14 years ago

Yeah--Robert Osborne occasionally makes a mistake but he's right more than he's wrong. The guy has to do intros to quite a few films every day so a few slip-ups are going to happen. Still that one about Hailey writing the screenplay for the horid "Airport '79" is WAY off base.

[–] potawatomi2 14 years ago

I don't know who does the research for the intros, but perhaps Robert Osborne was merely reading the text that was researched and written by another person, the actual one who got the facts wrong.

[–] arisdisc 14 years ago

Wow, are you people serious?
Robert Osborne is awful. I've never seen such a blase host who rattles thru scripts so poorly.
Ugh.

[–] robbieperrone 14 years ago

You obviously know nothing about this man.

[–] kinnyhova 14 years ago

Robert Osborne is awful????

i won't even acknowledge an idiotic statement like that with an insult.

Hell is my natural habitat

[–] moonspinner55 13 years ago

Robert Osbourne is an incredible movie historian who has done thorough research on the cinema for most of his life. Movies ARE his life! He gained the trust and respect of many stars and directors from Hollywood's Golden Era, not an easy feat (although, admittedly, Robert Mitchum wasn't too thrilled with him). Still, his TCM research team goofs up once in a while, and Osbourne has to take the blame for relaying that false information on the air. I'm sure TCM checks and rechecks their facts, which makes the occasional slip-up rare indeed.

[–] beecee101 13 years ago

You must be kidding. Osborne is awesome. I'm sure he has researchers and writers that help with his intros and aft movie commentary; especially when he intros a movie for the 30th time w/fresh facts and anecdotes/opinions. He may have occasional errors but with all of the genres of movies i'm sure he has his forte's and weaknesses.

I've been watching him for years. Great/brilliant guy.

[–] aciolino 13 years ago

"Misinformation"???? What is he--? the minister of propaganda?

Why not, "He made a mistake?" OR, "He was mistaken about. . . "?????

Jeez.

[–] beecee101 13 years ago

You are kidding/ must be kidding...what an *beep* , I guess I go to dumassville from here.

[–] Ripshin 11 years ago

There are researchers and fact checkers on the show, and obviously somebody made a mistake. The IMDB listing for "Airport" could easily be misread by someone who wasn't paying attention. No, Osborne cannot know every fact about film, that there is to know, but he's an extremely knowledgeable film historian.