Media Release

Carol Burnett Hosts Side-Splitting Celebration Of Cinema’s Greatest Comediennes

TCM Pays Tribute to Lucille Ball, Lilly Tomlin, Goldie Hawn & More
 
Funny Ladies Premiers Oct. 4

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is paying tribute to cinema’s iconic comediennes with Funny Ladies, a special month of programming celebrating hilarious performances from Lucille Ball, Doris Day and Phyllis Diller to Goldie Hawn, Gilda Radner and Lilly Tomlin. Hosted by comedy legend Carol Burnett, a beloved favorite of television, stage and film and actress/filmmaker Illeana Douglas, programming begins Oct. 4 and continues every Thursday in primetime.
 
TCM’s salute to Funny Ladies will be broken down by decades:

  • Silents to the 1930s – showcasing comedy duo Thelma Todd and Patsy Kelly in Babes in the Goods (1934), Marion Davies in her star turn in Show People (1928) and the iconic Mae West in I’m No Angel (1933)
  • The 1930s-1940s – featuring three memorable performers who earned Best Actress Oscar nominations for their roles: Carole Lombard in My Man Godfrey (1936), Irene Dunne in Theodora Goes Wild (1936) and Jean Arthur in The More the Merrier (1940)
  • The 1950s – examines female talents including Jean Hagen in her award nominated turn in Singin’ in the Rain (1952), Doris Day in her comedic breakthrough in Pillow Talk (1959) and Lucille Ball shines in Forever, Darling (1956)
  • The 1960s, '70s and '80s - spotlights Lily Tomlin’s comedic genius in The Late Show (1977), Goldie Hawn’s glittering role Protocol (1984), Gilda Radner’s tour-de-force performance in Gilda Live (1980), and Madeline Kahn and Cloris Leachman’s in the slap-stick comedy High Anxiety (1977). The night also features Phyllis Diller in Eight on the Lam (1967), and Elaine May in Enter Laughing (1967)

“Our Funny Ladies celebration allows us to feature a variety of actresses, showcasing their work while also highlighting the incredible impact they had paving the way for the future of comedy on-screen,” said Charles Tabesh, senior vice president of programming for TCM. “Carol Burnett is a living comedic legend and we can’t wait to share her insightful and hilarious thoughts on the great comediennes of film history.”

About Turner Classic Movies

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting the entire spectrum of film history. TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone and Dave Karger, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. Currently in its 24th year as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® in February and Summer Under the Stars in August. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through events as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Big Screen Classics series in partnership with Fathom Events, as well as through the TCM Classic Film Tour in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition, TCM produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, and hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app.

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