TVSquad

As much as there have been movies about the theater and movies about movies, the films that have been made about television are some of the best ever. This year alone, there are two movies nominated for Best Picture of the year by the Academy Awards that are all about television -- Slumdog Millionaire and Frost/Nixon. Without TV, neither of these films would exist. Looking back, here are the films about TV that set the standards by which Slumdog Millionaire and Frost/Nixon are measured.

Turner Classic Movies has asked several well-known celebrities to pick their favorite movies, which will be shown every night throughout November, and I have to say I'm very impressed with their picks.

Some of the choices fit the celeb. For example, Martha Stewart picked Enchanted April, Madame Bovary, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, and Anna Karenina, which you can imagine Martha watching at home, a bowl of popcorn in her lap (and critiquing the job Mr. Blandings did), and James Ellroy's picks (Stakeout On Dope Street, The Lineup, Armored Car Robbery, and Murder By Contract) stay along the lines of his noir/mystery background. But a few picks are interesting. Access Hollywood co-host Maria Menounos picked the 1932 cult classic Freaks, and Food Network icon Alton Brown picked the Lee Marvin classic Point Blank. As for non-human celebs, Kermit The Frog picked Singin' in the Rain and The Band Wagon.

Not sure if younger readers will remember Tony Franciosa. Not only was it several decades ago that he was a star, he really hadn't done anything in recent years, except for an appearance on Larry King Live in 2001, a documentary last year, and the movie City Hall 10 years ago. But he was in everything in the 60s and 70s. His many roles include The Name of the Game (a private eye show I really liked when I was a kid), Matt Helm (the series, not the Dean Martin flicks), Search (another show I loved as a kid), Finder of Lost Loves, as well the movies The Long Hot Summer, Death Wish II, The Drowning Pool, Earth II, Assault on a Queen, A Hatful of Rain, and A Face in the Crowd.

Franciosa died yesterday after suffering a massive stroke.