Way back in the early 1970's, when I was a kid (I'm not that old!), I remember seeing some amazing movies on the CBS Children's Film Festival. It was on either Saturday or Sunday afternoons and I vaguely recall my mother encouraging me to watch. Kukla, Fran and Ollie introduced the movies and to this day, I can still remember seeing classic foreign films that were made for children like The Red Balloon (French), Hand in Hand (British) and Skinny and Fatty (Japanese). I think those movies may have been the first that really got be interested in film.

Turner Classic Movies seems to be providing a similar service for kids today, albeit by presenting great classics from Hollywood's golden era. TCM started a new series called Essentials Jr. Grey's Anatomy star Chris O'Donnell (Scent of a Woman) co-hosts with Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine). Together, they provide introductions and discuss the films, movies that are picked to be just right for kids. According to TCM, "The chosen films are ones that any cinema-literate child should know about and be able to enjoy with family and friends including grown-ups."



It's the same idea as Essentials, which currently features Robert Osborne and Rose McGowan. Among the pictures slated for Essentials Jr. are Meet Me in St. Louis, The Courtship of Eddie's Father, Harvey, and even comedy classics like Laurel and Hardy's The Music Box and Buster Keaton in Sherlock Jr. Every single one of these titles are kid-appropriate and damn entertaining.

In addition to hosting this TCM series, Chris and Abigail are playing father and daughter in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl which opens July 2. It's logical to assume that their involvement in Essentials Jr. is a great way to promote Kit Kittredge, but it's also another quality bit of programming by TCM. We can add it to my list of reasons I love Turner Classic Movies.