John Singleton joins TCM host Robert Osborne

By April MacIntyre Sep 11, 2008, 1:06 GMT

03/27/2008 - John Singleton - Chrysler LLC Presents the 6th Annual BEHIND THE LENS Award © Malcolm Ali / PR Photos

Oscar-Nominated Filmmaker John Singleton will join TCM Host Robert Osborne on Tuesday, Sept. 30 as a guest host.

Singleton, the youngest filmmaker and only African-American ever to be nominated for a Best Director Oscar, will present a few of his favorite films in the September edition of the network’s gust programmer series. 

Each month TCM invites a celebrity to exchange star status for a role as a fan of classic film by picking a few favorite movies and sharing their thoughts on the films.  Singleton will sit down with TCM host Robert Osborne to present five outstanding films Tuesday, Sept. 30, beginning at 8 p.m. (ET).

Per TCM, Singleton has chosen the following films for his chance in the TCM programmer’s chair: Lassie Come Home (1943 – 8 p.m.), starring Roddy McDowell, Donald Crisp and Edmund Gwenn in the classic adaptation of Eric Knight’s book about a poor family forced to sell their dog; Frank Capra’s Meet John Doe (1941 – 9:45 p.m.), with Gary Cooper as a naïve man hired to head up a national charity drive; High Noon (1952 – Midnight), with Cooper in his Oscar-winning role as a sheriff forced to take on a gang of gunslingers by himself; Gunga Din (1939 – 1:30 a.m.), the action-packed tale with Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as three soldiers caught in a battle against a brutal thuggee cult; and Psycho (1960 – 3:30 a.m.), Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliant thriller about a young man, a decrepit motel and an overbearing mother.

Singleton's debut feature, "Boyz n the Hood" earned him an Oscar nominations for both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for the story of a group of friends in gang-ridden South Central LA. 

Singleton followed that with "Poetic Justice", "Higher Learning" and "Rosewood".  In 2000, he directed the remake of "Shaft", with Samuel L. Jackson.  His other features include the acclaimed 2005 drama "Four Brothers." 

As a producer, Singleton’s credits include "Illegal Tender", "Black Snake Moan" and the Oscar-winning "Hustle & Flow."  He is currently in pre-production on "Tulia" with Halle Berry and Billy Bob Thornton, and a feature version of "The A-Team."