TCM’s April 2024 Celebration of Marlon Brando Begins on What Would Have Been the Legendary Actor’s 100th Birthday

black-and-white image from the 1954 film — Courtesy Everett Collection

Marlon Brando in 1954's *On the Waterfront*

April 2024 sees the centennial of the birth of legendary actor Marlon Brando (he was born April 3, 1924, in Omaha, Nebraska, and died July 1, 2004, in Los Angeles at age 80).

To celebrate Brando’s big-screen legacy, Turner Classic Movies is focusing on the icon as its April 2024 Star of the Month, and is airing lineups of his films each Wednesday, beginning with a full day of movies on what would have been his 100th birthday. Subsequent weeks, the lineups will be featured beginning in primetime.

black and white image from the 1951 movie "A Streetcar Named Desire." Shown is Marlon Brando as Stanley Kowalski, standing and shirtless, in the vertical photo.

Courtesy Everett Collection

Brando in his Best Actor Oscar-nominated role as Stanley Kowalski in 1951’s A Streetcar Named Desire

TCM STAR OF THE MONTH: MARLON BRANDO APRIL 2024 LINEUP (ALL TIMES EASTERN)

Wednesday, April 3, 2024, beginning at 6am (100th anniversary of Brando’s birth)

Enjoy 11 Brando-led titles today, including several that showcase some of his most acclaimed performances:

6am: The Fugitive Kind (1960) — A Sidney Lumet-directed drama also starring Anna Magnani and Joanne Woodward.
8:15am: The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956) — Satirical comedy also featuring Glenn Ford and Eddie Albert.
10:30am: Mutiny on the Bounty (1962) — Brando plays Fletcher Christian alongside Trevor Howard‘s Capt. William Bligh.
1:45pm: Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967) — John Huston-directed drama costarring Elizabeth Taylor.
3:45pm: Julius Caesar (1953) — The third of Brando’s four consecutive Best Actor Oscar nominations between 1952 and 1955 came for his portrayal of Mark Antony in this renowned adaptation of the Shakespeare drama.

6pm: Viva Zapata! (1952) — Brando’s second Best Actor Oscar nomination came in this Western that costars Best Supporting Actor winner Anthony Quinn.
8pm: On the Waterfront (1954) — This legendary Best Picture Oscar-winning drama earned Brando his first Best Actor win. It costars Eva Marie Saint, who won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in what was her feature film debut, and Best Supporting Actor nominees Lee J. Cobb, Karl Malden and Rod Steiger.

10pm: The Wild One (1953) — This granddaddy of the “outlaw biker” film stars Brando as Johnny Strabler, leader of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club. His look and persona became a cultural icon in the ’50s.

11:30pm: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) — Brando’s first Best Actor Oscar nomination came for his role as Stanley Kowalski in this adaptation of Tennessee Williams‘ play, costarring Best Actress winner Vivien Leigh, Supporting Actress winner Kim Hunter and Supporting Actor winner Malden.

1:45am: The Chase (1966) — Arthur Penn-directed drama also starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford.
4:15am: The Formula (1980) — Brando headlines this mystery drama alongside fellow acting icons George C. Scott (pictured below, with Brando) and John Gielgud.

image from the 1980 film "The Formula." On the left, seated behind a desk, is Marlon Brando. Sitting just in front of him on the other side of the desk is George C. Scott. Their characters are leaned on the desk closing in toward each other, as if in argument.

Courtesy Everett collection

Wednesday, April 10, 2024, beginning at 8pm

The Brando salute continues with four films this evening:

8pm: The Godfather (1972) — Francis Ford Coppola‘s iconic classic features Brando as Vito Corleone, a role that won him another Best Actor Oscar.

image from the 1972 movie "The Godfather." On the left is Salvatore Corsitto as Amerigo Bonasera. He is whispering into the ear of Vito Corleona (Marlon Brando, seated at a desk and wearing a tuxedo).

Courtesy Everett Collection

11:15pm: The Freshman (1990) — Brando somewhat parodies his Godfather performance with his role in this crime comedy; he plays Mafia figure Carmine Sabatini alongside Matthew Broderick (both pictured below).
1:15am: Last Tango in Paris (1972) — Making its TCM premiere, director Bernardo Bertolucci’s infamous erotic drama features Brando in yet another Best Actor-nominated performance, alongside Maria Schneider.
3:30am: The Missouri Breaks (1976) — Director Arthur Penn’s Western finds Brando portraying one of his strangest characters: frontier “regulator” Robert E. Lee Clayton. Jack Nicholson, Randy Quaid and Kathleen Lloyd also star.

image from the 1990 movie "The Freshman." On the left is Marlon Brando, wearing a tuxedo. He is reachout and touching the cheek of Matthew Broderick's character, on the right and facing Brando and wearing a tuxedo shirt (his jacket is off).

Wednesday, April 17, 2024, beginning at 8pm

Tonight’s lineup of four films encompasses the actor’s range across various genres:

8pm: Guys and Dolls (1955) — The beloved musical that also features Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra and Vivian Blaine.
10:45pm: Sayonara (1957, pictured below) — This romantic drama features another Best Actor Oscar-nominated performance from Brando. Patricia Owens, James Garner, Martha Scott, Miiko Taka and Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Red Buttons costar.
1:30am: The Ugly American (1963) — This adventure drama is making its TCM premiere.
3:45am: A Dry White Season (1989) — This drama set in 1970s apartheid South Africa is led by Donald Sutherland and features Brando’s last Oscar-nominated performance, his only Best Supporting Actor nod.

image from the 1957 movie "Sayonara." Marlon Brando's character is on the left, seated in a traditional Japanese room. He is embracing Miiko Taka's character, on the left; she is also seated, wearing a white robe and is returning the embrace.

Courtesy Everett Collection

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, beginning at 8pm

Turner Classic Movies’ monthlong Wednesday salute to legendary actor Marlon Brando concludes with four films:

8pm: Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) — This is an extended version of Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam War epic (it contains 49 minutes of material added to the theatrical release). Brando does not show up until the end of the film, but his memorable character, Col. Walter Kurtz, casts a shadow over everything leading to that.
11:30pm: The Men (1950) — Brando’s feature film debut was in this drama in which he plays a paralyzed war veteran who uses a wheelchair.
1:15am: The Young Lions (1958) — This drama follows the lives of three men — a German (played by Brando) and two Americans (Montgomery Clift and Dean Martin) — during World War II.
4:15am: Burn! (1969) — Brando stars as a man sent to overthrow a Portuguese colony in the Caribbean during the 19th century in this historical war drama.