Ted Turner (1938 – 2026): The Man Who Turned “Old Movies” Into Classics

When Ted Turner announced his diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia in 2018, I was surprised at how deeply it affected me.

By September 2018, when he announced his diagnosis in a conversation with Ted Koppel, an estimated 5.7 million Americans were living with some form of the disease, with new cases diagnosed every 65 seconds. We’re all too familiar with the cruelty of dementia—how it slowly erodes memory, identity, and connection. I lost a beloved uncle to Alzheimer’s, and it was heartbreaking to watch him slip away.

So when Turner shared his diagnosis, I knew what it meant. I’m sure he did too.

There are a few public figures who are so much larger than life—and who make such a lasting contribution to culture—that even those who have never met them feel the weight of their loss.

Ted Turner was one of those people.

He was often described as a maverick. Ben Mankiewicz used that word when reflecting on Turner during an anniversary tribute for Turner Classic Movies—and it fits.

Merriam-Webster.com defines a maverick as “an independent individual who does not go along with a group or party” The most common use of the term is “an unbranded range animal” and I’d say both those definitions sum him up very well.

Ted Turner built his fortune and his reputation by pioneering cable television, transforming his father’s billboard business into a media empire. He founded CNN, the first 24-hour cable news channel, and developed TBS and TNT, using satellite technology to turn a local Atlanta station into a national “superstation.” He later merged Turner Broadcasting System with Time Warner in a deal that reshaped the media landscape.

Before streaming. Before YouTube, DVDs, or “film Twitter” there was a real possibility that “old movies” would quietly fade into the background. Shown occasionally or not at all.

And then along came Ted Turner.

🎬 Why He Matters Here at Classic Movies and Cocktails

Turner may have bought MGM and its vault of classic films to bolster his cable empire, but it was his genuine love of old movies that shaped what came next. He understood both the future of cable television and the timeless pull of classic cinema. That combination inspired him to create Turner Classic Movies, which has been the true home of classic film since its debut in April 1994.

What began as a just a television channel has evolved into a far-flung community of classic film lovers sharing their passion on- and offline.

1. He Understood the Enduring Value of Classic Movies

When Turner Broadcasting System acquired the MGM film library in the 1980s seemed just another smart business move. Owning a catalog of 3,000 movies would provide economical content for his television stations.

But that wouldn’t matter if the content wasn’t something audiences would watch. 

Turner was confident they would. 

2. He Created a Home for Classic Film

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) didn’t just show movies—it presented them. Uncut, commercial-free, with context.

For a lot of people, including me, TCM was never just a channel.

It was part film school, part history lesson.

It was connection-making as those of us prone to loving classic movies found our people. It gave us a way to share our favorites with others and invite them in to our world. Robert Osborne, Ben Mankiewicz, Eddie Muller, or one of the other TCM hosts could set the movie up much better than we could.

I would often use “I just want to hear the introduction…” as a way of roping my husband into watching “just a few minutes” of something I knew would hook him. Now, he’ll ask me, “What’s on Turner tonight?”

Music to my ears 🙂

3. He Helped Turn “Old Movies” Into “Classics”

Be establishing TCM, Turner did more than just create a channel that showed “old movies”. He helped reframe the narrative by showing these films are in fact:

• Not outdated
• Not irrelevant
• Truly essential

The narration provided by hosts give insight into the movie industry, the culture, and the deeper impact the film made.

😬 Complications with His Legacy

Turner’s vision wasn’t without controversy.

The Colorization Backlash

To say that Turner sparked outrage when he announced he would colorize black-and-white (b&w) films, is probably an understatement.

From a business perspective, the reasoning was straightforward: black-and-white films didn’t command the same advertising rates as color programming, and younger audiences often resisted watching them.

But when he began colorizing them the reaction was immediate—and intense.

While certainly brilliant and a visionary, Turner had underestimated just how deeply audiences (not to mention filmmakers) respected the works as they were originally created.

The outrage was loud and swift.

Actors, directors, and critics spoke out. Orson Welles famously objected to the colorization of Citizen Kane (part of the vault of films purchased by Turner). Harlan Lebo, author of Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker’s Journey, reports Welles told director Henry Jaglom, “…don’t let Ted Turner deface my movie with his crayons!”¹

Sources

1. Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker’s Journey by Harlan Lebo