I have an exciting announcement! In just a few days, it will be January 2026, which means the films of 1930 will be in the public domain in the United States. There are some exceptions (due to the goofy way American copyright laws work), but for the most part the first year of the pre-Code era will now be available for streaming, downloading, reworking, remixing, or what have you for anyone with any interest in it. I have a special post dropping on the 1st to commemorate it, I hope you guys will check it out then (when I can’t be legally in trouble for what I’m going to post…).
As for TCM’s scheduling for the month, I have three books I like to shill here, and, good news, they’re all relevant in January!
On January 1st, the channel is doing a Thin Man marathon; check out Thoughts on the Thin Man for more.
On the 22nd, they’re showing all six of the RKO Hildegarde Withers movies, which you can learn more about in Murder on Celluloid.
Finally, the channel is showing none of the movies featured in my latest book with Kim Luperi, pre-Code Essentials, which is kind of impressive. I will say the network is showing The Lost Patrol (1934) which was included in the earlier drafts of the book, before we had to take it down to 50 entries. So maybe consider watching that as a kind of bonus track!
Pre-Codes on TCM in January 2026
Times listed are EST. All times subject to change. See the full January schedule here.
- 1/1 @ 09:15 – The Thin Man (1934)
- 1/2 @ 06:00 – Of Human Bondage (1934)
- 1/5 @ 10:30 – A Very Honorable Guy (1934)
- 1/5 @ 11:45 – The Big Gamble (1932)
- 1/9 @ 04:45 – One Man’s Journey (1933)
- 1/9 @ 07:30 – Jazz Heaven (1930)
- 1/9 @ 09:00 – The Secret Six (1931)
- 1/9 @ 10:30 – The Last Flight (1931)
- 1/9 @ 12:00 – Female (1933)
- 1/9 @ 13:15 – Billy the Kid (1930)
- 1/11 @ 16:15 – Sadie McKee (1934)
- 1/12 @ 06:30 – This Man is Mine (1934)
- 1/12 @ 09:30 – Today We Live (1933)
- 1/12 @ 11:30 – They Call it Sin (1932)
- 1/12 @ 12:45 – Goodbye Again (1933)
- 1/12 @ 17:00 – Smart Woman (1931)
- 1/14 @ 06:00 – The Working Man (1933)
- 1/14 @ 17:00 – Gold Dust Gertie (1931)
- 1/17 @ 12:00 – Going Hollywood (1933)
- 1/22 @ 06:00 – Penguin Pool Murder (1932)
- 1/22 @ 07:15 – Murder on the Blackboard (1934)
- 1/29 @ 04:45 – The Lost Patrol (1934)
- 1/29 @ 07:30 – The Doorway to Hell (1930)
- 1/29 @ 09:00 – Elmer the Great (1933)
- 1/30 @ 02:30 – The Silver Horde (1930)
- 1/30 @ 04:00 – Danger Lights (1930)
- 1/30 @ 06:00 – Captain Applejack (1931)
Have a wonderful January! Hope you watch something good!
