Oscar Winning Film WEST SIDE STORY to Air on THIRTEEN This Weekend

After Friday evening's presentation of Great Performances: Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' to Do on PBS, Reel 13's November schedule kicks off the following night with Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins' Academy Award-winning film adaptation of West Side Story. Rivera originated the role of Anita in the Broadway production, a part for which Rita Moreno garnered an Oscar for her performance in the film.

The month also features two of legendary Hollywood filmmaker Billy Wilder's classic comedies starring Marilyn Monroe.

On November 14 Tom Ewell reprises his Tony Award-winning Broadway role of a would-be philanderer in The Seven Year Itch. The scene in the film, where Monroe is standing on a subway grate as her white dress is blown by a passing train, produced one of the most iconic images of the 20th century.

The following week, Monroe teams with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in Wilder's screwball comedy Some Like it Hot. Recognized by the American Film Institute as the greatest American comedy film of all time, the black and white film earned six Academy-Award nominations, winning for "Best Costume Design." The film was also one of the first 25 inducted into the United States National Film Registry.

In keeping with the THANKSGIVING holiday, the eccentric Turner family's holiday get-together goes from bad to worse when estranged daughter Nina visits home for the first time in 15 years in the independent Cold Turkey.

The series is pre-empted on Saturday, November 28 for special pledge programming.

Every Saturday night beginning at 9 p.m., viewers can catch a Hollywood Classic followed by an Indie, with film historian Neal Gabler or Columbia University professor Richard Peña hosting on a film-by-film basis. The evening concludes with a Short film selected by viewers who vote for their favorite of three shorts at Reel13.org.

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"West Side Story" (1961) Dir: Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins
Rival New York City gangs thwart young lovers Tony (Richard Beymer) and Maria (Natalie Wood) in Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's musical update of "Romeo and Juliet." With Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn.

"Dead Dad" (2012) Dir: Ken J. Adachi
Three out of touch siblings are summoned home when their father dies. With Kyle Arrington, Jenni Melear and Lucas Kwan Peterson.

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"The Seven Year Itch" (1955) Dir: Billy Wilder
With his wife and son away on summer vacation, a bored publishing executive (Tom Ewell) becomes consumed with lusty fantasies when he meets the blonde bombshell (Marilyn Monroe) apartment-sitting upstairs. With Evelyn Keyes, Oskar Homolka, Sonny Tufts and Robert Strauss.

"Putzel" (2012)Dir: Jason Chaet
A shy Upper West Sider falls in love with his uncle's girlfriend. With Jack Carpenter, Melanie Lynskey and John Pankow.

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"Some Like It Hot" (1959) Dir: Billy Wilder
Unwitting witnesses to a gangland murder, two Roaring 20s jazz musicians (Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon) go undercover in skirts and makeup to join an all-girl band with a sizzling lead singer (Marilyn Monroe). With George Raft, Pat O'Brien, and Joe E. Brown.

"Cold Turkey" (2013) Dir: Will Slocombe
Thanksgiving turns into a train wreck at the Turner household when unpredictable daughter Nina turns up. With Alicia Witt, Wilson Bethel, Cheryl Hines and acclaimed film director Peter Bogdanovich.

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Pre-empted for special pledge programming

WNET is the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21, New York's public television stations. For more than 50 years, THIRTEEN has been a partner with the tri-state community, using its rich resources to inform and inspire the passionate people of New York and the world to better understand and address the issues that challenge our diverse communities.
Reel 13 is funded by the Sy Syms Foundation and the Rubin Museum of Art.
David Horn is executive producer. Bob Morris is senior producer. Bill O'Donnell and Maria Stoian are producers.

Visit Reel 13 Online at www.thirteen.org/sites/reel13/ for additional information.

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As New York's flagship public media provider and the parent company of THIRTEEN and WLIW21 and operator of NJTV, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than 5 million viewers each week. WNET produces and presents such acclaimed PBS series as Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NEWSHOUR Weekend, CHARLIE ROSE and a range of documentaries, children's programs, and local news and cultural offerings available on air and online. Pioneers in educational programming, WNET has created such groundbreaking series as Get the Math, Oh Noah! and Cyberchase and provides tools for educators that bring compelling content to life in the classroom and at home. WNET highlights the tri-state's unique culture and diverse communities through NYC-ARTS, Reel 13, NJTV News with Mary Alice Williams and MetroFocus, the multi-platform news magazine focusing on the New York region. WNET is also a leader in connecting with viewers on emerging platforms, including the THIRTEEN Explore App where users can stream PBS content for free.

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