When Robert Osborne passed away earlier this week, he took with him the collective hearts of the classic film-loving community.
None of us here at True Classics ever had the pleasure of meeting Bob, but we were able to catch him in his element twice: once at the opening-night screening of Goldfinger at his self-named Athens film festival in 2009, and again three years later at a screening of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, accompanied by special guest Jane Powell. And each time, just being in his presence brought with it a certain sense of magic. Call us fanciful if you wish, but Robert Osborne was magic. He was a connection to another time, a fount of wisdom and insight into those movies we so dearly love, and his enthusiasm for those films, and his deep, abiding respect for them, was purely contagious–and, yes, MAGICAL–to witness.
Onstage with Jane Powell in Atlanta, 2012
Even though we never got the chance to tell him personally how much he meant to us, there’s little doubt that he knew how special he was to all of us classic movie fans. He embodied the very word, “classic,” in every respect. The world of classic cinema never could have asked for a better ambassador, a more astute and respectful patron saint, than Robert Osborne.
And, oh, how we will miss him.
Godspeed, our glorious Silver Fox. If heaven exists, we know you’re sitting front row center in the most splendid screening room there could ever hope to be.
Athens, GA, 2009
True Classics 
“None of us here at True Classics ever had the pleasure of meeting Bob” not quite true. I met him in my dreams often… 😭