UPDATED -

Natalie Wood is June's Star of the Month at Turner Classic Movies, honored with 25 films unreeling Monday nights starting this week.

She started in Hollywood as a child, which is how TCM starts its salute, with early flicks including her first credited role in 1946's Tomorrow Is Forever (June 7 at 8 p.m. ET). Seven-year-old Natalie plays opposite Orson Welles in this three-hankie tale of a soldier mistakenly reported dead to his wife (Claudette Colbert), who moves on with her life. Natalie plays a young German war refugee.

June 7's slate shows the school-age actress getting the benefit of Hollywood's studio system at its about-to-fall zenith, learning her craft under such costars as Walter Brennan (The Green Promise, 10 p.m. ET), Irene Dunne and Fred MacMurray (Never a Dull Moment, 11:30 p.m. ET), Margaret Sullavan (No Sad Songs for Me, 1:15 a.m. ET), Ann Blyth and Farley Granger (Our Very Own, 2:45 a.m. ET), and Bette Davis and Sterling Hayden (The Star, 4:30 a.m. ET).

(Sorry, fans -- no Miracle on 34th Street to be seen here.)

My favorite slate runs next week (June 14), featuring the almost-grown actress a decade later, holding her own in memorable dramas like Splendor in the Grass with Warren Beatty, Rebel Without a Cause with James Dean [photo at top], and The Searchers with John Wayne.

She's a major '60s star in the salute's final two weeks, doing big-time musicals (June 21's West Side Story and Gypsy) and the decade's all-star comedy epics (June 28's The Great Race). There's also Wood's final film, 1983's Brainstorm (the night of June 28 at 1 a.m. ET), released after her shocking death by drowning at the age of just 43.

TCM has lots more to explore in June. (And so do other channels -- look below.)

June's other TCM festivals:

Jacques Cousteau tribute -- Scuba diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau was also a documentary pioneer, regularly drawing big network TV ratings for his Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau travel adventures in the '60s and '70s. TCM salutes Cousteau's 100th birthday anniversary (he died in 1997) on Fridays this month. The 28-title festival features Cousteau's best TV hours, plus other sea-set cinema faves from 1929's The Mysterious Island to 1977's The Deep, and beyond. Our best bet comes this week. The 1986 bio-doc Jacques Cousteau: The First 75 Years tells his story June 11 at 6 p.m. ET, amid a 20-hour marathon of Cousteau's TV work exploring the wonders of the sea (sharks, dolphins, whales) and the "human plunder" to be found there (everything from pirate loot to Atlantis). Click here to peruse the other Cousteau/ocean offerings. Yes, there's even Don Knotts' The Incredible Mr. Limpet.

Family films on The Essentials Jr. Sunday nights -- John Lithgow is back for another summer, hosting a mad mix of treats including the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup (June 13 at 8 p.m. ET), and a 50th (Harper Lee book) anniversary salute to To Kill a Mockingbird (June 20 at 8 p.m. ET). Send your kids to TCM's slick Essentials Jr. site to get 'em pumped up.

Korean War 60th anniversary tribute on June 24 -- 15 titles, documentaries (This Is Korea!), director Samuel Fuller (The Steel Helmet), and more. We'll have to forgive TCM for its addition errors in all those online "50th anniversary" logos.

Other channels are stepping up with cinema treats, too. And some of them are channels you wouldn't expect. Sure pays to read those TV listings (and TVWorthWatching.com, of course).

More June movie mania --

Reelz, starting June 9 -- Burt Reynolds takes this movie-mad clipfest channel to feature-film length in a week of vintage '70s popcorn romps like Gator and White Lightning. (If you haven't checked out Reelz, be aware the channel also runs Carson's Comedy Classics and other surprises.)

Encore, June 11 -- The Karate Kid (1984) and its three sequels air from 5:50 p.m. ET to 1:40 a.m. ET, just as the new version hits theaters with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith taking over for Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio.

CNBC, June 11 -- CNBC Cinema hosts a summer slate of Friday night movies. Lead-off title The Last Days of Lehman Brothers stars James Cromwell. Other money-minded titles include The Thomas Crown Affair (June 18), The Player (June 25) and the original Wall Street (July 2).

Encore Westerns, June 20 -- War hero turned actor Audie Murphy gets a birthday "six gun salute" that includes The Red Badge of Courage.

Bio, June 16 -- Jaws: The Inside Story at 9 p.m. ET reminds us it's been 35 years since this surprising summer sensation changed the game for both movie blockbusters and young director Steven Spielberg. Jaws is where studios' summer movie strategy really took shape.

TV Land, June 26 -- Mike Nichols gets this year's American Film Institute Life Achievement Award at 9 p.m. ET. The ceremony airs amid a weekend festival of movie crowdpleasers. I have mixed feelings on the notion of this TV-centric channel running big-screen fare when it could be spotlighting little-seen tube treats. But you can't argue with the audience appeal of a weekend that includes the likes of 48 HRS, Ghostbusters and The Naked Gun.

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ORIGINAL POST -

From Life to Cousteau -- or maybe that should be the other way around. Scuba diving pioneer Jacques Cousteau was also a documentary pioneer, regularly drawing big network TV ratings for his Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau travel adventures in the '60s and '70s.

Cousteau's 100th birthday anniversary (he died in 1997) merits a 28-title salute from Turner Classic Movies through June. Fridays host not only a festival of Cousteau's best TV hours, but also sea-set cinema faves from 1929's The Mysterious Island to 1977's The Deep, and beyond.

Jacques Cousteau: The First 75 Years tells his story June 11 at 6 p.m. ET on TCM. This 1986 bio-doc highlights a 20-hour marathon of Cousteau's TV work exploring the wonders of the sea (sharks, dolphins, whales) and the "human plunder" to be found there (everything from pirate loot to Atlantis). Click here to peruse the other Cousteau/ocean offerings. Yes, there's even Don Knotts' The Incredible Mr. Limpet.

TCM has lots more to explore in June. (And so do other channels -- look below.)

June's TCM festivals:

Natalie Wood on Mondays -- 25 films for TCM's Star of the Month, including her child-star titles (June 7) and my favorite slate (June 14), spotlighting gems like Splendor in the Grass, Rebel Without a Cause and The Searchers.

Family films on The Essentials Jr. Sunday nights -- John Lithgow is back for another summer, hosting a mad mix of treats like Old Yeller (June 6 at 8 p.m. ET), the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup (June 13 at 8 p.m. ET), and a 50th (Harper Lee book) anniversary salute to To Kill a Mockingbird (June 20 at 8 p.m. ET). Send your kids to TCM's slick Essentials Jr. site to get 'em pumped up.

Korean War 60th anniversary tribute on June 24 -- 15 titles, documentaries (This Is Korea!), director Samuel Fuller (The Steel Helmet), and more. We'll have to forgive TCM for its addition errors in all those online "50th anniversary" logos.

Keep tabs on special themes/tributes at TCM's June "This Month" page. Or watch the half-hour roundup Now Playing June on TCM Thursday, June 3 at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Other channels are stepping up with cinema treats, too. And some of them are channels you wouldn't expect. Sure pays to read those TV listings (and TVWorthWatching.com, of course).

More June movie mania --

HBO, June 1 at 8 p.m. ET -- I Knew It Was You profiles John Cazale, the actor's actor who before his early death at 42 appeared in only five films -- all nominated as Oscar's best picture: The Godfather, The Godfather II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter. This 40-minute portrait is illuminating and moving, even hampered by almost no footage of the off-screen Cazale. The rendering is done by his on-screen presence and memories from intimates like Meryl Streep (his girlfriend at his 1978 death) and Al Pacino.

Reelz, starting June 9 -- Burt Reynolds takes this movie-mad clipfest channel to feature-film length in a week of vintage '70s popcorn romps like Gator and White Lightning. (If you haven't checked out Reelz, be aware the channel also runs Carson's Comedy Classics and other surprises.)

Encore, June 11 -- The Karate Kid (1984) and its three sequels air from 5:50 p.m. ET to 1:40 a.m. ET, just as the new version hits theaters with Jackie Chan and Jaden Smith taking over for Pat Morita and Ralph Macchio.

CNBC, June 11 -- CNBC Cinema hosts a summer slate of Friday night movies. Lead-off title The Last Days of Lehman Brothers stars James Cromwell. Other money-minded titles include The Thomas Crown Affair (June 18), The Player (June 25) and the original Wall Street (July 2).

Encore Westerns, June 20 -- War hero turned actor Audie Murphy gets a birthday "six gun salute" that includes The Red Badge of Courage.

Bio, June 16 -- Jaws: The Inside Story at 9 p.m. ET reminds us it's been 35 years since this surprising summer sensation changed the game for both movie blockbusters and young director Steven Spielberg. Jaws is where studios' summer movie strategy really took shape.

TV Land, June 26 -- Mike Nichols gets this year's American Film Institute Life Achievement Award at 9 p.m. ET. The ceremony airs amid a weekend festival of movie crowdpleasers. I have mixed feelings on the notion of this TV-centric channel running big-screen fare when it could be spotlighting little-seen tube treats. But you can't argue with the audience appeal of a weekend that includes the likes of 48 HRS, Ghostbusters and The Naked Gun.