Summer of Angst: The Epic Conclusion

Time for one final look at The Lost Television Legacy of James Dean, an outstanding but unheralded DVD release featuring the early small screen work of Buddy Hackett. No, it's James Dean, of course.

You KNOW it's quality entertainment when it carries the Bob Montgomery Seal of Approval

 

 

 

 

 

If anyone can pull this look off, it's Dean

 

 

Ol' Dutch Reagan is in the house as well

Paul Lukas reportedly hated working with the mumbly Dean, who saved himself for broadcast and half-assed the rehearsals.

 

 

Overall, there is a wide variety of television, a wide variety of Dean, and, yes, a wide variety of angst. I highly recommend this collection and wish I could give it more attention than a series of screencaps.

Farewell, Summer of Angst! James Dean lives on...

Today marks the end of Emotional Summer and the beginning of Emotional Fall (TM Michael Cowgill), and so it is time to retire this recurring feature. I apologize for not covering everything on the 3-disc as I originally intended, but I wasn't able to see all of it due to circumstances beyond my control, and I wasn't able to write about all I did see due to me not getting around to it.

Once again, I highly recommend "The Lost Television Legacy: James Dean," an excellent package compiling the icon's small screen work, and I hope my modest efforts shed a little light on an underappreciated but welcome collection.

On this Labor Day holiday, let's enjoy some more of ol' J.D. in other episodes on the DVDs:

One segment in the collection is a partial reconstruction of existing footage from a lost "Lux Video Theatre" broadcast. Very little survives, but I appreciate its inclusion:

"Aw, shucks!"

You want ANGST? Here's an episode of "Studio One" teaming Dean with special guest star (Oh, OK, he's actually the star while James has a small but pivotal role) Abe Lincoln!

You're tearing me apart!

A better look at Honest Abe

 

Southern gentleman Dean and a young Cloris Leachman in another period drama from "Hallmark of Hall Fame":

 

Unfortunately, he doesn't really go with a Southern accent

With John Carradine in an amusing sketch on "The Kate Smith Hour":

 

Hark!

You don't just waltz onto "The Kate Smith Hour" without being prepared to do some ACTING

And finally, a little something from one of the few programs on this DVD set I had already seen, "Campbell Soundstage's" "Something for an Empty Briefcase."

"Whatever"
 

Look how cool he is in that shot, man. I think that's a good way to close our Summer of Angst...

Except that I have more screencaps from Disc 3! Tell you what, I'm in no hurry to say good-bye to Summer. Let's extend the Summer of Angst one more week and look at some more James Dean next Monday.

Summer of Angst: The Trouble with Father

Sitcoms aren't supposed to be hyperealistic, but I have an issue with the episode of "the Trouble with Father" on the Lost Television Legacy of James Dean" DVD collection.

Dean has a small role as a nervous schmuck who doesn't know how to deal with girls. Hey, Martin Milner was an attractive man who was surely no slouch with the ladies, and I can buy Dean as jittery, but I don't know if I buy him as a lovelorn loser asking Marty for tips.

It's a reasonably amusing episode with a dose of typical sitcom misunderstanding. I wish Dean had a bigger role so he could be more directly in the hijinks.

Here's a shot of a young Sheila James, who causes her share of trouble in the story:

Overall, it's an interesting watch for fans of early TV, and I loved seeing it on the disc, but it's not essential Dean, and it doesn't offer quite as much angst as his anthology appearances of the era.

Summer of Angst: James Dean with the "Live TV Camera Bomb"

Back we go to "The Lost Television Legacy of James Dean" DVD set from TCM.

James has only a minor role in the unexceptional "Studio One in Hollywood" production of "Ten Thousand Horses Singing," but he still stands out...sort of. He's a bellboy, but you can bet he's a sensitive bellboy. Unfortunately, we don't get much evidence of that.

We do get some awkward composition on screen, though:

I wonder if he's even supposed to be in the shot.

This is not a classic, but this love story starring John Forsythe has some interesting moments. For instance, it features the great Grady Sutton in a key role:

In fact, I'd tell Dean fans not to get this for Dean...but Grady Sutton fans should be happy.

Let's go back to that elevator and close with a shot of Forsythe appearing to stare daggers at Dean:

"You want to do WHAT with my niece Kelly?"

Summer of Angst: Family Theater: The Hill (March 1951)

OK, Deaners (is there a better term for James Dean fans? If so, don't tell me; let me have this one at least for now), we spent the previous two installments of the Summer of Angst series examining the first two clips on "The Lost Television Legacy of James Dean": a pair of Pepsi commercials. Enough of that frivolity. It's time to move on to an episode of "Family Theater" called "The Hill," and from the get-go you should know this series is a religious anthology.

The episode features a framing sequence of troops in the Korean War. Soon a chaplain arrives and tells the men something like, "Hey, you think this is rough, remember what happened to Jesus," and then tells them (and we see) the followers of Jesus between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.

Naturally you might assume Dean is one of the troops, right?

 

 

Nope! We do see familiar faces like William Schallert and Roddy McDowall amongst the grunts, but the young Dean, in a bit of interesting casting, is the apostle John.

 

Dean gives an earnest, quiet performance, going for thoughtful and not showy. Yet he stands out for being so young and so...beardless.

Indeed, one of these apostles is not like the others...

Even noted character actor Gene Lockhart gets a big ol' beard as Matthew:

So not a lot of angst from our boy James Dean, but it's a tasteful production with loads of recognizable faces--folks like Joan Leslie, Regis Toomey, Leif Erickson, and Michael Ansara all make appearances.

But the big star, "Family Theater" reminds us, isn't any of these people, but...you know, the big guy. And I don't mean Father Patrick Payton...or do I?

After the "Theater" portion of our program, Payton comes along to remind everyone to get their rosary beads and pray. I don't wish to offend Catholics nor anyone out there, but the good Father is no Bishop Sheen, and yet this wrap-up seems to go on and on. Again, I realize that for him, it's kind of the point, but artistically, it felt like forever.

This example of low-key, somewhat staid religious-themed early television is worth a look, but it's not something I would watch again. However, as I said, Dean's so doggone sensitive that he does make an impression, and fans should definitely catch this one.

Summer of Angst: The (previous) Pepsi Generation Part 2

Last time out, we examined the first of two Pepsi ads in the excellent collection "The Lost Television Legacy of James Dean." Today we kick it up a notch, as Jimmy does more than just sit on a merry go round and smile (That sounds like a put-down on "Happy Days;" I can imagine Joanie telling Potsie to go sit on a merry go round and smile.)

This second spot has Dean at the jukebox:

I love the expression on his face, like he's Edison discovering the lightbulb. "Hey, this thing plays MUSIC!"

The problem is, it's only playing a little boring old piano tune until Dean smacks the piano, and then we get the full song about bounce to the ounce:

Ayyyyyyy!!!!!

Then it's dance time, but here's the thing: The gal behind the piano dances with 3 different guys (one of whom is said to be Hans Conreid by some wags on YouTube, though I don't buy it), none of whom is James Dean! As we will see, it took a while in his TV career before Dean got the girl. Here at least he gets the Pepsi.

Jimmy Dean with a little of the old HA-CHA-CHA!

Actually, now that I see this screenshot, I kind of understand why he didn't get the girl.

I think I'd rather have the girl, but Pepsi wants you to get the soda. In fact, the announcer urges you to buy it by the CARTON!

I assure you these first two posts in the Summer of Angst do not constitute an endorsement of Pepsi, nor of bouncing, nor fun. If Pepsi wants to send me a carton or two, though, I won't turn it down.

So far the Summer of Angst has been filled with...cheer? Fun? Most shocking of all...JOY? Yes, indeed, but fear not, folks. Our next installment will give us a chance, with apologies to the great Jermaine Jackson, to get serious!

Summer of Angst: The (previous) Pepsi Generation Part 1

Welcome to Cultureshark's Summer of Angst, in which we examine last year's DVD collection "The Lost Television Legacy of James Dean." Since we have a short selection this week, now would be a good time to note that we don't only get ol' J.D. on this set. No, we also get a heavy dose of...Marcus Winslow, who introduces each segment on the DVD.

Yeah, that's right, Marcus Winslow. You may remember him from--Well, you won't remember him, because he's not an actor (which will come as no surprise when you see the poor guy read the cue cards), but he is James Dean's cousin. At least, that's what the DVD says, and the DVD has the TCM name on it, and TCM wouldn't lie.

Winslow doesn't add a whole lot on this first disc. I keep waiting for him to offer something a little more personal than, "He had a bit part in this one," but still, his presence is a nice little link to the Dean legacy.

I had no idea the Dean legacy involved Pepsi Cola, but a pair of adverts kick off the proceedings. I have to say there is no way I would have spotted Our Man Dean had not the producers of this set slowed down the footage and highlighted him. I'm still not 100% convinced, but, again, you know, TCM, no lying, etc.

This portion of the set provides something we don't necessarily expect: James Dean having FUN. In fact, everyone in this first ad, shot December 1950, is having fun.

There's not a lot to this ad, but it has a peppy jingle, and there is something appealing about seeing all these happy youths having so much fun on a merry go round.

By the way, I really hope that Dean got so into his character that he yelled, "A merry go round! WHOOPEE!" before jumping on his horse. Not a "carousel," either--a merry go round.

If there's a theme to this spot apart from fun, it's bouncing. Note these lyrics:

"Bounce, bounce, bounce, bounce
Go get Pepsi for the Pepsi bounce"

I'm not sure how much you want to be bouncing around while drinking all that soda, but, hey, these kids are young and carefree.



Pepsi--It's SWELL!

Winslow tells us that the very next day, Dean shot the second ad on this disc, and that this gig got him his SAG card. What he doesn't mention, but which I heard elsewhere, is that someone was so impressed by Dean on the first day, they asked him back for that second spot. You'll see next time that the actor got a lot more to do on that occasion, but I wonder what the heck they saw in his merry go round riding to make them ask him to return. He must have made some kind of an impression on that horsey!

Coming soon to Cultureshark: Summer of Angst!

One of the most underappreciated DVD releases of 2015 is "The Lost Television Legacy of James Dean," a TCM-branded collection with 3 discs' worth of pre-Hollywood years Dean on the small screen. There's an incredible variety of early television in this set, with Dean's presence the one common denominator.

Is this the classic James Dean we all know, love, and exploit as an icon for branding purposes? I don't know, but I plan to dig into this collection and find out. Does Dean show the charisma he would later bring to his (tragically small) Hollywood oeuvre? More importantly, does he bring the angst we associate with that tortured rebel persona?

Join me here on the blog each week until I find the answers, until I get through the set, or until I get tired of the idea and quietly let it drop. Assuming I don't, though, this is shaping up to be an amazing summer of angst as we journey through vintage TV with one of the most famous icons of classic Hollywood as our guide.