I'm a Fool

Episode aired Nov 14, 1954
30min

6.6/10

S3.E8

A man tells the story of his coming to adulthood when he left home at age 18 and learned the consequences of telling a lie to impress a girl.A man tells the story of his coming to adulthood when he left home at age 18 and learned the consequences of telling a lie to impress a girl.A man tells the story of his coming to adulthood when he left home at age 18 and learned the consequences of telling a lie to impress a girl.

6.6/10

133

Director
- Don Medford
Writers
- Sherwood Anderson(short story)
- Arnold Schulman(adaptation)
Stars

Top credits

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James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Eddie Albert in General Electric Theater (1953)

James Dean and Natalie Wood in General Electric Theater (1953)

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A man tells the story of his coming to adulthood when he left home at age 18 and learned the consequences of telling a lie to impress a girl.

voice over narration train tennis teenage girl teenage boy 34 more

Genres
- Comedy
- Drama
Parents guide
- Add content advisory

Trivia
This is the first of two appearances James Dean did for "General Electric Theater" His second appearance was in the December 12, 1954 teleplay, "The Dark, Dark Hours", which co-starred future President of the United States, Ronald Reagan and Constance Ford. Ronald Reagan introduced James Dean both times.

Quotes
Burt: You better learn, this boy: You are what you are and they are what they are.
[laughs]
Burt: The look on your face when you seen that girl. Ha! Ha! Ha! You should have seen it boy.
[laughs]
The Boy: Burt. I don't want you to call me boy no more.

Connections
Version of I'm a Fool (1977)

Top review

5/10

disappointing

TCM showed another 1954 episode of "GE Theater" with James Dean to commemorate the 60th anniversary of his death. My father died in 2007 on September 30, so it's a date that always sticks in my mind.

Based on a story by Sherwood Anderson, Eddie Albert narrates, and Dean plays his younger self. Natalie Wood is the young woman he meets and falls for.

After seeing Dean in several other TV teleplays, I have to say this is his least impressive. For one thing, he mumbles more and is harder to understand. He and Natalie Wood do well together, and she is lovely - it's not hard to see why she was cast in Rebel without a Cause.

The young man tells a lie to the woman he wants to impress, as he puts it, "passing myself off as a big swell." Then he watches her go off on the train, knowing it is the last time he will see her.

There is not much to this as far as story, and it comes off as dull. Doubt it would have been shown were it not for Dean.

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