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Ronald Reagan bitch slaps James Dean

posted 10 years ago by Bobby_Dupea
4 replies | jump to latest

Wow, I just saw it and I couldn't believe it. The Gipper deals with a whimpering James Dean and just eviscerates him like the whiny, squealy little pussy that he was. Dean plays the kind of little creep you'd later see in Rebel Without a Cause.

I've never seen the normally wooden Reagan raise his voice in a movie or TV show, but this was live television and Dean must have royally pissed him off.

All kinds of undiscovered prizes out there. Ya gotta see it ta believe it - lol...

~

"The Dark Dark Hours" - General Electric Theater, (Dec. 12, 1954)

[–] mandrake62 10 years ago

This is what Reagan said about Dean:

Ronald Reagan
"When I worked with him on TV, I found him to be an intelligent young actor who seemed to live only for his work. He was completely dedicated, and although a shy person, he could hold a good conversation on many wide-ranging subjects.

[–] Bobby_Dupea 10 years ago

Interesting, considering that kinescope I saw implied otherwise.

But then Reagan was always seemed to be a nice man in public. It's behind the scenes where there's a different side.

[–] hisgrandmogulhighness 10 years ago

Ha, ha! But what was Dean's opinion of Reagan?

[–] mandrake62 9 years ago

I know several people who worked in the Reagan administration and interacted with him directly on a regular basis. According to them, what you saw in public was the real person. An important reason for his success was that he did not have to put up a phony front in public. He could just be himself.