Just found this obscure educational short on Internet Archive. It marked the film debuts of actor Dick York-the original Darren Stevens on "Bewitched"-when he was just 19 and narrator Mike Wallace-later to be best known as a moderator on "60 Minutes" but was just a radio/TV announcer during this film's shooting time. Mr. York plays a high school student who's new at his place of learning and who spends most of his time fixing his radio at home when he's not wandering around the school's halls observing fellow students he's awkward around. His father gives him some advice and when one of those fellow classmates motions him to a table at the drugstore hangout, Phil (York's character) comes around and starts feeling sociable. Wallace makes the short's points at the end but he's not the only off-screen voice I heard here since the Internet Archive version had another one that made snarky comments throughout ala Joel/Mike and the 'bots on "Mystery Science Theater 3000". These were quite hilarious and offset whatever boring parts that threatened to dominate with the partially stilted dialogue courtesy of the script and many of the performances though Mr. York acquits himself nicely here with his natural presence. Since he's young here, he does sound a bit different than his voice on the later sitcom he's best known for. For all that, Shy Guy is worth a look for anyone curious about this sort of thing.
4 Reviews
Weird, but interesting - for about 10 minutes
zap64417 November 2006
too bad it's 14 minutes long.
It's Darren - err, I mean Dick York at age 19, 17 years before he played Darren.
He's a geek trying to figure out how to make it with the popular kids. The keys to popularity are being a good listener and being helpful.
Amazingly enough, he looks almost exactly like he did in Bewitched. Who'd a thunk he'd end up marrying Elizabeth Montgomery?
Did they really show this crap to kids in school back in the late '40s?
I'm sorry, but there's not much to say - it's only 14 minutes long. It is an interesting insight into how people thought in 1947, I guess.
It's Darren - err, I mean Dick York at age 19, 17 years before he played Darren.
He's a geek trying to figure out how to make it with the popular kids. The keys to popularity are being a good listener and being helpful.
Amazingly enough, he looks almost exactly like he did in Bewitched. Who'd a thunk he'd end up marrying Elizabeth Montgomery?
Did they really show this crap to kids in school back in the late '40s?
I'm sorry, but there's not much to say - it's only 14 minutes long. It is an interesting insight into how people thought in 1947, I guess.
Masterpiece
dave-8295 April 2007
"Shy Guy" is a masterpiece of Social Guidance films. It's best known for having a young Dick York in the title role. It is also believed to be the most popular film made by Coronet Instructional Films a company that thought instructional films "could be better" by focusing on story instead of heavy narration. In "Shy Guy", Dick York plays a high school student who feels like he's on the outside looking in at his classmates. The good people at Coronet make this point by filming Dick York separated from his classmates by the window of a drugstore where the kids hang out. Soon he learns how to work his way into a conversation by offering help to a classmate who's interested in building radios. "It's not hard to work your way into a conversion" narrator Mike Wallace tells us. "Shy Guy" is an example of how Coronet made the best films of its kind, and why York would go on to be a big star. Also see "The Outsider" made by Centron Productions, which is similar to "Shy Guy" except the lead is a shy girl.
Worth Watching for York and Wallace
Michael_Elliott8 December 2012
Shy Guy (1947)
** (out of 4)
This educational short is pretty much just like every other one out there but the real reason to watch this one is that it features a young Dick York in the lead and Mike Wallace (60 Minutes) doing the narration. The story itself is pretty simple as a shy guy (York) starts a new school and can't make any friends until he's given some good advice from his father. SHY GUY isn't going to win any awards but I think it's of historical interest simply because of York and Wallace. I must admit that Wallace did a pretty good job here with the narration and really seemed to believe in what he was saying. He certainly sold the message of the picture no matter how silly it actually was. The film manages to give people the typical "good" advice, which obviously wouldn't work in any real life situation. At just around 14-minutes the short does a feel a bit too long for its own good but those wanting to see York and Wallace at such a young part in their career will still want to check it out.
** (out of 4)
This educational short is pretty much just like every other one out there but the real reason to watch this one is that it features a young Dick York in the lead and Mike Wallace (60 Minutes) doing the narration. The story itself is pretty simple as a shy guy (York) starts a new school and can't make any friends until he's given some good advice from his father. SHY GUY isn't going to win any awards but I think it's of historical interest simply because of York and Wallace. I must admit that Wallace did a pretty good job here with the narration and really seemed to believe in what he was saying. He certainly sold the message of the picture no matter how silly it actually was. The film manages to give people the typical "good" advice, which obviously wouldn't work in any real life situation. At just around 14-minutes the short does a feel a bit too long for its own good but those wanting to see York and Wallace at such a young part in their career will still want to check it out.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
