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James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955)
James Dean and Porsche racing mechanic Rolf Wuetherich in Dean's 550 Porsche Spyder nicknamed "Little Bastard."
http://www.mysanantonio.com/entertainment/article/James-Dean-60-years-since-fatal-crash-6537391.php
"Little Bastard."
It was the nickname given to James Dean's Porsche 550 Spyder — the car the actor drove to his death in a terrible wreck near Cholame, California in 1955 — and the alleged curse surrounding the car has intrigued car nuts for decades.
Dean was just 24-years-old when he and friends were on the way from Los Angeles to Salinas, Calif., to participate in a sports car race. But he never made it.
Dean's racing career was short but showed early promise. Using money from his first lead role in "East of Eden" in 1954, Dean bought three sports cars including a Porsche 356 speedster, which he raced to a second place finish in his class at the Palm Springs Road Race in 1955.
3 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
James Dean: After 60 Years, Still the Coolest Icon of Teen Angst
Tim Gray
Awards Editor
Variety
James Dean shocked the world when he appeared in “Rebel Without a Cause” and “East of Eden” in 1955. And he shocked the world again when he died on Sept. 30, 1955, at age 24. Sixty years after these events, he remains an icon, based on only three films. Dean hit a nerve because he was the right star in the right roles at the right time. After the Depression and World War II, many American adults wanted things to be “nice” and trouble-free. The affluent middle class moved into new suburban developments, while Madison Avenue started targeting teenagers as a distinct demographic with their own spending money.
The 1950s are often painted as a period of “Happy Days” innocence, but the optimistic attitude only partially masked fears of communists, the atomic bomb, polio and the growing awareness that the American Dream might be more complex than it seemed. And nobody was more suspicious of their parents’ illusions than teenagers.
In “Rebel Without a Cause” and “East of Eden,” Dean became the embodiment of teen angst, questioning adult values and openly defying his parents, who turned a deaf ear to his needs. With his ever-present cigarette, sexy wounded stare and bad boy reputation, he became the embodiment of cool for many generations to come.
More here:
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/james-dean-death-60th-anniversary-cool-1201602001/
It's hard not to wonder, as with Buddy Holly, where his career would have taken him.
Tell me, does this photo not look astonishingly current?? Hard to believe it was taken 60 years ago.
Tim Gray
Awards Editor
Variety
James Dean shocked the world when he appeared in “Rebel Without a Cause” and “East of Eden” in 1955. And he shocked the world again when he died on Sept. 30, 1955, at age 24. Sixty years after these events, he remains an icon, based on only three films. Dean hit a nerve because he was the right star in the right roles at the right time. After the Depression and World War II, many American adults wanted things to be “nice” and trouble-free. The affluent middle class moved into new suburban developments, while Madison Avenue started targeting teenagers as a distinct demographic with their own spending money.
The 1950s are often painted as a period of “Happy Days” innocence, but the optimistic attitude only partially masked fears of communists, the atomic bomb, polio and the growing awareness that the American Dream might be more complex than it seemed. And nobody was more suspicious of their parents’ illusions than teenagers.
In “Rebel Without a Cause” and “East of Eden,” Dean became the embodiment of teen angst, questioning adult values and openly defying his parents, who turned a deaf ear to his needs. With his ever-present cigarette, sexy wounded stare and bad boy reputation, he became the embodiment of cool for many generations to come.
More here:
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/james-dean-death-60th-anniversary-cool-1201602001/
It's hard not to wonder, as with Buddy Holly, where his career would have taken him.
Tell me, does this photo not look astonishingly current?? Hard to believe it was taken 60 years ago.