James Dean

Remembering the legendary James Dean, who passed away on this day in 1955 at age 24. Dean was traveling in his Porsche 550 Spyder, nicknamed "Little Bastard," en route to a race. He was killed on Route 466 (present-day 46) near Cholame, CA, when a Ford Tudor made a left turn in front of Dean's silver Porsche, who could not stop in time. Despite reports that Dean had been speeding earlier in the day, police on the scene said he was most likely going 55 mph at the time of the accident. There is now a memorial honoring the iconic actor near the site. James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) 📷: Roy Schatt

On this day in 1955, James Dean attended the Santa Barbara Road Races with his Porsche 356 Super Speedster. (This footage includes Santa Barbara and a previous race in Palm Springs 🌴) Jimmy had recently begun racing his Speedster- this was his third big race after Palm Springs and Bakersfield. A blown piston ended his day early. He'd soon replace the 356 with the Porsche 550 Spyder. #jamesdean #santabarbara #vintageracing

James Dean in New York City, photographed by Dennis Stock. "Times Square. Jimmy haunted it. For a novice actor in the 1950s, New York was the place to go. Theater was thriving, and television was alive and well. The Actors Studio, directed by Lee Strasberg, was in its heyday. So when James Whitmore, Jimmy's drama coach in Los Angeles, said to him- 'Go East, young man,' he went." -Dennis Stock (from James Dean by Dennis Stock) #jamesdean #vintagenewyork #nyc #vintagenyc

Cal and Abra, as performed by James Dean and Julie Harris, in 1955's "East of Eden." "He was so sweet, even when he was frightened, which was when he could be ill-tempered. He was so terribly afraid- of everyone, really. He was most afraid of not being true in his work, and so he worried and fretted and over-analyzed things. I felt that one of my goals in that film [East of Eden] was to calm him down, to let him know how good he was." -Julie Harris (interviewed by James Grissom, 1991) #jamesdean #eastofeden

“I have loved one person in my whole life, and that was James Dean. He is the only man I ever loved deeply as a woman should love a man. I would wake up in the night and find I had been dreaming of Jimmy. We used to go together to the California coast and stay there secretly in a cottage on the beach far away from all prying eyes. We’d spend much of our time on the beach sitting there or fooling around, just like college kids. We would talk about ourselves and our problems, about the movies and acting, about life and life after death. Sometimes we would just go for a walk along the beach not actually speaking but communicating our love silently to each other. We had complete understanding of each other. We were like Romeo and Juliet, together and inseparable. Sometimes on the beach we loved each other so much we just wanted to walk together into the sea holding hands because we knew then that we would always be together. We didn’t need to be in the gossip columns or be seen at the big Hollywood parties. We were like kids together and that’s the way we both liked it. We saw a great deal of each other when we weren’t making films. We were young and wanted to enjoy life together and we did. Sometimes we would just drive along and stop at a hamburger stand for a meal or go to a drive-in movie. It was all so innocent and yet so emphatic. I must now have Jimmy or a man exactly like him. Unless I find another James Dean to love, I’ll always love his ghost… even though he has completely ruined my life.“ — Pier Angeli love letter about James Dean 🌹 . . . . #jamesdean #50s #love #lovestory #loveyou

James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Sal Mineo in a test for "Rebel Without a Cause." (1955) 🎥: Warner Bros. #jamesdean #nataliewood #salmineo #oldhollywood

James Dean in the iconic red jacket for "Rebel Without a Cause." "I started Jimmy in this neutral brown and he graduated to the blue jeans and red jacket. When you first see Jimmy in his red jacket against his black Merc, it's not just a pose. It's a warning. It's a sign." -Nicholas Ray, director of "Rebel Without a Cause" (from "James Dean: The Mutant King" by David Dalton) 🎥: Warner Bros.

James Dean grew up in small town Indiana, far from the world he'd someday see as a Hollywood star. Explore Fairmount to see where Jimmy's legendary life was shaped, and view actual artifacts on display @thejamesdeanmuseum (and don't miss their James Dean Festival every September!) Have you visited yet? 📷: Dennis Stock, Phil Stern 🚜: please do not disturb residents❤️ #jamesdean #indiana

"Not when you got it." James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor in "Giant." (WB) Original reel: @tooga_film_zone #jamesdean #elizabethtaylor

Photographer Roy Schatt captioned this series, "Dean in his self-made movie phase reading the light at the fountainhead in my garden." "When James Dean asked me to teach him photography I felt much as I did later when Elia Kazan (who directed Dean in "East of Eden") asked me to teach him photography: 'You?' I said to Kazan. 'Me teach you? Give me one good reason.' He had the greatest: 'I want to be able to argue with my cameraman.' Dean's reasons were less clear. Was he really serious? Could an actor of his presence record events without influencing them? Years later I am still puzzling over some of the possible answers." -Roy Schatt (from James Dean: A Portrait by Roy Schatt) 📷: Roy Schatt, NYC, 1954 #jamesdean #nyc #photography

James Dean walking near his apartment on W. 68th near Central Park West, NYC. Jimmy lived in a small studio apartment on the top floor, with round windows and rooftop access- where he'd often be seen practicing lines. He noted, "If you press your head against the window in a certain way and squint through one eye, it has a grand view of Central Park." He kept the apartment even after signing his lucrative movie deal with Warner Bros. There is a plaque outside noting he lived there, provided by @thejamesdeanmuseum . (The previous plaque was sadly stolen.) 📷: Roy Schatt

During the making of "Giant," Jimmy diligently practiced his newly learned rope tricks. "[James Dean] said, 'I'd like to work with you in playing Jett Rink. I’d like you to help me create that character.' He offered to pay me out of his own pocket but I said that's not necessary.  I asked him when he wanted to start. He told me, 'I'd like to start today.' So we went to dinner that night at Barney's Beanery over on La Cienega. I told Jimmy, 'If you are going to be a Texan, the best way is to be a Texan all day long. Get up in the morning, put on your hat, put on your boots. Dress like a Texan, eat the food Texans eat.' Dean told me, 'That's what I want to do.'" -dialect coach Bob Hinkle 📸: Sanford Roth, 1955