James Dean both in the 50s at the height of his Fame and even today is widely considered a Hollywood icon born James Byron Dean in 1931 he was born into a humble background in Marion Indiana.
The only child of Mildred Wilson and went and Dean growing up he excelled in school both academically and athletically playing varsity baseball.
And basketball as well as becoming an avid student of drama his efforts would eventually land him at UCLA in 1949 after his high school graduation where he began to truly pursue his passion for acting.
He had first started out as a pre-law major but would soon switch his major to drama his first role in college that truly made him consider becoming an actor was when he was selected out of a group of 350 other actors to portray Malcolm in the play Macbeth shortly after this he also began acting in James whitmore’s Workshop although he loved acting his father didn’t and his choice of major would. Soon alienate the two from each other but refusing to give up on his dreams
James would drop out of UCLA in January of 1951 to pursue a full-time career as an actor it was during this time that he began to pay his dues so to speak first starring in a Pepsi commercial then Landing a series of walk-on roles in various movies such as fixed bayonets
Sailor beware and has anybody seen my gal while struggling to pay the bills whilst chasing his dreams James also worked as a parking lot attendant at CBS.
Studios where he would eventually meet Rogers bracket a radio director an agent who offered him professional advice and guidance to assist him in furthering his career Brackett would open a major door for James a starring role in the Broadway play see the Jaguar which would
Indeed continue to open many other opportunities for the aspiring actor moving from walk-on roles and movies to several television appearances and soon a major role in a major film he would
Finally receive his big break in 1953 where he starred in the movie East of Eden it was here that his complexity as an actor and improv skills were finally able to shine almost immediately after.
East of Eden premiered Dean would quickly pick up another in an even bigger role in Rebel Without a Cause as well as another film called giant following soon after Rebel Without a Cause is what seemed to make Dean a cultural icon becoming not only an admired actor to many but a heartthrob as well to thousands
In 1954 shortly after East of Eden had concluded being filmed James began to take an interest in auto racing he purchased several vehicles for the hobby including a Triumph Tiger t110 and a Porsche 356 James competed.
First professional event at Palm Springs road races held in Palm Springs.
California where he achieved first place in the novice class and second place for the main event he continued to race and would raise a Baker’s field.
A month later where he would take first in his class and third overall really taking to the Motorsport he hoped to compete in the Indianapolis 500 but his busy filming schedule unfortunately made this impossible his final race would occur in Santa Barbara on May 30th 1955.
During this race he was unfortunately unable to finish due to a blown piston his racing career was then placed on hold by Warner Brothers.
The studio in charge of the film giant until filming was finished.
Dean would finish his scenes and while giant was in post-production with the band lifted he decided that he would race again however this time he wanted something stronger and faster.
On September 23rd 1955 James purchased a new 1955 Porsche 550 spider and brought it to the legendary flim flammer George Barris to have it personalized before his next race.
During the customization process he chose Tartan seeds the number 130 emblazoned upon the hood and the name little bastard painted on the back just underneath the Porsche emblem on the engine cover almost as soon as his car was done being customized.
James began to drive it around there was a series of Omens that should have alerted him that something wasn’t quite normal with little bastard later that day on September 23rd James was driving his new car around Los Angeles where he met up with British actor Alec Guinness to show him his new toy almost immediately Alec became very wary of the car and his personal diary he said this in regards to seeing it for the first time and this
Is also a summary of what he told James himself in person that day the sports car looked Sinister to me exhausted hungry feeling a little ill-tempered in spite of Dean’s kindness
I heard myself saying in a voice that I could hardly recognize as my own.
Please never get in it if you get in that car you’ll be found dead in it by this time next week after being told that his car seemed Sinister and that. He would be found dead in it by this time.
Next week all James did was laugh exactly one week later on September the 30th James Dean and Rolf wutaraj a former luftwaffe pilot and Factory trained Porsche mechanic where at competition Motors in Hollywood.
Preparing little bastard for racing that week at the Salinas road races in Salinas California the intent was for Dean to transport the car via a trailer to Salinas behind his 1955 Ford Country.
Squire with his photographer Bill. Hickman but before it could be raised the car needed some break-in miles on it to make sure everything was in working order.
Rolf suggested driving the car to Salinas to break in the engine and familiarize himself with his new vehicle.
He would also ride with him after having a cup of coffee across the street from competition Motors at 1 15 PM the group departed for Salinas.
At 3 30 PM patrolman OV Hunter said he stopped and rode Dean a ticket just south of Bakersfield California for driving 65 miles per hour and a 55.
Hickman who was Towing the trailer would receive a ticket for 20 miles over the speed limit because he was towing.
A trailer in which the maximum speed allowed would have only been 45 miles per hour the crew would then stop at Blackwell’s corner on Route 466 for drinks here they also met up with Lance ravindlo and Bruce Kessler two other Racers who would also be competing in the Salinas road races.
Once they had departed at about 5 15 PM Dean and Hickman drove West towards Paso Robles a half an hour later a black and white 1950 Ford Tudor Coupe was headed east on 466.
The vehicle was being driven by a 23 year old California polytechnical Student a man with a strange name of Donald Turnipseed.
Donald made a left on Route 41 and as he crossed the center line Dean who was traveling around 85 miles per hour tried to avoid him however despite his best efforts the two vehicles collided head-on.
The Ford Coupe upon the Collision slid 39 feet down Route 466 and the westbound. Lane.
Dean bore the brunt of the Collision but stayed within the car Wuturaj however was thrown from The Spider and was laying on the shoulder multiple feet away from the scene upon the arrival of emergency personnel with little bastard completely totaled they would have to pry James from the mangled vehicle using the crowbar an unconscious and dying James Dean was then placed into the ambulance along with a heavily injured roof.
The closest hospital was 30 miles away and as the ambulance rushed towards Paso Robles or Memorial Hospital they too as if they had been stricken with the worst luck imaginable would also be involved in a car accident.
Despite the horrible circumstances surrounding the initial accident the ambulance did eventually make its way to the hospital roughly 45 minutes later.
And although it would take months of recovery Rolf would live but despite the emergency crew’s best efforts Dean however would be pronounced dead on arrival at 6 20 PM his final cause of death upon autopsy would be determined to be a broken neck an internal hemorrhaging as a result of the crash.
He also had sustained multiple broken bones including his legs arms and jaw as well as multiple severe external lacerations.
Donald turnip seed however despite his vehicle also being totaled walked away with barely a scratch.
After his death James Dean would be nominated for two Academy Awards in 1956 and 1957 for his roles in East of Eden and giant.
He would also become the first actor to post-humanistly win an Academy Award for one in 1956.
Seemingly being cut down in his prime at the young age of 24. Dean’s death was an unprecedented tragedy
But the story of little bastard despite being crumpled in the crash would be far from over a man by the name of George Bears purchased the wrecked Porsche remnants for twenty five hundred dollars.
Later that year likely with the intent to host some sort of an exhibit with it and to sell tickets.
But after he purchased it while transporting The Remains upon arriving at his shop.
The car slipped off the trailer and broke the leg of his mechanic once it was secured in one of the Shop’s garages and approximately one month’s time while Bears was arranging for the first exhibit to open the garage housing
The car mysteriously caught fire and burned to the ground even more mysterious upon surveying the damage.
Porsche had sustained no damage from the fire itself bears would eventually arrange for a second exhibit which was held at a local high school in conjunction with the California Highway Patrol
But this showing too was unexpectedly cut short when the car was surrounded by onlookers and students.
It suddenly fell off of its display and broke a young student’s hip getting an eerie sense that something was off with this car.
Bears then began to sell its parts he would sell the engine to a man named Troy McHenry and the drivetrain to William esgrid the two used parts to build cars of their own and had even
Once raised one another and both would experience horrendous accidents during a street race Troy would lose control of his vehicle Veer off the street and slammed directly into a tree
The impact would kill him instantly and shortly after Troy’s tragedy William who was casually driving his vehicle containing the drivetrain of little bastard. Suddenly had his Wheels lock up for no reason and upon turning while experiencing this.
The car began to roll leaving him critically injured in the crash he however despite his injuries would live
While parting out what was left of the car Barris would also sell two of the Porsche’s tires which had been untouched since the accident that claimed Dean’s
Life after selling the tires he also installed them on the customer’s vehicle at his shop however upon driving home both of them not one or the other but both simultaneously exploded causing the driver to lose control and drive off the road they would fortunately regain control of their vehicle and despite being shaken up were unharmed.
George Barris after selling what parts he could would continue trying to arrange exhibits for the remnants of the car to be shown. the third and final exhibit that was set to happen was going to be held by the Los Angeles chapter of the national Safety Council as a traveling display however the truck driver who was hired to transport little bastard to the exhibit on a flatbed.
Truck a man named George Bargas would be involved in an accident while heading there he would be ejected from his vehicle and would land to the side of the flatbed and whether it was a failure of securing. the remnants or something more Sinister he would be crushed and killed when the Porsche rolled off the flatbed and on to him there would be other mishaps as the Twisted Porsche would be loaned out to various exhibits across the country and the years to come but when it was on loan to a safety exhibit in Miami.
Florida in 1960 following the conclusion of the exhibit as it was being hauled back to Los Angeles the truck that was carrying what was left of the vehicle would once again be involved in a fatal.
Crash killing the driver what remained of the Porsche known as little bastard vanished from the scene that day and to this day
All these years later it has never been seen again nor has any of its parts collectors and enthusiasts alike willing to put up big money for even a genuine scrap of its remains.
But before we speculate on what could have happened to it I would first like to give my take on the bizarre activity. that surrounds this now Infamous Legend to me if there was ever something that could be considered cursed this once prized Porsche of James Dean very much fits the bill given all that we’ve learned. but just why would it have been cursed and how these are questions that I’ve pondered while researching this topic there of course doesn’t seem to be a proper answer or even a real speculated one that would genuinely make sense that I could find there doesn’t seem to be any crazy occult ties to anyone he was involved with.
But one theory that I did come across could possibly explain why but of course this is just a theory I don’t want people getting mad at me.
James Dean decides being an acclaimed actor by the young age of 24 was most definitely a heartthrob with the ladies.
It’s been rumored that among his various affairs with Rich and Powerful women he also had multiple escapades per week the theory I came across was this could it have been possible that some Star-Crossed lover or fling of Deans could have placed a curse on him curses of course like anything paranormal in nature are subject to a sense of belief in these kinds of things or so most think perhaps Dean broke the heart of the wrong person with Dean hitting the big time and also taking up car racing in between films or the filming of those films perhaps one of his girlfriends rather jealous or heartbroken or both placed a curse of sorts on him either on him or something to do with his Newfound love for Motorsports.
How this would have exactly imprinted specifically upon the newly purchased Porsche of 1955 goes far beyond my expertise but it is the only explanation I could find that would remotely make sense aside from a horrible string of unfortunate coincidences and strangely enough the man who hit Dean having the name of Donald turnip seed turnip seed in my opinion is all too close to turn up speed.
It’s kind of weird don’t you think with all of the darkness surrounding this car Rolf had a very tragic ending as well upon his post-rec recovery he began to receive horrible letters from James Dean’s fans blaming him for the actor’s death.