James Dean died seventy years ago today. Just thought I’d mention it.
Rilchiam, I’m sorry, this is too cryptic of a title for the Cafe. I’m going to add the James Dean part.
Did you want to add any sort of tribute to him?
Yeah, you’re right; thank you.
I’d like to post a tribute later, when I’ve had time to reflect. Just wanted to get the thread started now!
ETA: I will say, for the record, that the driver of the other car was Donald TurnUPseed. Not TurnIPseed.
I have the opportunity to drive past the accident site several times a year. Attached to a nearby gas station featuring large cut-outs of James Dean are the “James Dean’s Last Stop Nut Shop” and the “East of Eden Fudge” store.
I just want to know why Mr Turnupseed was not vilified by the public in perpetuity. He was at fault in the accident. And the public are a mean and vindictive crowd.
Also, if Dean had lived, he’d have aged into Brando. It is up to the reader to say if that is a compliment or not.
Not a fan of Mr. Dean, his movies or the celebrity death cult that grew around him, but he did have some fine taste in automobiles, most especially the Porsche 550 Spyder – one of only 90 ever made – in which he was killed.
Yeah, that is a mystery. Personal opinion, based on no evidence, is that despite the fact that Turnupseed was at fault, the public perception of Dean might have seemed that he should have been the person at fault.
I remember reading someone asked Turnupseed’s son about the accident some years after Turnupseed’s death. The son curtly replied, “I don’t know. I wasn’t there, and Dad never talked about it.”