James Dean: 94th Birthday Tribute

Today would have been the 94th birthday of 1950’s icon, actor James Dean. Still relevant, still studied, and still written about. At the age of nine, Dean’s mother died and his father decided to let him be raised back on the family farm in Fairmount, Indiana, shown below:



Fairmount is an interesting little community, seemingly untouched by the passage of time. This video does a great job of capturing the town (and Dean) through interviews with the locals who still memorialize the actor.



The town has two museums that are Dean-centric; there’s the James Dean Gallery, run by David Loehr:



A picture of Loehr that I shot back in 1995 at a Rockabilly show in nearby Marion, Indiana. He is surrounded by Christy (whose father went to school with Dean) and fan Diane.



The other museum WAS the Fairmount Historical Museum, which was once located in this historic home:



It has since moved closer to downtown in a brand-spanking new building and been rechristened as the James Dean Museum. What’s the difference between the two? If you want to see vintage souvenirs and get to know Dean from a fan perspective, the Gallery is the place for you. If you want to see Dean’s personal effects and have a better understanding of him as an actor and a human, the Museum is the far better choice.

In downtown, there is a little park with a bronze bust of Dean, sculpted by the late Kenneth Kendall.



It is a copy of the same bust Kendall sculpted that is at the Griffith Observatory in Hollywood.



I met Stephen Payne (at right) when he first came to the U.S. and journeyed to Fairmount; you’ll get to hear his story in the video. On the left is Luke Williams, an Australian who traveled to Fairmount as well, seeking to find out more about Dean.



More than just a “rebel,” James Dean was a gifted human being who tragically died too young before getting to explore his many talents. We are fortunate to have the celluloid reminders that will forever enshrined his youth.

See more James Dean and Fairmount photos at my main website.

Robert Conrad Heavenly Birthday Tribute

On what would have been his 88th birthday, Daveland is celebrating actor Robert Conrad. Devastatingly handsome, the Chicago born actor charmed the ladies, despite his diminutive height of 5'8". Who says size matters?

According to Conrad in an interview, his resemblance to the late James Dean kickstarted his career:

I did a show after the filming of “Giant” and because of my resemblance they wanted publicity to publicize the show. They didn’t think that it would draw an audience because of the death of the young star, so they wanted some hype. They had a man on the street interview. I had seen the show and I raved about how good the show was and then they did the resemblance thing and I was on the show every night for a week.

A vintage shot of Grauman’s in Hollywood stands-in for the theater in Chicago that Conrad worked at.



Dean played a part again when Conrad visited his grave:

People in Indiana saw [the show in Chicago] and they wanted to do “The James Dean Story” and they contacted me and invited me down to Fairmont, Indiana. Nick Adams was touring with some kind of Nick Adams film; I forget the name of it now. He was in Fairmont Indiana, so we met at the James Dean gravesite.



We were two young guys. He was looking at me and I was looking at him. He invited me to his room at his hotel and we had a couple of drinks together and he told me if I ever came to Hollywood that I was to look him up. He gave me his exchange. I didn’t know what the hell that was, back in the day. But he wrote it out for me and I kept it and went to New York to get a break in acting. When that didn’t work out I went back to Hollywood and called Nick and we hooked up the day I arrived in Hollywood, August 17, 1957. We were friends for the 13 years until his death.

Here’s Adams with Doris Day and Lee Patrick in “Pillow Talk” (1959). 



As his film career began Conrad posed for the typical beefcake shots:



Feel free to write your own caption for these shots with Van Williams (“The Green Hornet”):





Conrad’s first real bout with fame came with the Warner Bros. TV show “Hawaiian Eye” (1959-1963).



This gave the hunky star plenty of reasons to be shirtless for the audience. Here he is on the Warner lot:



After “Hawaiian Eye,” Conrad moved onto even greater success with his role of James West in “The Wild Wild West” (1965-1969), a wacky combination of western, science fiction, and espionage. Michael Garrison, the creator of the show, called it “James Bond on horseback.” Conrad was the perfect fit for the lead, and did almost all of his own stunts.

Conrad died in 2004 at the age of 84. See more Robert Conrad photos at my main website.

64 Years Ago Today…

Sixty-four years ago today James Dean was killed in a car crash as he was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder to a car race in Salinas, California. He is probably best known for playing the title role in “Rebel Without A Cause,” released shortly after his death. His birthplace in Marion, Indiana is marked by a rock and a plaque, as the house has since been torn down.



Dean’s childhood was spent in sunny California until he turned nine. His mother had died of uterine cancer, and his father thought it best for the child to be raised by his Aunt and Uncle back in Fairmount, Indiana. Here’s the farmhouse where he lived:



The High School he attended in Fairmount, where he first got bitten by the acting bug:



…and the stage where it all happened:



After graduation, Dean attended UCLA where he pledged the Sigma Nu fraternity:



He dropped out of school in 1951 and pursued acting full-time, eventually moving to New York City when his career was going nowhere in Hollywood. This is the apartment he lived in:



Want to see his sink?



A classic shot of Dean in NYC:



After studying method acting at the Actors Studio and performing in a few plays and TV shows, Dean returned to Hollywood in 1954 for his first starring role in a motion picture, “East of Eden.” This is probably my favorite Dean movie of the three major motion pictures that he made…and the only one released while he was alive. It is a timeless film that has not become dated, unlike “Rebel” and “Giant” which both seem a bit dramatic and overblown when watched today.



In early 1955, Dean returned to Fairmount for a visit, taking photographer Dennis Stock with him to record the trip. Here’s a shot of him back on the Winslow farm where he was raised.



The last movie he completed before his death was the George Stevens production of the Edna Ferber novel, “Giant.” Here, Dean’s character has passed out at the party given in his honor.



Many of the exterior scenes were shot in Marfa, Texas. Despite having done a Pepsi commercial, Dean is shown drinking a Coke! He is standing next to Bob Hinkle, Rock Hudson's dialogue coach for the movie. He also taught Dean how to operate a lasso for the movie.



The marquee at Grauman’s for “Giant,” which was also released posthumously.



It would have been interesting to see what direction Dean’s career would have taken had he lived. It is a tragedy that he died so young at age twenty-four before his full potential was revealed.

See more James Dean photos at my main website.

James Dean and the Rock Lasso

This 1955 photo shows James Dean on location in Marfa, Texas for his last movie, "Giant." Shortly after filming ended, the actor's life ended tragically in an automobile accident. However, in this image, he is fully alive and all smiles as he stands next to his dialogue director/coach Bob Hinkle. I wonder what Pepsi Cola thought about this?



Five years earlier, Dean made his first appearance on television with this Pepsi commercial:



Back to today's topic, which is the rock lasso. Hinkle taught Dean how to twirl it so that he could use it to scene-stealing effect in "Giant." This lobby card shows him holding it in a scene with Rock Hudson. Supposedly Hudson got very annoyed with Dean who drew attention to himself by twirling the lasso.



39 years later, I got to meet Hinkle in Fairmount, Indiana, during their annual James Dean Festival.



Two years later he was back in Fairmount showing contestants how to twirl the lasso for the Annual Rock Lasso Contest. Here's the tall Texan showing off his skills:



Here's one of the contestants, Lance, who also was a winner of the James Dean look-a-like contest. Some guys have it all!



Hinkle was just about the nicest most down to earth man. As he recounted his behind-the-scenes tales of working and hanging out with Dean, tears rolled down his eyes. The sadness over losing his friend and coworker was still fresh even after all this time.

Last image today is one of my Genuine Faux-D© images from 1996, showing the James Dean Porsche replica that was on display at the Fairmount Car Show. This is the vehicle that Dean was in when he died so very young:



See more James Dean photos at my main website.

Patsy Cline: A Daveland Favorite

51 years ago today, music legend Patsy Cline tragically passed away at the age of 30 in a plane crash. It was a serendipitous discovery for me when I first began seriously listening to her music. I was in my 30s going nowhere fast, and Patsy's voice had that rare emotional truth that really reached out and grabbed me.

With the purchase of the 4-disc "Patsy Cline Collection," I was in Patsy hog heaven. I listened to her morning, noon, and night.

One of Patsy's first big hits was, "Walkin' After Midnight." One of my fondest memories is being in Fairmount, Indiana, at James Dean's burial site, dancing to this Patsy tune as it played through the speakers of my car's stereo. Talk about carefree days!



Although I prefer the album version, this youtube clip can give you a pretty good idea of her crossover appeal.



The Cline (as she referred to herself) was more than just a hick country singer from Winchester, Virginia. She was able to transcend genres and pull the hell out of your heartstrings no matter what your favorite type of music was. She was the real thing.



The song she is probably best known for is, "Crazy," written by Willie Nelson. If you are questioning the odd looking headband that she is wearing, it was used to help cover up the huge scars she had from a 1961 car accident that occurred not long before this was shot.



As Patsy got older, she began to slim down, tossing out the fringe and boots and replacing them with form fitting dresses and high heels. The curls remained in front to cover up her scars.



It is somewhat ironic that her classic, "I Fall To Pieces," was released at the same time as her car accident. Talk about a foretelling title.





A week before she was killed in a tragic plane crash, she was talking to The Jordanaires' bass singer, Ray Walker, as she exited the Grand Ole Opry: "Honey, I've had two bad ones (accidents). The third one will either be a charm or it'll kill me." It was an eerie case of foretelling. She had also told close friend Dottie West that she knew she wouldn't live past the age of 30. The photo above is the last known photo taken of her, wearing a knockout white chiffon dress for her show in Kansas City. She looks as if she is ready to join the angels.

Before this post ends, I'd like to share two other favorite Patsy songs. "Three Cigarettes In An Ashtray":



and the last one, "Leavin' On Your Mind." Not the best song to listen to if you have recently been dumped!



If you've never experienced the voice of The Cline, I suggest you do so. Pour a glass of wine, light some candles, and sit back while her voice takes you to places you've never been.

See more vintage & current Movie & TV personality photos from my collection on my main website.

Main Street, U.S.A.: A Mirror of America

I love Main Street, U.S.A.; not just the one at Disneyland, but the historic Main Streets that have survived and continue to thrive across our nation. These streets were once the heart of every community, functioning as the center of commerce, entertainment, and social interaction.



Big cities let "squares" or "circles" serve the same function as a Main Street by providing a central meeting space for the community...just on a larger scale.



By the 1970's, Main Streets everywhere were in trouble. Architecture that many now deem historic was viewed as old and antiquated. Façades were covered over in an attempt to make businesses look more modern. Some Main Streets were ruined when freeways were built nearby, diverting people away from these quaint little towns that had once thrived.



Shopping was siphoned off to super malls that promised the purchasing experience of a lifetime, with large brand-name chains that easily squashed the local merchants.



And then a miracle happened. As the saying goes, everything old is new again. People got tired of the generic mall experience. They longed for the intimacy and unique nature of a real Main Street. Historical Preservation Organizations were formed, hideous façades were removed, and vintage exteriors were restored to their former glory.



And they lived happily ever after? Well, not quite. Things change for a reason. Something about Main Street stopped resonating with the public which is why they failed in the first place.



While Main Streets have been restored all over America and now resemble what they looked like when they were first built, they have had to adapt with the times in order to avoid becoming ghost towns again.



The days of the local grocery/mercantile concept are gone. Social hubs of the community are now served by the local coffee house, which brings a vibrancy to Main Street that was once served by the General Store.



Today's Main Streets still have intimate restaurants that use the name "Cafe," but instead of serving basic All-American fare, they use farm-to-table ingredients and put new spins on old classic dishes. This is what they have to do to make themselves unique, giving locals and tourists a reason to eat there...again...and again.



Movie houses were integral to every community, but the smaller (yet more architecturally interesting) buildings that once entertained small communities could never compete with today's multiplexes. Adaptive re-use allows these former movie houses to breathe once again as venues for musical acts and live theater.



Main Streets have also seen a change in the way they do business. Local Mom-And-Pop-style stores co-exist next to the larger chains, allowing each to be successful.



It's important to look at what was right and what was wrong about something in order to make a good decision about rebuilding it. Attempting to keep something the same for posterity is not necessarily a recipe for success.



Come back tomorrow as I examine Disneyland's Main Street, U.S.A.



See more vintage & current Disneyland Main Street, U.S.A. photos on my Main Street web pages.