The untimely death of James Dean at the age of 24 left an indelible mark on American culture, transforming the promising actor into an enduring legend. Beyond the immediate grief, his passing sparked a fascination that continues to this day, fueled by memorials, public commemorations, and the persistent, almost mythical, narrative of the "curse" surrounding his wrecked Porsche. These elements collectively contribute to the lasting legacy of a star
whose life was cut tragically short.
Honoring a Legend: Funeral and Memorials
James Dean's funeral was held on October 8, 1955, at the Fairmount Friends Church in Fairmount, Indiana, his hometown. To conceal the severe injuries to his upper torso and face, the coffin remained closed during the service. An estimated 600 mourners attended the funeral, while an additional 2,400 fans gathered outside the church during the procession, a testament to his burgeoning fame. Dean was laid to rest at Park Cemetery in Fairmount, less than a mile from the farm where he was raised by his aunt and uncle.
Decades later, in 1977, a significant memorial to Dean was erected in Cholame, California, near the site of his fatal accident. This stylized sculpture, designed in Japan and transported to Cholame by its benefactor, Seita Ohnishi of Kobe, is composed of stainless steel and surrounds a tree of heaven in front of the former Cholame post office. Ohnishi specifically chose this location after examining the crash scene, which was less than a mile away. The original junction of Highway 41 and 46, where the collision occurred, has been realigned over the years to improve safety. On September 30, 2005, the 50th anniversary of Dean's death, this junction was officially dedicated as the James Dean Memorial Junction as part of California's official commemoration. The sculpture itself bears etched dates and hours of Dean's birth and death, along with a handwritten description by his friend William Bast, quoting one of Dean's favorite lines from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's *The Little Prince*: "What is essential is invisible to the eye." An infinity symbol next to his death date signifies that he will never be forgotten.
The Infamous 'Curse' of the Little Bastard
Perhaps one of the most enduring and mysterious aspects of James Dean's post-mortem legend is the "curse" associated with his Porsche 550 Spyder, famously nicknamed the "Little Bastard." This narrative, deeply embedded in America's cultural mythology, began even before the fatal crash. British actor Alec Guinness recounted in his 1985 autobiography that on September 23, 1955, he met Dean in Los Angeles. Dean showed Guinness his newly delivered silver Porsche, prompting Guinness to allegedly warn him, "Please, never get in it. It is now ten o'clock, Friday the 23rd of September, 1955. If you get in that car you will be found dead in it by this time next week." Guinness claimed his prediction came true the following Friday, though he did not mention this prophetic warning until decades after Dean's death.
After the fatal crash, James Dean archivist Warren Beath attributed the perpetuation of the "curse" to George Barris, a self-described "King of the Kustomizers," who claimed to be the first to purchase the wrecked car. Barris actively promoted the "curse" after displaying the wreck publicly in 1956. He described a series of mysterious accidents and car crashes from 1956 to 1960 involving the "Little Bastard," which allegedly resulted in serious injuries to spectators and even the death of a truck driver. However, many claims regarding the "curse" appear to be based on Barris's 1974 book, *Cars of the Stars*. Raskin's 2005 book, *James Dean: At Speed*, states that the wrecked Spyder was declared a total loss by the insurance company, which paid Dean's father fair-market value. The insurance company then sold the car through a salvage yard to Dr. William F. Eschrich, who had raced against Dean. Eschrich dismantled the engine and mechanical parts, installing the Porsche four-cam engine into his Lotus IX race car chassis, which he called a "Potus." Eschrich raced this car in 1956 and was involved in a minor collision. Barris's book, however, claimed a Dr. McHenry, driving a car powered by Dean's engine, was killed, and Eschrich was injured in the same race. Eschrich clarified that he had loaned the transmission and other parts to McHenry, who appears to be the only bona fide victim of the "curse" that can be corroborated. Raskin also notes that Barris never customized Dean's personal cars and was not involved in his racing activities, suggesting Barris's claims about the "curse" were a way to perpetuate the Dean myth, especially around milestone anniversaries of his death. The "Little Bastard" remains missing as of 2022, though some museums claim to have small pieces of it.
