| Warner Brothers forbade Jimmy to race professionally until Giant was finished. As soon as the last scene was filmed (The Last Supper, September 24, 1955), Jimmy started to get ready for a Rally in Salinas, California. It would be held on October 1st. Days before (September 21st), he made one of his dearest dreams come true: a purchase of a sports car, the Porsche Spyder 550. He had sought his friend’s advice and he had done lots of figuring, as we can see on historical pieces of paper displayed at the Fairmount Historical Museum: “See Porsche Spyder (with my car $3,000 balance, $3,800). Appoint: Doctor, Oculist, Dentist...” The tiny and delicate handwriting can also be seen on a list of “who will go” with him to the race. He only got Bill Hickman, Rolf Wutterich (both Competition Motors Mechanics) and Sandford Roth to accompany him. On September 30th Jimmy went to Competition Motors to give the final touches to the car. Located in Hollywood at 1219 Vine Street the building is still standing and keeps fascinating us. It is now called Vine Auto Body Shop. Everybody can see Jimmy radiant in the picture of the Champion Sparkplug commercial poster. Jimmy was good at the wheel. According to George Barris, mechanic for Warner Bros., Jimmy had quick reflexes and was very considerate with others. A very secure driver. He painted for Jimmy the number 130 and the name “Little Bastard” on the car. Jimmy’s father and uncle Charles Nolan went to the garage to say goodbye. They were two of the names on Jimmy’s “who will go” list. They went and had lunch together at Farmer’s Market and after Jimmy returned to the garage by himself where his fellows were waiting for him. They started to talk about how to do the trip since Jimmy had a station wagon and a trailer but he barely had driven 250 miles in his new car. It was decided that Jimmy should drive the Porsche accompanied by his mechanic Rolf, who would also be able to give him some tips along the way. The others should follow behind the Porsche in the station wagon. The trailer should go empty. The die was cast. It was Friday, September 30, 1955. It was autumn. Jimmy took off from Sherman Oaks along Ventura Boulevard to Sepulveda Boulevard. He kept going north taking Route 99 leaving Los Angeles behind. It was 1:30 p.m. Around 2:00 they stopped in Castaic Junction to have a drink at Tip’s Diner. Jimmy had a Coca-Cola and a sandwich. At 3:30, Jimmy drove the car up to 65 miles per hour in a 55 zone and got pulled over by a policeman. By chance, the officer was named “Hunter,” and didn’t recognize Jimmy even when he signed the ticket. However Jimmy found it very funny for somebody who just did a commercial about safe driving a few days before. Mr. Dean should report in Lamont on October 17, according to a microfilm photocopy of the ticket, on display at the James Dean Memorial Gallery. They drove through Bakersfield and after a while they took Route 466, today 46. They stopped in Blackwell’s Corer, a little store in the middle of nowhere thinking that it was going to be the last stop until Paso Robles. The store sign saying THE BIGGEST PARKING LOT IN THE WORLD and the abandoned building are still there witnessing time on the deserted road.. Jimmy bought apples. It was 5:00 p.m. They entered into San Luis Obispo County and after a crest, the Cholame Valley came up. The solitude of the scenery is impressive. In the distance, it can be seen how Route 41 intersects Route 46. From the opposite direction and absolutely by itself down the empty road, a black and white Ford Tudor ‘54 is coming. The driver is a 22 year-old man, who had just married and is rushing to his parents house in Tulare. Suddenly, he turned left to take Route 41 without seeing Jimmy’s car, which tiny and grey had become almost invisible in the twilight. Jimmy wanted to speed up or to dodge it but had no time, since the hulk of the Ford crashed into the Porsche on the side with the steering wheel. The individual was named Donald Turnupseed, and his unforgivable slip changed the world forever. It was dusk. Rolf, the mechanic, was thrown out of the car by the impact, and with a broken jaw and leg, he recovered months later. Turnupseed, the driver of the Ford, was unhurt. Jimmy was trapped in the car. Death was almost instantaneous. It was 5:59 p.m., September 30, 1955. It is decided for Jimmy to come back to Indiana. The funeral was held eight days later before the incredulous world’s face at the small cemetery in Fairmount. The following day, October 9th, Rebel Without a Cause was released. Giant will be too, a year later. |
| September 30th, 1955 |
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