SPEEDtv.com Reviewed: “James Dean: From Passion for Speed to Immortality”
Written by: Gregg Leary 9/11/2006

“James Dean: From Passion for Speed to Immortality” by Philippe Defechereux

James Dean is known for his red jacket … the windbreaker he wore in “Rebel Without a Cause.” “James Dean: From Passion for Speed to Immortality” may also become known for its jacket. The front shows Jimmy at the wheel of his Porsche 550 Spyder on his way to a race at Salinas, where his hit film, “East of Eden” was set. It is the last photograph taken of Dean alive. A haunting enlargement of Dean hovers over the car, almost like a guardian angel, looking toward the sunset. But the racer in Jimmy drove faster than his guardian angel could fly and he met immortality at Cholame, California. The back jacket shows a horrifying photograph of the accident.

Philippe Defechereux’s book is unique in that it shows that “Jimmy’s zest for racing was an integral part of his character, his life, and his emotional quest to test himself and be the best at everything he did. Acting, racing and living were all part of the same script. Jimmy’s racing ambitions were a major part of his psyche … and played a critical role in his life and tragic death.” Philippe read 24 biographies of Dean. This one concentrates on Dean’s racing. Jimmy was on his way to the fourth race of his successful amateur career when he died. “It’s the only time I feel whole,” he had said of racing. Twelve Chapters tell the tale.

Chapter One: Friday September 30, 1955
Chapter Two: Early Days and Influences
Chapter Three: Hollywood Beginnings: From Bikes to Racers
Chapter Four: On to Official Racing
Chapter Five: Hollywood Star
Chapter Six: Giant in the Making
Chapter Seven: Silver Bullet: The Porsche 550 Spyder
Chapter Eight: The Femme Fatale Beckons
Chapter Nine: On to Salinas, Reaching for Eden
Chapter Ten: Sunset Highway
Chapter Eleven: Funeral and Prejudice
Chapter Twelve: Instant Immortality

My interest in James Dean began about ten years ago when my son and I visited the James Dean Museum in Fairmount, Ind., on our way home to Ohio from the Indianapolis 500. Seeing my son’s excitement, the curator made a phone call, and a visit to the Winslow farm where Dean grew up was arranged. The farm looked almost exactly like the famous photographs by Dennis Stock taken when Dean last visited in 1955. (Many of these photographs appear in this book.) Jimmy’s cousin, Marcus gave us a tour. Along a stretch of road a few hundred yards long, just outside of Fairmount is a microcosm of Jim’s life. The farm where he grew up, Carter’s Motorcycle Shop where he talked racing and the cemetery where James Byron Dean is buried are side by side. Philippe Defechereux’s book is a similar condensation of James Dean’s life … highlighting his amateur racing career.

Over 120 photographs supplement the 125 pages of well-researched text. The photographs range from Dean family snapshots to publicity stills from Dean’s three films, “East of Eden,” “Rebel Without a Cause,” and “Giant.” The photographs that carry the book are the two dozen or so haunting images by Sanford Roth. Roth took many famous images of Dean’s life and career, and sadly took the last pictures of Jimmy alive. Roth even had the tragic duty to document the fatal accident scene. Each of his photographs is worth far more than “a thousand words.” Roth’s camera records Jimmy lovingly washing and driving his Porsche 356 Super Speedster. He captures Jimmy proudly motoring in the 550 Spyder and Dean spectating at the races at Santa Barbara.

Defechereux’s book tells the story of Dean’s “intense passion for car racing.” “Read how he performed amazingly well in the three official races he entered and about his dream of becoming a world racing champion. In exacting detail, read how his fatal accident took place, illustrated with ‘frame by frame’ diagrams based on police reports and witness testimonies.”

One of James Dean’s favorite quotes was, “Live fast. Die young. Leave a good looking corpse.” He did all three. This book tells you how he did it. I give it five out of five lugnuts.

Gregg Leary is a Researcher/Writer for “Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain” and
Book Reviewer for SpeedTV.com.

Leary was track announcer for Hooter’s IHRA Drag Racing at National Events in the USA and Canada and entertained event crowds during “down time” by conducting “crowd participation” and product giveaways with the Hooter’s Girls. He was Marketing and PR Director and track announcer at Lake Erie Speedway.

As Photo Editor, feature writer, columnist and swimsuit calendar chief photographer for “Sports Jam Magazine,” Leary covered Auto Racing, Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Basketball Association. He has photographed dozens of celebrities from A-Z…including Mario Andretti, Jim Brown, AJ Foyt, Ken Griffey Jr., Michael Jordan, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Mark McGwire, Paul Newman, Walter Payton, Alex Zanardi and Presidents Gerald Ford, George Bush and Bill Clinton. Gregg’s wife, Lynn and daughter, Caitlynn live in Jefferson, Ohio and his son, Sean is a student at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

Leary has conducted motivational seminars and performed stand up comedy around the country. He is a graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio and Exeter University in England. Gregg has hitchhiked 40,000 miles through 36 states and 10 European countries and is a licensed pilot and skydiver. Leary is available for motorsports consulting on a limited basis. Contact him via email at gleary@speedtv.com .