James Byron Dean was bit by a Spyder and died of his injuries, back in 1955, but his legend and his curse are still talked about today. I love this actor and still mourn his demise, though he lived before I was ever born. He ate up the screen with his arresting good looks and angsty performances. Rebel without a Cause was a personal favorite. It best personifies the essence of his “I’m a rebel hear me roar” persona.
Dean grew interested in the occult and witchcraft, in particular, forming a friendship with Vampira, a famous dark vixen who partnered with Ed Wood on occasion. Dean thought often about death, even his own, confessing he had premonitions of it. Oddly enough, only a couple of weeks before his death, he appeared in a PSA for the Nat’l Safety Council, and urged drivers to “Take it easy driving. The life you might save might be mine,” he eerily proclaimed.
“Take it easy driving. The life you might save might be mine,” ~ James Dean in a PSA, shortly before his death in an auto accident.
He had a keen interest in race car driving, and came in 3rd in a field of experienced drivers, in his very first race. Though not yet famous as an actor (neither Rebel or Giant had opened yet), Dean invested heavily on the racing car of his dreams, a rare Porsche 550 Spyder. The number 5 figures prominently in this story, and I’ll ask you to take note of how many times you see it pop up. The dark side of the number five in numerology deals in death and destruction.
Five Porsche Spyders were delivered to this one factory in California, where Dean purchased his. On 9/23 (which adds up to a 5 in numerology), fellow actor Alec Guinness, of Obi Wan fame, told Dean the car looked “sinister” to him. “If you get in that Porsche, you will be dead next week,” he warned.
“If you get in that Porsche, you will be dead next week,” ~ Alec Guinness told Dean.
Dean, unfortunately didn’t listen to the wise Jedi Master and kept the car. On 9/30/1955 (in numerology the date adds up to a 5), a 23 year old driver (2+3 =5), cut into Dean’s lane as he was attempting to turn onto State Road 41 (4+1=5), and didn’t see Dean’s car. The driver of the other car lived, Dean’s passenger was thrown from the car to safety, suffering only a scratch, but Dean was not so lucky. Within minutes he was gone.
But the curse lived on.
The car was gutted and its parts traveled around the country. A Dr. Troy McHenry used Dean’s engine for his racing car, which crashed into a tree. Dr. McHenry was later killed in a crash, himself.
The crumpled car went to George Barris (who later designed the Batmobile) and toured with the car as part of the Nat’l Safety Council. En route, the car strangely slipped off a dolly and broke an attendant’s leg. Later the car toured to Fresno and was stored in a building. That building burned down. All of the vehicles were destroyed, except for Dean’s.
Barris sold two of the tires to a guy. The guy’s tires almost immediately suffered a blowout in a freak accident that nearly killed him.
On to Salinas, CA , the shell of Dean’s crumpled car traveled on a truck. The truck skidded, the driver was thrown, and was crushed by Dean’s car which had rolled off its flatbed.
It then went not-so-merrily on its way to Florida in another truck, which arrived at its destination, oddly without the car. Somehow, it had disappeared and has not been seen since.
The transaxle is still floating around, and when last I read, it was installed in a collector’s restored Porsche Spyder. The new owner, Jack Styles, was well aware of the curse, but stubbornly decided to risk his life on it anyway. It somehow wound up on Ebay, but from there I’ve lost its trail.
If negative energy does indeed remain with this car, this deadly Spyder, with its sinister smile, will no doubt continue to spin its web of evil. I just hope none of you will fall into its trap.
So, Goodbye, Jimmy Dean.
“Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did.” ~ Sir Elton John