Many Celebrities Turn Out to Honor James Dean

Many Celebrities Turn Out to Honor James Dean

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- An impressive list of celebrities turned out Thursday in Beverly Hills, CA, in support of an official Museum and Performing Arts Center in honor of James Dean.

The honorary Mayor of Hollywood, Johnny Grant, remembered his meeting with Dean the day before the fatal accident in 1955. "He wanted to borrow my flight suit to wear during the race, he liked the zippers," says Grant, who gave it to him.

Today James Dean's star on Hollywood Boulevard is one of the most visited, alongside those of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Johnny Depp.

Dean's cousin Marcus Winslow, who grew up with Dean, flew in from Fairmount, Indiana, to support the efforts to create a museum for his "brother." Jimmy moved in with the Winslows at the age of nine, when his own mother died. "He would be so proud to know that other kids will get a chance to perform on the same stage as him," says Winslow.

He still lives in the old farmhouse in the small Midwestern town of Fairmount, Indiana, where Dean is buried -- and where his legend will be carried forth. Fairmount High School was built in 1896 and abandoned in 1986.

"This is the last chance to save the building," pleads Winslow.

It is going to take two years and six million dollars to restore the 20,000 square-foot building to its original glory.

Pat Boone is working to raise awareness of the project. "We all owe it to him to restore this building," says Boone, hoping to get "The Industry" to pitch in.

Three women who had romantic relationships talked about "their Jimmy" and many of his endearing qualities which attracted them to him; Liz Sheridan ("Helen Seinfeld" on "Seinfeld"): "He would take out his two front teeth and put them in my drink, to play a joke on me."

Jane Withers ("Giant"): "We read the bible together in the evenings."

Terry Moore (Academy Award nominee for "Come Back, Little Sheba" 1952). "He was his own person, no matter what."

Other attendees included Maud Adams, Rosey Grier, Shannen Doherty, Jamie Farr, Richard Kiel, Mickey Rooney, Frank Mazzola and Michael Christian. Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Dennis Hopper, Martin Sheen and Angela Lansbury are among the many other celebrities on the benefit committee for the center.

More Information and High Resolution Pictures at www.fairmountfoundation.org

Source: Fairmount Foundation

CONTACT: Diana Ljungaeus, +1-310-210-1860, Diana@lapressclub.org, for
Fairmount Foundation

Web site: http://www.fairmountfoundation.org/

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