James Dean Memorial Junction in California, off HWY 46 and 41 Fifty-three years ago today, James Dean uttered those words just moments before his fatal automobile crash near Cholame, California. Obviously, he was wrong, and the improbably named Donald Turnupseed ended one of Hollywood's most promising careers. Dean was hardly the first person to be killed in a car crash (that "honor" belongs to Henry Bliss of New York City in 1899), but given the number of celebrities who have met their ends in cars, one wonders why they ever get into automobiles in the first place. One of the earliest stars to meet her maker in a car was the "Empress of the Blues," Bessie Smith, who may have been turned away from a segregated Mississippi hospital. Cowboy superstar Tom Mix ignored warning signs at a construction site and slid his car into a gully, Ernie Kovacs was lighting a cigar when he fatally crashed into a Beverly Hills power pole, and Jayne Mansfield plowed into a truck. Athletes have also fallen victim to vehicular deaths. New York Giants stars Mel Ott, Carl Hubbell, and Frankie Frisch all succumbed in cars, as did Billy Martin and Steve Prefontaine (though alcohol figured in the last two), and NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt died during the 2001 Daytona 500. Authors and artists are thoughtful people, but the deaths of T.E. Lawrence, Albert Camus, Margaret Mitchell, Nathanael West , Helmut Newton, and Jackson Pollack prove that accidents can happen to even the most punctilious. Nor is royalty immune, as the deaths of Princess Diana and Princess Grace can attest. While we don't mean to sound flip, good can come of such tragedies; the heart that Christian Barnard used in his first transplant came from a woman who had been killed by a car, and every year, hundreds of lives are saved by those who donate their organs. So on this somewhat morbid occasion, we urge you to sign those donor cards -- and to "watch out for the other guy." Suggested Sites... James Dean.com - official site for the actor, with information about his life and legacy. James Dean on Driving Safely - Dean's last film appearance, speaking ironically enough on auto safety. Celebrity Automobile Accidents - a surprisingly long list of celebrities involved in fatal car crashes. Snopes.com: Spyder Web - examines the legend that the car Dean died in is cursed. The Death of James Dean - contemporary newsreel of the tragedy, featuring the CHP officer who responded to the call.

Directory categories: James Dean, Driving Safety, Dale Earnhardt, Organ Donation, Roadside Attractions

Archived under: Actors, Anniversaries, Athletes, Authors, Autos, Bereavement, Dead Celebrities, Death, Driving, James Dean, Safety

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