THE BEST of JAMES DEAN
IN THE "SCANDAL MAGAZINES"
1955-1958
INCUDES:
Did James Dean Realy Die?
James Dean's Black Modonna
James Dean's Torrid Love Letters
Did Jimmy Dean Leave A Son?
I Was Jimmy Dean's Wife!
Plus 16 Others Exactly
As Originally Printed!
Excluslvel Amazing! Fully illustrated! Possibly True!
INTRODUCTION
When Jomes Dean died in 1955, almost immediately an industry developed oround his e
ond deah Some soy that this wos a spolaneous outpouring of affection from his faons, whle
others claim it wos the result of a corefully planned and executed compaign by his flm shadio
Over the next three years there were four one-shot magazines published solely on Den, oee
150 movie magazine articles, numerous national fan clubs set up, medallions, photos, and busts
offered for sole, as well os several biographies published. Since then there has been a continuing
ond evergrowing fascination with Dean's life and his TV and film work. The amount of materigl
published on Dean over the years is probably third in number to Marilyn Monroe and Evis
Presley in pop culture hierarchy But one lost portion of the Dean legocy has been the articles thot
were published on him from Hollywood scandal magazines during the years 1955-1958. This
book is on aftempt lo gother together and publish the best of this material chronologicolly
(except fora few slight changes for better poge sequencingl, so the Dean fan can look bock and
see how he was frected by this focet of the media.
During the mid '50's there wasarise in magazines, led by Confidential, which wolked the
fne lines of libel, slonder, and good taste, ond often published the strangest, funniest, and most
controversial material of their (or any other) era. During the years 1955-1958 there were some
forty titles published in the scandal cotegory, and though many only lasted for an issue or two,
others went on for years and had large and devoted followings. The articles published in this
collection run the gamut from foctual, to wisted truths, to fanciful, and finally, to total fobrication.
But token all together, they give us some fascinating material and often provide us with little
known details obout Dean's life and career.
Of the thirty-one known scandal mogazine articles on Dean, this book reprints nineteen of the
most interesting and informative. In oddition, we have odded hwo articles from ofher exploitation
sources, which do not fall into the scandal category. First off, we have a piece from True
Strange (3/57), a mogazine that dealt primarily with stories of the occult and supernatural. We
hove also included a story from Personal Romances (4/57)a romance and confessions
mogazine geared primarily to teen-agers So have fun with these stories, previously lost by most
historians, ond go bock to the time when scondal mogazines were token seriously and many say
were of the peok of the artistic form.
Tlook forward to hearing from you, at the address below, with your comments and sugges-
tions, and hope you enjoy this collection. And if you think the books you have read tell all about
Jones Deon, read this collecion and then think ogain.
Alan Betrock