Details
JAMES DEAN
A prayer book used by James Dean, circa late 1940s/early 1950s. The "Prayers Ancient and Modern" book belonged to the Reverend James DeWeerd, a close friend of the Dean family and personal mentor of the actor. The book was lent to Mr. Dean by the minister, and kept by the actor who told the Rev. DeWeerd that he "wanted to learn to pray." The book is lightly annotated by Mr. Dean, including on page 228 the word "Beautiful" in red pencil next to a passage which reads in part "...While we have slept, the world in which we live has swept on its awful space, great fires have burned under us, great waters have been all about us, and great storms above us." According to the Rev. DeWeerd much of the underlining throughout the book was done by James Dean. Together with two mimeographed letters from the actor to the Reverend written shortly after Mr. Dean's arrival in New York City; and, a coverless copy of a printed wedding ceremony, believed to have been torn by James Dean from a larger bound tract. Handwritten in pencil Pier, (Pier Angeli, the actress Mr. Dean was in love with and wanted to marry); according to Nick Adams, a personal friend of James Dean and fellow actor, Mr. Dean told him that he had filled in the blanks with his own hand, contemplating a marriage that never came to be. (4)
A prayer book used by James Dean, circa late 1940s/early 1950s. The "Prayers Ancient and Modern" book belonged to the Reverend James DeWeerd, a close friend of the Dean family and personal mentor of the actor. The book was lent to Mr. Dean by the minister, and kept by the actor who told the Rev. DeWeerd that he "wanted to learn to pray." The book is lightly annotated by Mr. Dean, including on page 228 the word "Beautiful" in red pencil next to a passage which reads in part "...While we have slept, the world in which we live has swept on its awful space, great fires have burned under us, great waters have been all about us, and great storms above us." According to the Rev. DeWeerd much of the underlining throughout the book was done by James Dean. Together with two mimeographed letters from the actor to the Reverend written shortly after Mr. Dean's arrival in New York City; and, a coverless copy of a printed wedding ceremony, believed to have been torn by James Dean from a larger bound tract. Handwritten in pencil Pier, (Pier Angeli, the actress Mr. Dean was in love with and wanted to marry); according to Nick Adams, a personal friend of James Dean and fellow actor, Mr. Dean told him that he had filled in the blanks with his own hand, contemplating a marriage that never came to be. (4)