Moments Before James Dean’s Untimely Demise, A Mechanic Heard His Final Words

Silver-screen icon James Dean was only 24 years old when he died in a terrible car crash. And his untimely passing only served to further cement his legendary status – both as a movie star and as a figurehead of American youth. Not everyone succumbed to the wreck in which Dean perished, though. You see, there had been a passenger in the car with him: mechanic Rolf Wütherich, who miraculously survived the incident. Wütherich was close enough, too, to hear Dean’s final words. But just what did the actor utter in his last minutes on Earth?

Starting Out Strong

What’s more, cars had been a passion of Dean’s well before the accident. After finishing filming on East of Eden in 1954, he had even started buying up vehicles in preparation to become a racer. And in March 1955 he competed in his first racing competition, where he did very well – finishing second overall.

Too Dangerous

Dean went on to take part in another race in May 1955, although a piston blowing in his car ultimately meant he couldn’t finish. And despite the fact that he had only gotten started in his new career, this would also end up being his last event. During the making of the movie Giant, you see, he had been banned by Warner Bros. from taking to the track.

Breaking In The Spyder

Ultimately, though, Dean wanted to get back in the game, and so he planned to compete in a Californian race in October 1955. In preparation, then, he took to the road in his Porsche Spyder alongside photographer Sanford Roth, stunt coordinator Bill Hickman and mechanic Rolf Wütherich. Wütherich had previously told Dean to break in the car by driving it beforehand.

A Fateful Evening

Dean was also ticketed for speeding mere hours before the crash on September 30, as apparently he had been driving 65 mph in a 55 mph zone. Hickman, who had been in the car behind, also received a ticket. Then, after that, both vehicles headed down a shortcut named “the racer’s road.” And Dean, going faster than Hickman, tragically collided head-on with another car at 5:45 p.m.