1. Dean told more than one friend that he did not expect to live past 30. When discussing the risk involved in racing cars, he said: “What better way to die? It’s fast and clean and you go out in a blaze of glory.” 2. A few weeks before his death, Dean appeared in a short public announcement about road safety, where he said, “Take it easy driving. The life you save might be mine.”
3. The last time Dean signed his name was for a speeding ticket after being caught driving over 65mph in a 55mph zone.
4. Unlike previous directors, Nicholas Ray, director of Rebel Without a Cause, encouraged Dean’s wild behavior while shooting the film because he believed it suited Dean’s character, Jim Stark.