James Dean Molested by Minister, Elizabeth Taylor Revealed

Source: Huffington Post

James Dean's short life is now known perhaps more in legend and lore than solid fact, but even he had a secret no one knew. Except for Elizabeth Taylor.

Kevin Sessums, writing for The Daily Beast, reveals that in a wide ranging interview with the just passed Taylor, the famed actress let him in on a secret about Dean that she had promised she'd keep forever. Sworn to secrecy until Taylor's death, Sessums revealed the hidden past of the Rebel Without a Cause.

"When Jimmy was 11 and his mother passed away, he began to be molested by his minister," Taylor said. "I think that haunted him the rest of his life. In fact, I know it did. We talked about it a lot. During 'Giant' we'd stay up nights and talk and talk, and that was one of the things he confessed to me."

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/25/james-dean-molested-by-minister_n_840495.html

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The truly sad thing is that you are probably as surprised by this as I am, i.e., not at all.

Perhaps that minister, in his own way, helped kill James Dean, by creating the perpetual need for escape that would compel a person to, for example, drive a car at insanely high speeds.

In memory of Dean's (until now)unknown suffering at the hands of that clerical monster, I'd like to post this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwys2HoX5wI

Another vehicle turned in front of him.

n/t.

My own personal life motto.

"Dean sought the counsel and friendship of Methodist pastor Rev. James DeWeerd. DeWeerd seemed to have had a formative influence upon Dean, especially upon his future interests in bullfighting, car racing, and the theater. According to Billy J. Harbin, "Dean had an intimate relationship with his pastor... which began in his senior year of high school and endured for many years."<6>"


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dean

Your post reads like 'It's not the fact your parachute did not open it's the sudden stop at the end.'

the probability of death and destruction caused as a vehicle's speed increases approaches infinity. This means that if you speed you have a greater propensity to kill or be killed when your rate of speed increases. So when Dean's car drove along at what police estimates rate at 'about 100 mph' he had a far greater chance of an accident had he been traveling at say half that rate. So speed does kill.

What you were expecting the old theory that people 'proved' that the railroad could never exceed 25 mph. At this speed they thought that all the air would be sucked out of the moving vehicle and the occupants would be asphyxiated.

Was as common as dirt in the 50's. It was the cool thing to do at the time, like smoking. No one really knew how dangerous it was.

"Acting out" is, after all, one of the classic signs.

have been.

I saw it played in some TV bio on Dean (E! Network maybe?)

IIRC, it was part of the sentence a judge gave Dean for one of the times Dean had been caught speeding. If so, that was on smart and then up to date judge.

For gawd sakes he was only 24 when he died.

and accepting. I love her.

She wanted to marry Montgomery Clift but didn't know he was gay.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/james-dean#ixzz1HhJAUGbf

Elizabeth Taylor gave instructions to remain mum on the subject until after her death, however, which lends credence.

Dean sought the counsel and friendship of Methodist pastor Rev. James DeWeerd. DeWeerd seemed to have had a formative influence upon Dean, especially upon his future interests in bullfighting, car racing, and the theater. According to Billy J. Harbin, "Dean had an intimate relationship with his pastor... which began in his senior year of high school and endured for many* years."<6>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Dean

*Inasmuch as Dean died at 24, it couldn't have been very many years.

I guess the news here is the source-- Elizabeth Taylor, who is known for her candor. (Burton supposedly said, "The woman never has an unexpressed thought.) And she cited Dean himself as her direct source.

Some things are just better left unsaid...

:puke:

Even if it is strange and fucked up and turns your stomach.

All the parties involved are, more than likely, dead by now. I just don't see any purpose in airing it all now.

then yes, the public can deal with it.

Secrets fester. It's probably why he opened up to Liz - he needed to.

All we can do is weep for those passed and knowing what they suffered stop others from suffering so.

and remained troubled about it until his untimely death has no possibility of helping anyone?

of you don't understand. It Took me till I was 48 to figure out my own father was molested as a boy, What I was subject to while growing up was not pretty. Homo Phobia, constant questioning of my sexuality,and not politely, ("Are you a fag boy?") My own Homophobia wasn't overcome till I was in my 30's.(Thank you IB you were the best friend I ever had.) The pain and fear J.D. went through especially at that time must have been overwhelming. R.I.P. J.D.

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regardless of which gender they or their victims are. Your post screams of either homophobia or rationalizing pedophelia...or both.

"authority" on many occasions. Too often, we live in a sanitized version of the world, it may seem like it's better that way, some things we learn of turn our views upside down. It is important to bring things like this out into the open though, not as condemnation of the victims, but to find those that would prey on youngsters. Abusing a child is something that I cannot find any empathy for the abuser. Male, female, makes no difference to me...child abusers should be seen for what they are, predators among one of the weakest elements of our society, our children.

Most of these kids who are abused have yet to come to grips with their sexuality or gender identification, at 11, and after the trauma of losing a parent, Dean was "easy pickings" for an abuser. No child should have to go through that. Abusers rely on silence and coercion, they often threaten others...and when victims do speak up, too often they are not believed.

Dean had a promising career, I can't say this had had anything to do with his untimely death, but it had a lot to do with his life, sadly, far too many others live with every day...and their tormentors too often remain free.

that dean got killed....

everyone was weary of that spot

I wrote an article about it over a year ago. It's hardly a secret. Unfortunately, there are still a lot of Dean biographies out there that cast James DeWeerd (the molester)as Dean's "mentor and friend."