Scott Brimigion
THE PHOTOS
These are photographs taken at dfferent events and castings, with me playing James Dean.
My first contest, my first time as Jimmy in the public's eye. It was held at Ellen's Stardust Diner in New York. This event really changed my life. When I was choosen as the best look-a-like and did the first talk show appearance on the Joe Frankln Show it paved the way for me to want to see and learn more about James Dean. That's when I first met David Loehr. David told me if I really wanted to be involved and learn more about Jimmy that I needed to go to Fairmount Indiana. There is a contest each year in Town Square in Fairmount. The best look-a-likes compete on a stage at the back of the town square. When I compete it was on a flat bed eighteen wheeler. There is a contest now that also includes the children that look like him. The weekend of activities are all held to honor Jimmy. I did go to Fairmount for many years in September. I won the contest in his home town. I was choosen as the best James Dean by the artist, Kenneth Kendall who sculpted his bust. The plaque I won that year had the first cancelled stamp issued to the Fairmont Post Office. I hold the award close to my heart.
Joe Franklin, known as Mr Hollywood has had a Radio or Talk show for over forty years. Joe Franklin and Adrian Zmed were the judges at my first James Dean look-a-like contest. While on Joe's show it was stated that I was James Dean reincarnated. It was a real complement. I always thought that if I could spark the memory of a old fan or create a new fan, that I had done my part as a look-a-like.
The famous bust of James Dean was done by Kenneth Kendall..It is at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. I grabbed a police barrier and pulled it over to the statue so I could get up on the same level as the bust. We shot this photograph..It was the first time that I was in L.A. It's one of my favorite pics..I was told that there used to be another bust like this at the cementery where Jimmy is buried...it was cut off it's post many years ago and never seen again.
This picture was one of my first true James Dean photographs. It was taken when I was twenty four. I did not have the photo of Jimmy at the time it was shot. The picture was so close to the one I found of James Dean that I wanted to show them together. They say that everyone has a double running around in the world. I'm blessed to have looked like James Dean.
There was a Walking Tour that I went to years ago. It lead the fans to all the most important significant locations in James Dean's life in New York. It was combined with a woderful lunch at a West Village Vintage Pub and time with a knowledgable tour guide. Someday I'd like to lead that tour again, but I was younger then. We shot this picture close to the exact spot that James Dean did when he worked with, Dennis Stock. The Walking Shot in Times Square, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," is the essencne of all that Jimmy stands for as Actor, an Icon, and a Legend.
I got a call from an Agent for a job to represent James Dean at the 50th Birthday party for a millionaire who lived in Scottsdale AZ. He had just sold his interests in a company and made 50 million dollars. He had Jerry Mathers and Ken Osmond (The Beaver and Eddie Haskell). He also had Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball and me as Jimmy flown in from California. I had a Limo from my house to LAX and a Limo from the Scottsdale airport to the Hilton in Scottsdale. I was given a suite for two hours just to get ready for the appearance that evening. When the party was over I was asked to return to celebrate final constuction of his new mansion. He gave me an envelope with eight fifty dollar bills as a tip and sent back by Limo to the airport to return to Los Angeles. What a great time. I felt so spoiled!
There is a display in Fairmount Indiana, where Jimmy grew up and is now buried. I had the honor of getting up on the stage while hundreds of photographs were taken. I have always been treated very well by his family. I had the priveledge of unveiling the James Dean stamp for the United States Post Office with Marcus Windslow, who is James Dean's Cousin. That was an amazing day and a great memory.
This was shot from the spot where the Porsche Spyder settled after the crash that took James Dean's life on September 30th 1955. Ironically the scenery looks very much like the scenery from "Giant," James Dean's last film. When the police first found the wreckage they didn't know that it was Jimmy because his hair was still white-gray because he was finishing the last parts of the film as the older Jet Rink.
I responded to an advertisement in the Daily News. There was going to be Look-a-ike contest to honor James Dean's Birthday at the Stardust Diner in New York City. The Judges were talk show host Joe Franklin and Actor Adrian Zmed. I was awarded best James Dean for New York. The prize was a Black leather jacket and an appearence on the Joe Franklin Show. I had an image of myself as James Dean air brushed on the back of the jacket. I made several appearances on the Franklin show from that contest. The jacket got stolen from the hotel room in Anderson Indiana where I was making an Appearance as James Dean by someone from the staff. I've never seen the jacket again.
If anyone ever sees a black leather jacket with a picture of James Dean, a 1949 Merc, and a full moon on the back please let me know.
This is the monument that was donated by Japanese business man, Seita Ohnishi. It's wrapped around an old oak tree in Cholame Ca. The momnment was placed nine hundred yards up the road from where the crash occured that took James Dean's life on September 30th 1955. I spend the time there on the 30th when I can't go to Fairmount. The fans I've met there feel connected to Jimmy when they stop by the Monument. There is a Fifties style restaurant called the Jack Ranch Cafe, where you can have a cheese burger and a milk shake right next to the monument.
This sign is on the lawn at the James Dean Gallery in Fairmount. It is run by David Loehr. He has a most extensive collection of James Dean memorabilia. It can take hours for fans to see everything that David and his mate Lenny Prussack have aquired over the years. The Gallery is definitely a place that people should seek out if they would like to feel close to James Dean. I have spent many days over the years sitting on the porch at the Gallery greeting fans.
The festivities in James Dean's home town include a collectable car and motor cycle show. I have always loved old cars. On the weekend of the "Rebel Run" in September there are thousands of vintage cars on display. On Saturday morning of the James Dean weekend the cars all participate in a parade. I always sit in a convertable and wave to the fans the parade is as hometown america as it gets. I have always felt a warm welcome by the towns people and the Wndslow Famiily, James dean's remaining family members.
This Poster of Jimmy, was on the wall at Ellen's Stardust Diner the day I won my first contest.
I had no idea that winning that look-a-like contest, would lead to over 20 years of work portrayng James Dean. I'm so proud to have worked with so many incredible look-a like talents. I have worked with the best Marilyn Monroe's and the best Sophia Loren. I appeared wth one of the best Elvis Presley's at Courtney Love's daughter's Birthday party. They actually had a pony stashed away in the lower area of the guest house. I appeared in full atire as the character of James Dean with the Red Jacket from Rebel and the cigarette in my mouth as a prop, it wasn't lit. They told me that there would be photos of guests with the stars when the party was finished. Chilren are so smart. She was a young teenager at the time. Maybe even youger. I'll never forget what she said to me. "lose the cigerette, now, you know that's bad for your health!" For the rest of the job I did all the photos with out a prop cigerette.
One of the hottest magizines at that time in Parris, was Depeche Mode, they hired me to do the cover of their magazine. We shot at Conny Island in Brooklyn New York. It was unreal. It was the middle of the winter. It was like twenty degres out and we were be being pelted by the wind from the ocean. With the wind chill factor it was maybe 5 degree and the wind would not let up that day. It was so cold that day that I thought, at least the I'm in a "Trench Coat," my hands were so cold.
This was an interesting project done in the studio. It depicts the pain, torment. and struggle. It also reflects the increadible amount of cool that Jimmy projected.
This photo is from my first movie. It was called JAR, Johnny's Always Running. The director Michael Nash met with me and gave me two weeks to learn my lines. I come back from Heaven as an Angel to stop A young man from comitting Suicide on his parents grave. He is traveling down Old RT66 to go kill himself and he meets his soul mate. She chases him to try to stop him from blowing his brains out. I hope that someday the film will be released so that James Dean fans can see it. Please try to help me to get Michael Nash to release the film.
This is one of my favorite pieces of art. It was drawn by a very famous person, Samual Bayer 35 years ago. He was my brother's friend and he respected me because I was a professional model working in New York. Not only is he a very talented artist but now he is a famous Director in Hollywood. I feel proud to call him a friend. He was maybe twenty when he sketched this from memory in less than 5 minutes. I wish I had his talent. I kept it all these years.
This was the other piece of art that Sam Bayer did for me when I was in the hieght of my look-a-like career. It has a timeless look. My duaghter thinks that it reminds her of the, "Outsider's. It was a film wth Patrick Swayze and many other up and coming stars.
The artist that did this drawing holds a special place in my heart. I hope I can find him again some day. I'd like to thank him for making the drawing me, but also focusing on James Dean. So many talented people contrbuted to my destiny that I could never thank all of them.
