The Untold Truth About James Dean’s Hidden Romance And A 70-Year Scandal
A new book reveals startling details about screen legend James Dean’s private life and a secret payment made in 1954. The information comes from documents kept hidden by Dean’s agent for seven decades.
This Story Has Never Been Told Before
Author James Colavito’s new book, Jimmy: The Secret Life of James Dean, released on 19 November, brings forward new facts about the ‘East of Eden‘ star. The book details Dean’s connection with Rogers Brackett, a radio director and TV producer.
In 1954, before the premiere of East of Eden, Dean made an $800 payment to Brackett – equivalent to $14,500 in today’s money. The payment came with a signed letter of apology from Dean.
The CBS Studios Connection
The story begins at CBS Studios, where Dean worked as a parking attendant after leaving UCLA. Brackett, who noticed the young actor, offered him a role in the radio drama Alias Jane Doe and later provided him housing.
Brackett spoke about their connection: “Jimmy was like a child. He behaved badly just to get attention… he was a kid I loved, sometimes parentally, sometimes not parentally.”
The situation changed when Dean landed his role in East of Eden. Brackett, who had lost his job, requested financial compensation for his earlier support. After initial resistance and a heated argument, Dean agreed to weekly payments of $100.
Warner Bros. also provided Brackett with a substantial “finder’s fee” to maintain discretion. The documents revealing these events remained hidden in Dean’s agent’s private collection for 70 years.
A film based on William Bast’s memoir, Dean’s UCLA classmate and former roommate, is currently in development. The biopic will focus on Dean’s early years in Hollywood.
Colavito told the Daily Mail: “All parties involved worked hard to make sure no one ever found out. The only reason we know about it today is that Dean’s agent secretly kept copies of his papers hidden away for decades.”
