Model of James Dean Monument at Griffith Observatory. Numerous movie and television productions have used the Griffith Obser...

Description

Model of James Dean Monument at Griffith Observatory. Numerous movie and television productions have used the Griffith Observatory as a filming location, including The Terminator, The Rocketeer, and Star Trek: Voyager. The best known of these is Rebel Without a Cause, which used the observatory for several key scenes. Decades after the death of James Dean, the observatory decided to pay tribute to the young star by erecting a monument to him on the premises in 1988. This one-of-a-kind 20" model by artist Kenneth Kendall served as a prototype design for the monument, which still stands outside the observatory. A bronze bust sits atop a white column, which contains a gold star and the words "James Dean" written large, plus a bronze plaque commemorating the making of of Rebel. The model is in Excellent condition. From the James Dean Museum archive.

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