William Bast James Dean
🛑 ALL INFORMATION CLICK HERE 👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻
William Bast James Dean
Deliver to
Russian Federation
Don't Change
Change Address
Books
›
Biographies & Memoirs
›
Arts & Literature
Unable to add item to List. Please try again.
Sorry, there was a problem. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Please try again.
Sorry, there was a problem. List unavailable.
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Listen Playing... Paused You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. Learn more
Surviving James Dean Hardcover – April 20, 2006
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
4.6 out of 5 stars
61 ratings
Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. Try again.
A beautifully written memoir, candid and definitive, that tells the story of Bast's five year relationship with the charismatic actor and American legend—James Dean.
Bast, a TV writer and journalist, was infatuated with James Dean (1931–1955) from the moment they met (at UCLA in 1950). A closeted gay man, Bast had a crush on the brooding, unknown actor and had a brief fling with him. This work records their close friendship, Dean's rise to stardom and the years following his premature death at age 24. Dean's troubled life is well documented, and Bast isn't interested in repeating his previous James Dean, a Biography , written in 1956. At the time, Bast was loathe to reveal his homosexuality or Dean's affairs with men. He now hopes to make up for his "youthful shortcomings and omissions." The hook is Dean's sexuality, which Bast explores in detail, discounting his relationships with women and focusing on those with men, including a stint with a notorious "chicken hawk," an older man who fancies younger guys (Bast quotes Dean saying of the union, "I paid my way"). This simple, heartfelt book records Bast's coming out and the long-term impact Dean had on his life. 16-page b&w photo insert not seen by PW . (Apr.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publisher
:
Barricade Books (April 20, 2006) Language
:
English Hardcover
:
320 pages ISBN-10
:
156980298X ISBN-13
:
978-1569802984 Item Weight
:
1.25 pounds Dimensions
:
6.41 x 1.06 x 9.36 inches
4.6 out of 5 stars
61 ratings
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Top reviews
Most recent
Top reviews
After dodging the issue for decades, Mr. Bast finally revealed- as a senior in his seventies- what everyone associated with the Dean legend more or less already knew. Okay, after approximately four years, he and Dean one night became lovers just before the filming of East of Eden, and shortly before the soon-to-be famous actor deceitfully wrote his NYC girlfriend Barbara Glenn that he hadn't "been to bed with nobody..." How their relationship would have evolved is always a challenging thought, part of the many "what ifs", had Dean not died in 1955. Bast's memoirs are sentimental and sophisticated, as he was by trade, an experienced writer. But the possible idea that Dean would have lived in total monogamy with him for the rest of their lives, is unrealistic, and Bast realizes this. Majestically speaking, Dean belonged to no one person. No doubt, their partnership would have been challenged many times over, had he lived. One of the displeasing facts Bast reveals is how Dean lied to him about Elizabeth "Dizzy" Sheridan, a girl who he passionately loved and who had- during their year-long relationship- made him very happy; telling Bast that they were not serious, but only "fooled around", lying to him in order to set the stage for their own sexual experiences with him. Despite these personal inconsistencies, this is a good reading source for those who enjoy memoirs from those who related to Dean on an intimate level during the short time he lived after leaving Indiana. The Epilogue, where he examines his own fading mortality in comparison to the friend-turned-icon who "left him behind", is a poignant epitaph, and beautifully written. Bast died at eighty-five of Alzheimer's Disease in 2015- so it is very good that he was able to deliver this deep and honest effort before his cognitive abilities deteriorated. A good literary effort from a man who outlived his phenomenal friend, just shy of sixty years. Thank you.
"When Jimmy drove into oblivion, he didn't take my love with him. It lived on to torment the rest of my days with a simple question: What if? Why did destiny step in just as I finally made my decision to go for broke? Whatever the explanation, that choice, long avoided, having been snatched away before it could be realized, has cost me dearly. I have known loss, of course - not just Jimmy's, but many others since - some near, some dear, others less so, but all painful to bear, like the host of friends and acquaintances who fell victim to AIDS, especially in the early years. The trouble is, despite having known loss, I have never learned to survive it well. I grieve too hard and too long. At such times, I would rather be stone. Unfortunately, I can't change my composition, and of all those losses I have had to bear, the effect of Jimmy's has endured the longest." This was a beautifully written memoir of Bill's life, with a lot of James Dean in it. From when they met at UCLA in 1950, until Jimmy's unfortunate death in 1955. They became friends at first, though Bill secretly crushed on his handsome friend. They were roommates, then their ways parted for a while when Jimmy went to New York, but in the end they always found their way to each other again. When they went away together for a weekend to Borrego Springs, sharing a room, James finally invited William into his bed, asking him why he took so long. But of course their relationship had to be kept secret; Jimmy, the rising moviestar, the dream of many women all over the world, could never reveal his sexuality. William understood and was fine with a role in the margins of Jimmy's life. And just as they both decided they would search for a place to live together - for the outside world as 'roommates and friends' - James was taken away. When William describes his reactions to the phonecall he received about James's accident, I got goosebumps all over. The emotions, his grief is palpable. To imagine your best friend, the love of your life probably, be taken away from you just when you both had decided to chose a life together, that's absolutely impossible. And at such a young age. Such a promising, beautiful life gone in just a second. The story continues with the author describing the aftermath of Jimmy's death. The tabloids, the rumors, the absurdity of how far fans would go in their admiration and grief. Guys who wanted to bed him because he had been the one in James Dean's bed, men who didn't want him for who he was, but just because he could tell them about James Dean. It's painful to read how he had to learn to be aware of people's sincerity and honesty. "Jimmy remains alive in my mind's eye, alive and forever young, as he was when we first met and when we last parted. Perhaps this should please me, yet, in fact, it saddens me. You see I never had the reward of watching him grow older, more mature, of watching him evolve into a long-loved friend and companion. On the other hand, I, in my mirror, grow alarmingly older, year after year, and now only vaguely familiar, while he, in ads, on book jackets, souvenir T-shirts, video covers, in ancient publicity photos, on never-ending television and cable reruns of his films, he remains alive and young and immediate. In this sense, it could be argued that he has fulfilled his fondest dream. He has become as immortal as any modern icon can hope to be. Eternally James Dean." This is not a James Dean biography like any other. It's a recollection of memories, of a life spent with one of the few who made it to eternity. It's an interesting inside story of the man James Dean, not the actor. It's also an interesting view of time, of the fifties, of how life and morals were back then, of the Hollywood life. I really enjoyed William Bast's writing, his descriptions of time and places, of people and of his love for James. When this book was first published a year after James's death, it was highly censured, because the reality of their friendship could not be told yet. But like a friend suggested, William wanted to remember the real Jimmy, the man he had known and had called his best friend for five years. He didn't want to lose that image and that feeling in the hoax that started right after he died - the truth and untruth about him, the wild rumors, the false memories of people who just wanted their spotlight and used Jimmy for that. I, for one, am happy that William decided to be honest and open in this 'new' biography he wrote several years later (in 2006). It's interesting to see how his life developed since then, and what the years did to create the mythical James Dean. He got to witness his friend and lover grow into eternity from the day he died, and yes, it must have pleased him, since it was the wish James had had - to be remembered for eternity. But it must also have saddened him. The constant reminder of the much too early passing of the man he loved. "For those who are remembering the dead, there is a vast difference between photographs and motion pictures. In photos, the dead are still and somehow safely distant; in movies, they come alive again and can be far too real to bear." William Bast, the author of this book, sadly passed away in 2015. According to Wikipedia, he died of Alzheimer's disease. And that's one thing that really saddens me.
Well written and achingly honest it seems, and yet for all the angst and tribulation Bill went through knowing Jimmy, I can't help but feel a small sense of hypocrisy at the same time. Bill made a lot of money off his connection with Jimmy, not to mention the people he met and the opportunities he was able to acquire from having been so close to him. Bill did know Jimmy longer than most anyone else in his orbit, which is true. Many people used the fact that they knew Jim briefly. Lew Brakcker who's sold books and made money off his BRIEF (about a year or less) friendship with Jimmy. Same with Liz Sheridan, tho she knew him longer, and Billy Gunn and even Roy Schatt who made a lot of money off his pics of Jimmy. Bill knew him the longest, and therefore there's more of a complete picture of Jim. I have absolutely no doubt, had Jimmy lived, he would have moved on from a relationship with Bill for the long haul. A friend in Manhattan that just passed, in his '80's, who was also a friend of Jimmy's in New York in 1952-3 told me Jim was like a chameleon... whomever he was with saw different sides, the ones he wanted to reveal. Other people saw different things.
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase I've read a lot of DEAN biographies including Bill Basts original politically correct/censored 1956 bio on DEAN. While I can't remember specifics about the 56' version, this updated and frank telling of Bast and Dean's 5 year friendship, was refreshing. Bast dispells some Dean rumors that have continued to flourish over the years and gives more insight to the complicated and sometimes frustrating friendship between the budding writer and starving actor. One feels Bast pain at losing not only a possible future companion but the simple and tragic loss of a close friend at the peak of his artistic creativity. "What might have been" is always at the heart of any good Dean biography, and Bast, as well as future actors and film goers were robbed on that sunset evening of Sept. 30, 1955.
A fascinating read. This is a must for James Dean fans.
5.0 out of 5 stars
very honest and interesting bio
I've read a lot of DEAN biographies including Bill Basts original politically correct/censored 1956 bio on DEAN. While I can't remember specifics about the 56' version, this updated and frank telling of Bast and Dean's 5 year friendship, was refreshing. Bast dispells some Dean rumors that have continued to flourish over the years and gives more insight to the complicated and sometimes frustrating friendship between the budding writer and starving actor. One feels Bast pain at losing not only a possible future companion but the simple and tragic loss of a close friend at the peak of his artistic creativity. "What might have been" is always at the heart of any good Dean biography, and Bast, as well as future actors and film goers were robbed on that sunset evening of Sept. 30, 1955.
Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations
Conditions of Use Privacy Notice Interest-Based Ads © 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required . Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader .
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
All Titles TV Episodes Celebs Companies Keywords Advanced Search
Fully supported English (United States) Partially supported Français (Canada) Français (France) Deutsch (Deutschland) हिंदी (भारत) Italiano (Italia) Português (Brasil) Español (España) Español (México)
Jump to:
Overview (4) |
Mini Bio (1) |
Trivia (3)
Veteran screenwriter, mostly for TV. A close friend, and one-time roommate, of James Dean, he has assisted several of Dean's biographers over the years.
Portrayed by actor Michael Brandon in James Dean (1976).
He was the life partner of Paul Huson for 49 years.
Filmography
by Year
by Job
by Ratings
by Votes
by Genre
by Keyword
Did You Know?
Personal Quotes
Trivia
Trademark
Photo & Video
Photo Gallery
Trailers and Videos
Opinion
Awards
Related Items
Credited With
News
External Sites
Professional Services
Get more at IMDbPro
a list of 568 people
created 02 Jan 2015
a list of 2497 people
created 31 May 2013
a list of 712 people
created 25 Nov 2016
a list of 19 people
created 19 Oct 2013
a list of 801 people
created 07 Jan 2015
William Bast, the Edgar-winning TV screenwriter, was the first biographer of cinema icon James Dean , his close friend and lover. Bast and Dean me
Avbabe
Anal Ouch
Alexandra Shipp Naked