Never-before-seen photographs reveal wreckage of Hollywood star James Dean’s fatal 1955 car crash

Dramatic never-before-seen photographs from the wreckage of James Dean’s fatal car crash have been unearthed 64 years after the Hollywood legend’s horrific death.

Black-and-white images of the acting heartthrob’s mangled Porsche 550 Spyder recently resurfaced in a Boston auction house to be sold.

In 1955, motor enthusiast Dean was en route to a racing event in Salinas, California, when he slammed into US Navy veteran Donald Turnupseed’s Ford Tudor, sending the movie star’s much lighter sports car bouncing off and spinning on to the pavement.

While Mr Turnupseed walked away from the wreckage with only a bloodied nose and bruising, Dean suffered a broken neck and died shortly after being rushed to hospital. 

Never-before-seen photographs from from the wreckage of James Dean’s fatal 1955 car crash show the Hollywood legend’s beloved Porsche 550 Spyder mangled and written off after slamming into a Ford Tudor in California

There are interior shots of the wreckage of Dean's car, and one snap reveals the 'Little B*****d' sticker on the bonnet and his racing number, '130'. Dean had been given the crude nickname by stunt driver Bill Hickman and the star decided to call his Porsche the same name

There are interior shots of the wreckage of Dean’s car, and one snap reveals the ‘Little B*****d’ sticker on the bonnet and his racing number, ‘130’. Dean had been given the crude nickname by stunt driver Bill Hickman and the star decided to call his Porsche the same name

Actor James Dean gives a thumbs-up sign from his Porsche 550 Spyder, while parked on Vine Street in Hollywood. Dean, who had taken up racing the year before, owned the car only nine days when he lost his life in a fatal highway accident while driving the Porsche to a Salinas race

Actor James Dean gives a thumbs-up sign from his Porsche 550 Spyder, while parked on Vine Street in Hollywood. Dean, who had taken up racing the year before, owned the car only nine days when he lost his life in a fatal highway accident while driving the Porsche to a Salinas race 

His mechanic Rolf Wutherich, who was in the passenger seat, was flung from the car and sustained serious injured.

These police photos from the scene of the sickening crash illustrate the devastating impact force which killed one of America’s biggest on-screen stars. 

There are interior shots of the wreckage of Dean’s car, and one snap reveals the ‘Little B*****d’ sticker on the bonnet and his racing number, ‘130’.

Dean had been given the crude nickname by stunt driver Bill Hickman and the star decided to call his Porsche the same name. 

The collection of 30 photographs have now emerged for sale $20,000 with RR Auctions of Boston.

They were taken by police officers and later given to the lawyer of the Ford driver when it was thought a court case would brought against him.

The lawyer, Robert Coyle, kept hold of them after the case was dropped and they were inherited by his son who has now consigned them for sale for the first time. 

Dean was en route to a racing event in Salinas, California, when he slammed into US Navy veteran Donald Turnupseed's Ford Tudor (pictured), sending the movie star's much lighter sports car bouncing off and spinning on to the pavement

Dean was en route to a racing event in Salinas, California, when he slammed into US Navy veteran Donald Turnupseed’s Ford Tudor (pictured), sending the movie star’s much lighter sports car bouncing off and spinning on to the pavement

Police photos from the scene of the sickening crash (Porsche pictured) illustrate the devastating impact force which killed one of America's biggest on-screen stars.

Police photos from the scene of the sickening crash (Porsche pictured) illustrate the devastating impact force which killed one of America’s biggest on-screen stars. 

Miraculously, the driver of the Ford, US Navy veteran Donald Turnupseed emerged with just a few facial bruises and a bloody nose.

The vendor, also called Robert Coyle, said: ‘These are official photos taken at the scene after the crash.

‘Our father was the attorney for Donald Turnupseed. When the case was dropped, he was still in possession of the photographs and being a history buff, made sure they were not destroyed.’

As well as photos of the wreckage of the cars taken in the hours after the crash, the album also contains overhead views of the junction of Route 466 and Route 41 where the carnage unfolded, and images of skid marks on the ground.

The shocking images of the destroyed cars were taken by police officers and later given to the lawyer of the Ford driver when it was thought a court case would brought against him

The shocking images of the destroyed cars were taken by police officers and later given to the lawyer of the Ford driver when it was thought a court case would brought against him

The previously unpublished pictures show the wreckage of the Ford lying on the road side after the sports car bounced off the Ford and spun on to the pavement

The previously unpublished pictures show the wreckage of the Ford lying on the road side after the sports car bounced off the Ford and spun on to the pavement 

Bobby Livingston, executive vice president at RR Auction, said: ‘The early death of James Dean reverberates to this day.

‘These never-before-seen images offering an intensely unique perspective of the crash location and the resulting carnage – many of the photos taken only hours after the accident.’

Dean became a cultural icon following his starring role as troubled teenager Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause (1955).

He shared a passion for racing with two other leading men of the era, Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, and had entered his first professional race earlier in the year. 

The collection of 30 photographs s have now emerged for sale $20,000 with RR Auctions of Boston. The lawyer, Robert Coyle, kept hold of them after the case was dropped and they were inherited by his son who has now consigned them for sale for the first time

The collection of 30 photographs s have now emerged for sale $20,000 with RR Auctions of Boston. The lawyer, Robert Coyle, kept hold of them after the case was dropped and they were inherited by his son who has now consigned them for sale for the first time

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk