James Dean's Hollywood Date Night with future 'Bond Girl' Ursula Andress
by Katie Dessin October 15, 2019
James Dean's sexuality is still a highly discussed topic when it comes to old Hollywood mysteries. Friends and family have identified him as "gay", although in past interviews he would deny claims, but not entirely shut them down. It's most likely that Dean's sexuality was more complicated than black and white and it's suspected he identified with being bisexual or something similar. Regardless of his orientation, while in the spotlight he did have a few romances with some of Hollywood's most beautiful women. This includes his short-lived fling with future Bond Girl actress, Ursula Andress.
She was just 19, and Dean 24, when they began their relationship. It was rumored to be rocky right off the bat, so it didn't last long. It's believed by many that their relationship was a publicity move. One of their most public moments as a couple was at the Thalian's Ball at the famous Ciro's Nightclub in 1955.
Because the two didn't have a very stable relationship, tabloids had a field day reporting on all the drama between them. On their first date, before Dean was supposed to travel to Texas to film GIANT, he didn't leave such a great impression with the Swiss actress. While at a Jazz Club, Dean abandoned Andress to play drums with the band. His date didn't appreciate this much and left shortly after. "I don't like to be alone, so I went home," she explained. Being the gentleman that James Dean is, he drove up to Ursula's house to apologize and take her out for hot chocolate.
This would seem to set the tone for their relationship. It was reported by the press that Dean had been practicing German so he could argue with Andress, since she wasn't very fluent in English yet. Both actors described their relationship as passionate, and full of arguments. "We fight like cats and dogs. No, on second thought, like two monsters," Dean described. "But then we make up and it's fun. Ursula doesn't take any baloney from me and I don't take any from her. I guess it's because we're both so egotistical."
Frank Worth (1923 - 2000) was an American photographer who befriended and photographed many Hollywood actors and actresses between 1939 and 1964. His black and white candid pictures are unusual for the era, when most stars limited themselves to carefully posed glamour portraits. He kept many of his photographs private so that they were not seen until after his death. He was rumored to have had affairs with several of his subjects including Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield; he confirmed his affair with Monroe shortly before his death.
Worth was born in New York City. He became interested in photography in high school. Moving to Hollywood, he made friends with Rudy Vallee and his wife, who allowed him to live with them and introduced him to other stars. Among his early subjects was Rita Hayworth, then an unknown starlet. Worth became a friend of numerous well-known actors and actresses including James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Jimmy Cagney. These friendships plus "a knack for being in the right place at the right time" allowed him to capture unique images of the stars. He gradually gave up photography and fell into poverty but he refused to sell the photographs of the people who had been his friends. After his death in December 2000, his cousin acting as executor found more than 10,000 negatives in his apartment. Eventually a friend realized the possible value of the photos and formed a company to publish them. They were the subject of several heavily publicized exhibitions, including one in London in 2002, which Christie's auction house described as "the most extraordinary collection of its kind for the past 50 years.
To celebrate what would have been his 100 birthday, The Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin, which was founded in 2003, honored the special anniversary with a large public exhibition featuring his most popular images.
Slim Aarons Four Kings Of Hollywood image identifies film stars Clark Gable,Van Heflin, Gary Cooper, and James Stewart handsomely attired in tuxedos enjoying a New Year's Eve drink and laughter at the landmark Romanoff's restaurant in Beverly Hills, California.