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Today in History: James Dean killed in Cholame car crash

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 10:36 AM UTC · How we work

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Summary

Story summary

On September 30 1955, American actor James Dean, age 24, died in a head-on collision near Cholame, California, while driving to a sports-car race in Salinas. The crash occurred at the junction of U.S. Route 466 and State Route 41, ending the brief career of the iconic rebel star.

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Story summary

On September 30 1955, American actor James Dean, age 24, died in a head-on collision near Cholame, California, while driving to a sports-car race in Salinas. The crash occurred at the junction of U.S. Route 466 and State Route 41, ending the brief career of the iconic rebel star.