JAMES DEAN FESTIVAL AND JAMES DEAN MEMORIAL JUNCTION DEDICATION AMONG EVENTS PLANNED FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF JAMES DEAN’S DEATH

Indianapolis, Ind. – Events are unfolding across the country for the 50th Anniversary of James Dean’s death on September 30, particularly during “Anniversary Week,” Sept. 23 - 25. On his way to a car race in Salinas, California, James Dean was killed in a highway accident on September 30, 1955 He starred in only three films before his tragic death on a California highway, yet James Dean has a legacy few can rival.

Two major events during “Anniversary Week” are the James Dean Festival in Fairmount, Ind., Dean’s hometown, and the dedication of the James Dean Memorial Junction at the intersection where he was killed in Cholame, Calif.

The Fairmount Historical Museum is sponsoring the 2005 James Dean Festival in Fairmount, Ind., Sept. 23 - 25. The three-day celebration will include local bands, rides, showings of Dean’s films, a James Dean Rock Lasso contest, a James Dean look-a-like contest and much more. In addition, the 26th Annual James Dean Run will be held Sept. 23 – 25 at Fairmount’s Playacres Park. There will be music, door prizes, a flame throwing contest and a James Dean trivia contest, among other activities.

In addition to the James Dean Festival and James Dean Run, on Tuesday, Sept. 27, the state of California will rename the intersection of Highways 46 and 41, near Cholame, the James Dean Memorial Junction. Two signs reading “James Dean Memorial Junction” will be unveiled by Dean’s cousin Marcus Winslow. Winslow will be presented with a proclamation written by state Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, declaring: “Whereas, Many decades after his death, James Dean remains widely admired as an accomplished actor, and it is appropriate to recognize his contributions through a designation of a memorial junction near the site of his untimely death.”

Hundreds of merchandise programs and promotional campaigns featuring James Dean are managed each year by CMG Worldwide, the business agent for the James Dean Estate. For several decades, leading advertising agencies, as well as Fortune 500 companies such as Ford, Levi Strauss, McDonald’s and Fed Ex, have utilized James Dean’s name and image in their advertising campaigns. James Dean’s good looks and unique style have also been highlighted in successful merchandise programs for a vast array of products including collectibles, die cast, apparel, and car accessories, just to name a few. Some of James Dean’s past and present merchandise licensees include: Action Performance, GIII, Lee, American Greetings, IGT and Porsche. The success of the James Dean brand has resulted in Forbes listing Dean as one of the top-earning dead celebrities almost every year

“James Dean has evolved into a very powerful brand with worldwide recognition. The James Dean brand is synonymous with youth, change, and of course, cool,” said Mark Roesler., Chairman and CEO of CMG Worldwide. “Dean has become a marketing tool for companies across the globe that desire a powerful and popular branded personality to be associated with their product.”

CMG Worldwide also manages JamesDean.com, the official 50th Anniversary portal for all events associated with the yearlong tribute. The site is offering James Dean fans across the globe the chance to watch exclusive, live coverage of the James Dean Festival in Fairmount, Ind. Live web cameras will be set up at the Fairmount Historical Museum, the home of James Dean and Main Street in downtown Fairmount. The exclusive coverage begins Friday, Sept. 23 at 1:00 pm EST. CMG Worldwide Chairman and CEO Mark Roesler will be present at the dedication of the James Dean Memorial Junction in Calif. and will give a synopsis of the event, along with his thoughts and reactions, during a live Web radio broadcast on Sept. 27 at 6:00 pm EST on www.JamesDean.com.


About James Dean:
James Dean had one of the most spectacular but brief careers of any screen icon. In just more than a year, and starring in only three films, Dean became a widely admired screen personality, a personification of the restless American youth of the mid-50s, and an embodiment of the title of his film “Rebel Without A Cause.” En route to compete in a race in Salinas, James Dean was killed in a highway accident on September 30, 1955. James Dean was nominated for two Academy Awards, for his performances in “East of Eden” and “Giant.” To learn more about the festivities surrounding the 50th anniversary of James Dean’s death, visit www.JamesDean.com.

About CMG Worldwide:
Mark Roesler is the Chairman and CEO of CMG Worldwide, the leader in intellectual property rights management. Based in Indianapolis, Indiana and with offices in Hollywood, California and Rio de Janeiro, CMG Worldwide represents over 300 diverse personalities and corporate clients in the sports, entertainment, and music fields. Clients include such legends as James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Duke Ellington, Chuck Berry, Malcolm X, Babe Ruth, Amelia Earhart and Vince Lombardi, as well as prestigious brands such as I NY. To learn more visit us at www.CMGWorldwide.com or www.MarkRoesler.com.

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