Here are some quotes from Jimmy. These quotes were taken from
the book entitled James Dean: In His Own Words:
"I'm not the bobby-sox type and I'm not a romantic leading man. They'll never give me a real chance." (1951)
"I don't want to be [just] the best. I want to grow so tall that nobody can reach me. Not to prove anything, but just to go where you ought to go when you devote your whole life and all you are to one thing."
"My purpose in life does not include a hankering to charm society."
"An actor must learn all there is to know, experience all there is to experience, or approach that state as closely as possible."
"No-one ever did anything for me. I don't owe anything to anyone."
"Have been telling everyone to fuck off, and that's no good. I
couldn't make them believe I was working on my part. Poor Julie Harris
doesn't know what to do with me. Well to hell with her, she doesn't
have to do anything to me."
-LETTER TO NEW YORK GIRLFRIEND (APRIL, 1954)
"I'm really kind and gentle. Things get mixed up all the time. I see a person I would like to be very close to (everybody) then I would be just the same as before and they don't give a shit for me. Then I say something nasty or nothing at all and walk away. The poor person doesn't realize that I have decided I don't like him. What's wrong with people? (1954)
"I try so hard to make people reject me. Why?" LETTER 1954
"Success is only in the mechanics of it. All the rest I have because I'm me and I've got it all."
"I think all of us have a great need to let go. Acting is my outlet."
"People were telling me I behaved like Brando even before I knew who Brando was. I'm not disturbed by the comparison - nor am I flattered." (1955)
"I don't care what people write about me. I'll talk to [reporters] I like. The others can print whatever they please."
"What counts to the artist is performance, not publicity. Guys who don't know me, already they've typed me as an oddball."
"I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world is discovery."
"I'm a serious-minded and intense little devil - terribly gauche and so tense that I don't see how people can stay in the same room as me. I know I wouldn't tolerate myself."
"There really isn't an opportunity for greatness in this world."
"I hate anything that limits progress and growth."
"The only greatness for a man is immortality."
"My mother died when I was nine years old...What does she expect me to do? Do it all by myself." (1955)
"It's...just...that..I...am frightened. Frightened by this success. It's all come too early for me."
"I don't want to burn myself out...I've made three pictures in the last two years."
"I'm a much better actor than what's being done with me at the moment. I'm being inhibited, I'm not able to exercise the full capacity of my abilities."
"I've got a lot of growing up to do yet. I've got to be given time to master the art of handling Hollywood - to learn what to say and what not to say." (April 1955)
"Stevens has been horrible. I sat there for three days, made up
and ready to work at 9 o'clock every morning. By 6 o'clock I hadn't
had a scene or a rehearsal. I sat there like a bump on a log watching
that hog lumpy Rock Hudson making love to Liz Taylor. I'm not going
to take it any more."