We’re transporting you to Hollywood’s Golden Age where stars had glitz, glamor, and… car racing? Let’s dive into the life and legacy of star James Dean before his tragic and untimely death. Right as his career would take off, James Dean crashed his Porsche Spyder aptly named “Little Bastard” and died on impact. After that, the remnants of Little Bastard were involved in several eerie events, including tire explosions, unexplained fires, and too many crush injuries to count. Could Little Bastard carry a curse?
Tune into this episode of Spectral as we unwrap the Spyder’s lack of safety, the possibility of a curse, and where you could even see the last confirmed parts of Little Bastard. Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all other podcast streaming platforms.
For pictures and more information, please follow us on Instagram & Threads @thespectralpod and check out our resources below. If you want to send us a story or recommendation, email us: spectralpod@gmail.com.
Resources
Berg, Nik. “The haunting story of James Dean’s Little Bastard.” Hagerty, 01 Sept. 2020, https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/the-haunting-story-of-james-deans-little-bastard/.
James Dean: A Life from Beginning to End. CREATESPACE INDEPENDENT P, 2018.
Pridgen, Andrew. “A California highway, a horrific crash and why a cruse car part sold for $382,000.” SF Gate, 14 Feb. 2022, https://www.sfgate.com/centralcoast/article/Cursed-James-Dean-car-part-sells-16907965.php.
Puckett, Johnny. “The Curse Of The ‘Little Bastard’: Fact, Fiction, Or Horrible Coincidence.” Motorious, 27 Oct. 2021, https://www.motorious.com/articles/features-3/the-curse-of-the-little-bastard/.
Spyscape. “James Dean & the Vanishing ‘Little Bastard’”. Spyscape, Accessed 9 Nov. 2023, https://spyscape.com/article/the-vanishing-little-bastard.
The Auto Insider. “The Curse of James Dean’s ‘Little Bastard’.” Jalopnik, 31 Dec. 2008, https://jalopnik.com/the-curse-of-james-deans-little-bastard-5113390.
Welford, John. “The Curse of Little Bastard.” Medium, 15 May 2022, https://medium.com/@johnwelford15/the-curse-of-little-bastard-130ab9fbe766.
