Griffith Park in Los Angeles in Los Angeles County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
James Dean
1931 - 1955
| | Griffith Observatory | |
Photographed by Craig Baker
1. James Dean Marker
Key scenes from the classic motion picture "Rebel Without a Cause" were filmed at the Griffith Observatory in Spring 1955. Although many movies have been filmed at Griffith Observatory, "Rebel Without a Cause" was the first to portray the Observatory as what it is, and to contribute positively to the Observatory's international reputation. This monument acknowledges Griffith Observatory's long and continuous involvement with Hollywood film production by remembering the young star of that motion picture.
James Dean 1931-1955
This is not a monument to a rebel, those were only roles he played. James Dean was an American original who on a basis of high school honors and a period of five years time rose to the very pinnacle of the theatrical profession, and through the magic of motion pictures lives on in legend.
Presented in 1988 by the artist Kenneth Kendall who sculpted it in 1955-1956 at the request of James Dean and dedicates it to his memory.
It ended with his body changed to light,
A star burns forever in that sky.
"The Flight of Quetzalcoatl" Aztec Poem
Erected 1988 by artist Kenneth Kendall. (Marker Number 168.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space
this page online
Location. 34° 7.113′ N, 118° 18.039′ W. Marker is in Los Angeles, California, in Los Angeles County. It is in Griffith Park. It can be reached from Observatory Road near Vermont Canyon Road. Located on the grounds of the Griffith Observatory. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2800 E Observatory Rd, Los Angeles CA 90027, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in California’s Transverse Ranges. It is also on the American Pacific Coast. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, in the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexicos Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Greek Theatre (approx. 0.3 miles away); Ennis House (approx. half a mile away); Los Feliz Heights Steps (approx. half a mile away); Blackburn Residence (approx. half a mile away); Lovell House (approx. Ύ mile away); Taggart House (approx. Ύ mile away); A Gabrielino Indian Site (approx. Ύ mile away); Jacobson House (approx. Ύ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Los Angeles.
More about this marker. The Griffith Observatory, built in 1935, is Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 168, designated in 1976.
Regarding James Dean. James Dean had visited artist Kenneth Kendall's studio
Photographed by Craig Baker
2. James Dean Marker
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. - Identical bronze bust in Fairmount, Indiana; and the James Dean Memorial in San Luis Obispo County, California.
Also see . . . James Dean - Wikipedia. He was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (Submitted on June 24, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Additional commentary.
1. Griffith Observatory
The observatory was featured in a number of scenes in the James Dean film Rebel Without a Cause; a bust of James Dean was subsequently placed on the observatory grounds. The observatory has appeared in several movies:
Rebel without a Cause The Terminator (revisited as a ruin in 2009's Terminator Salvation) Dragnet (1987) The Rocketeer The End of Violence
Photographed by Craig Baker
3. James Dean Marker
Hollywood Sign in the background.
Earth Girls Are Easy.
The Observatory has appeared in episodes of the following TV shows:
24 (Day 1 3:00pm-4:00pm; aired on March 19, 2002) Adventures of Superman (first episode, as Jor-El's laboratory on Superman's home planet Krypton; some other episodes, as the Metropolis observatory.) Angel (episode "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been," with Angel wearing a red jacket in homage to James Dean's Rebel Without a Cause character). Beverly Hills, 90210 ("Rebel with a Cause", episode 13) CHiPs Danny Phantom (The Amity Park Observatory modeled on The Griffith Observatory.) MacGyver (pilot episode) Mission: Impossible (opening pilot episode) Moonlight Quantum Leap (Goodbye Norma Jean) Remington Steele Rocky Jones, Space Ranger Star Trek: Voyager (two-part episode "Future's End") The Man from U.N.C.L.E The New Adventures of Wonder Woman (between 1977 and 1979) The Simpsons (duplicated as Springfield Observatory) The Wonder Years.
Other media:
Filming location for the music video "Rush Rush" by Paula Abdul starring Keanu Reeves and directed by Stefan Wόrnitzer. The video was based on Rebel Without a Cause.
Photographed by Volker Schmidt, August 27, 2012
4. James Dean Marker
Photographed by Volker Schmidt, August 27, 2012
5. James Dean Marker
Photographed by Craig Baker, June 27, 2021
6. Griffith Observatory
Photographed by Craig Baker, June 27, 2021
7. View of Downtown Los Angeles
Photographed by Volker Schmidt, May 1, 2009
8. Our Solar System
A scale model of our solar system crosses the observatorys sidewalks.
The real solar system is 110 billion times larger.
In this model, one foot equals roughly 20 million miles.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 30, 2026. It was originally submitted on June 24, 2009, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 5,768 times since then and 274 times this year. Last updated on March 3, 2021, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 20, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 4, 5. submitted on September 30, 2012, by Volker Schmidt of Albstadt, Germany. 6, 7. submitted on January 20, 2023, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. 8. submitted on May 7, 2011, by Volker Schmidt of Albstadt, Germany. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
