Muchidiki wake, Dean akatsvaga zano uye hushamwari hwemufundisi weMethodist wemuno, Rev. James DeWeerd, uyo anoita kunge aive nehunyanzvi hwekukurudzira paDean, kunyanya pane zvido zvake zveramangwana mukurwa kwemombe, kumhanya kwemotokari, uye theatre. Sekureva kwaBilly J. Harbin, Dean aive ne "hukama hwepedyo nemufundisi wake, hwakatanga mugore rake rekupedzisira rechikoro chepamusoro uye hwakatsungirira kwemakore mazhinji". Hukama hwavo hwepabonde hwakataurwa mubhuku raPaul Alexander ra1994 Boulevard of Broken Dreams: Hupenyu, Nguva, uye Ngano yaJames Dean.
James Whitmore