10.One of his favorite hobbies was playing the bongos.
11.James died less than one month before the release of his most well-known and iconic film, Rebel Without a Cause.
12.Two hours before his fatal accident, James was issued a speeding ticket.
13.James was not driving alone when he got into the accident, his mechanic Rolf Wuetherich was in the passenger seat. Rolf suffered serious head injuries and a broken leg, but survived the crash.
14.At the time of his death, James was signed to star in Somebody Up There Likes Me, the role went to Paul Newman and it helped launch his career.
15.James was the first actor to ever get posthumous acting nomination in Academy Awards history. He was nominated for Best Actor for his role in East of Eden.
16.In 1957, James received his second consecutive posthumous Best Actor Academy Award nomination for his role in Giant.