PHOTO: James Dean's bust at Griffith Observatory. (Photo courtesy of Thinkstock)
During a recent trip to Los Angeles we took a ride up to Griffith Observatory for the views, and for its place in pop culture history.
The stargazing facility has been a staple in cinema for more than 50 years appearing in movies like "The Terminator,""Transformers," "The Rocketeer," and "Midnight Madness." But, it is best known as the backdrop of the most memorable scenes in "Rebel Without A Cause."
The classic 1955 film stars James Dean as a troubled teen who is bullied during a field trip, leading to the most famous knife fight ever to grace the big screen.
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This scene was so famous that the Griffith Park Observatory has placed a bronze bust of James Dean on the main lawn. Under the bust there is also a plaque commemorating the making of the movie.
What was surprising to us as we took several obligatory photos of the bust was the number of people who stopped to the read the plaque and commented that they never saw the movie or, worse, never heard of Dean.
If you've never paid a visit to Griffith Observatory, definitely add it to your On Location Vacation Bucket List and, if you haven't already, be sure to check out "Rebel With A Cause" first.
This blog originally appeared on On Location Vacations' website.
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