Stars & Their Hobbies ~ James Dean

James Dean, Bongo & Conga Drums

"When I can't sleep at night I like to get up and beat the skins. It drives away the blues." - James Dean

Playing the bongo and conga drums was meditative for James Dean. He lived hard and died young but even during his short life he found something that soothed and calmed him. Dean would bring his drums with him on set and play in his dressing room, he would listen to jazz records at home and accompany them with his playing and he would get together with friends and have jam sessions.

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Dean even made an album that featured him on conga drums and Bob Romeo on flute. You can listen to the recording here.

Actor Marlon Brando also loved playing bongo and conga drums. It's suggested that Dean took up this hobby, along with riding motorcycles, to emulate his hero Brando.

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My series Stars & Their Hobbies explores how notable actors and actresses from Hollywood history spent their free time. Click here to view a complete list of entries.

Stars & Their Hobbies - Edward G. Robinson

Edward G. Robinson, Art Collector

“I remember well what it was like to be a true collector, that soft explosion in the heart, that thundering inner 'yes' when you see something you must have or die"- Edward G. Robinson

Edward G. Robinson didn't like to think of himself as a collector. His penchant for fine art was more of an addiction than a hobby. Robinson also collected cigars and records but his passion for art stands out. 

"I am not a collector. I'm just an innocent bystander who has been taken over by a collection." - Edward G. Robinson

Robinson had a collection of over 70 paintings and at one point even started a gallery with actor Vincent Price. Unfortunately, Robinson had to sell most of his original collection to Greek shipping tycoon Stavros Niarchos in 1956 in order to cover the costs of his divorce to Gladys Robinson. He kept collecting after that though and was able to amass a new collection that was even bigger than the first.

Cliff of Immortal Ephemera has two great posts on Edward G. Robinson's hobby: Interpreting and Understanding Edward G. Robinson on Collecting and Edward G. Robinson's World of Art - More Robinson on Collecting. I highly recommend reading them and they were the primary source of information for this post!

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My series Stars & Their Hobbies explores how notable actors and actresses from Hollywood history spent their free time. Click here to view a complete list of entries.

Stars & Their Hobbies - Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy Davis Jr., Photography

"Jerry [Lewis] gave me my first important camera, my first 35 millimeter during the Ciro's period, early '50s, and he hooked me... I met Milton [Greene]. He got me involved with serious photography and using available light." - Sammy Davis Jr.

Sammy Davis Jr. lost his left eye in a car accident in 1954. I like to think that his camera became his second eye, capturing the world around him through a different lens. Sammy Davis Jr. was an entertainer, a movie star and a member of the infamous Rat Pack. He had access to some of the most important people in the entertainment business and used his photography skills to capture images of them at work and at play. If you haven’t read it already, I highly recommend the book Photo by Sammy Davis Jr. I reviewed it a while back. It’s an excellent collection of Sammy Davis Jr.’s photographs including some of his self-portraits.

Sammy Davis Jr. and Jerry Lewis

My series Stars & Their Hobbies explores how notable actors and actresses from Hollywood history spent their free time. Click here to view a complete list of entries.