jimmy dean biography book

Jimmy Dean was a Grammy Award-winning country musician, actor, television host and entrepreneur. He owned a hog-butchering company that he sold to Sara Lee in 1984.

(1928-2010)

Who Was Jimmy Dean?

Famed country singer and entrepreneur Jimmy Dean first performed publicly with a band called the Tennessee Haymakers. While with the Texas Wildcats, he scored a record deal with Four Star records and, in 1953, his first single became a Top 10 hit. Dean became a co-star in several film and television vehicles. He likewise continued to pursue music, opening a hog-butchering business as well.

Jimmy Ray Dean was born on August 10, 1928, in Olton, Texas, to working-class parents. Raised in Plainview, Texas, Dean's Depression-era upbringing saw him experience abject poverty. His father floated in and out of Dean's early life, once slaughtering the young boy's pet goat in order to put food on the table. His mother sewed clothes for Dean and his siblings using sugar sacks—clothes that brought Dean heavy ridicule from his peers. Dean later credited this hard-knock upbringing with giving him his entrepreneurial spirit, and burning desire to succeed. "I think the kids in school that laughed at the clothes that we wore and the house that we lived in and then my mother had to cut hair ... I think that was a good motivator," Dean later told reporters. "Every time they laughed at me, they just built a fire and there was only one way to put it out—to try and show 'em I was as good as they were."

Dean's only refuge from his difficult life was music. Strict Southern Baptists, Dean's family attended church every week, where Jimmy began singing in the choir. His mother also taught him to play piano at the age of 10, and Dean picked up other instruments along the way, including accordion, guitar and harmonica.

Dean dropped out of high school to help provide for the family. He joined the Merchant Marines at age 16, and two years later he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. During his time as a serviceman, Dean was stationed at Bolling Air Force Base. There he also continued to perform music in Washington, D.C., nightclubs. He first performed publicly with a band called the Tennessee Haymakers and, after his discharge from the military in 1948, remained in the area to form the band the Texas Wildcats. He eventually scored a record deal with Four Star records and, in 1953, his first single, "Bummin' Around," became a Top 10 hit. His charming, folksy personality and business-savvy then helped him land his own radio show on WARL, in Arlington, Virginia, where he performed music and interviewed music stars.

'The Jimmy Dean Show'

Dean turned his successful radio hour into a CBS television show in 1957. Called The Jimmy Dean Show , Dean helped give exposure to then-unknown country stars including Patsy Cline and Roy Clark. Dean continued to experience his own musical successes, as well. In 1961, he released the single "Big Bad John," a song about a brave coal miner who saves his fellow workers during a mine tragedy. The single hit No. 1 on both the country and pop charts, earned Dean a Grammy Award, and put the singer firmly into the mainstream music business.

TV and Film Roles

After Dean's second variety show ended in 1966, Dean became a co-star in several film and TV vehicles, including a role as Daniel Boone's friend in the popular Daniel Boone series (1967–70), and a role in the James Bond movie Diamonds are Forever (1971), starring Sean Connery .

Dean continued to pursue his music career as well. In 1976, Dean achieved another hit with his single "I.O.U.", a tribute to his mother. The song, which was released a few weeks before Mother's Day, quickly reached the Top 10 on the country charts.

Food Business

But Dean, a heavy critic of his own performances, believed he was a terrible actor and musician, and began pursuing other ventures. In the late 1960s, Dean started a hog butchering company with his brother, Don, in his hometown of Plainview. The brothers ground the meat, while their mother seasoned it. Within six months, The Jimmy Dean Meat Co. was already a profitable business. By the late 80s, the Deans were making more than $75 million in profits. Dean sold his company to Sara Lee Foods in 1984, remaining its spokesperson until 2003.

Later Years and Death

In 2004, while living in semi-retirement, Dean released his autobiography, 30 Years of Sausage, 50 Years of Ham . In February 2010, he was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Dean resided in Varina, Virginia, with his wife, singer/songwriter Donna Meade Dean, until their house was destroyed in a fire. Many of Dean's legendary artifacts, including pieces of Elvis and Henson memorabilia, were burned in the tragedy. The couple rebuilt their house on their 200-acre estate shortly before Dean's death on June 13, 2010, at the age of 81.

Dean, who suffered health problems in the last few years of his life, died while eating dinner in front of the television. He was survived by his wife, Donna, as well as three children and two grandchildren.

QUICK FACTS

• Birth Year: 1928
• Birth date: August 10, 1928
• Birth State: Texas
• Birth City: Olton
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Jimmy Dean was a Grammy Award-winning country musician, actor, television host and entrepreneur. He owned a hog-butchering company that he sold to Sara Lee in 1984.
• Business and Industry
• Astrological Sign: Leo
• Death Year: 2010
• Death date: June 13, 2010
• Death State: Virginia
• Death City: Varina
• Death Country: United States

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• I think the kids in school that laughed at the clothes that we wore and the house that we lived in and then my mother had to cut hair ... I think that was a good motivator. Every time they laughed at me, they just built a fire and there was only one way to put it out—to try and show 'em I was as good as they were.

The Biography.com staff is a team of people-obsessed and news-hungry editors with decades of collective experience. We have worked as daily newspaper reporters, major national magazine editors, and as editors-in-chief of regional media publications. Among our ranks are book authors and award-winning journalists. Our staff also works with freelance writers, researchers, and other contributors to produce the smart, compelling profiles and articles you see on our site. To meet the team, visit our About Us page: https://www.biography.com/about/a43602329/about-us

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James Dean : the biography

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James Dean: The Biography Paperback – December 15, 1996

• Print length 336 pages
• Language English
• Publisher St. Martin's Griffin
• Publication date December 15, 1996
• Dimensions 6 x 1 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN-10 031215156X
• ISBN-13 978-0312151560
• See all details

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Griffin; 2d ptg. edition (December 15, 1996)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 031215156X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0312151560
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.1 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1 x 9.25 inches
• #23,402 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies

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Jimmy Dean, country crooner and hometown hero, is also America’s pork prince: 'One hell of a man'

Jimmy Dean’s name greets Americans from coast to coast in the supermarket sausage aisle.

The man himself was a country crooner , talented storyteller and TV host before he became the Texas Panhandle’s Prince of Porkness.

"He’s still our hometown hero," KayLyn Bean, director of the Jimmy Dean Museum in Plainview, Texas , told Fox News Digital.

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"He grew up the poorest of the poor. He was raised by a single mother. She cut hair to make ends meet. That’s what makes it such a great story."

Dean helped remake country music, weekend breakfast and the fortunes of his hometown. 

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

Dean was born in 1928 and dropped out of high school at age 16 to join the U.S. Merchant Marine, during the height of World War II . 

He later enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force and served at Bolling Air Base in Washington, D.C.

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"After his discharge in 1948, he assembled his band, the Texas Wildcats. and worked [in] Washington-area clubs, fire halls and lodges," the Country Music Hall of Fame recounts in Dean’s member biography.

"We played every dive in Washington at one time or another," Dean later recalled. 

"And  dives  is what they were."

He found acclaim for hosting "The Jimmy Dean Show," a nationally televised variety program that featured the top performers of the day. 

Among other acts, it was reportedly the first show to feature Jim Henson's Muppets.

"Big, Bad John," Dean's 1961 Grammy Award-winning crossover hit, reached No. 1 on both the country and pop charts and catapulted him to greater stardom.

"It was country music's first gold record," says Bean of the Jimmy Dean Museum.

GRATEFUL DEAD, STEELY DAN SET ROCKY MOUNTAIN RHYTHM FOR DENVER CHEF JUSTIN CUCCI

The success of the song helped give Dean the muscle to launch the Jimmy Dean Meat Co . with his brother Don in 1969.

"The brothers ground the meat, while their mother seasoned it," according to an account at Biography.com. 

"Eventually the factory employed 150 people and had annual payroll of more than $3 million — sizable figures in a farming town of 18,000 in a time of depressed agricultural prices and dwindling underground water," Texas Monthly reported in a 1983 feature story by Fryar Calhoun.

"It started a hog boom in the Panhandle, an area previously devoted mainly to cotton and cattle."

Dean donated $1 million to Wayland Baptist University in Planview before he died in 2010. His estate continues to support his hometown today. 

Wayland Baptist University announced in January that it received a gift from the Jimmy and Donna Dean Estate. 

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The undisclosed amount, the school said, "was the largest estate gift commitment in the school’s 115-year history."

"Big Bad John," meanwhile, remains Dean’s signature hit. It tells the tale of an imposing drifter with a 6-foot-5-inch frame and violent past who dies saving 20 men in a mine collapse. 

"At the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man," Dean boomed at the end of his legacy recording. 

The last line was later deemed too controversial and changed to "big, big man." 

But you can still find the same original words today.

The phrase "Here lies one hell of a man" is etched into Dean's piano-shaped gravestone in Varina, Virginia.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle .

Original article source: Jimmy Dean, country crooner and hometown hero, is also America’s pork prince: 'One hell of a man'

• Born August 10 , 1928 · Plainview, Texas, USA
• Died June 13 , 2010 · Varina, Virginia, USA (undisclosed)
• Birth name Jimmy Ray Dean
• Prince of Porkness
• Height 6′ 3″ (1.91 m)
• Jimmy Dean, the musician, actor and entrepreneur, was instrumental in the mainstreaming of country music, a genre that now enjoys popularity in some regions of the United States but which, back in the 1960s, was accorded little respect by mass media. Jimmy Dean had a #1 hit in the US and England with his song "Big Bad John," which established his fame, fame that continues to this day due to his long stint as a spokesman for "Jimmy Dean Pure Pork Sausage," a company he founded and then sold to Consolidated Foods in 1984. He continued as the pitchman for the eponymous brand for 20 years. Jimmy Dean, a distant cousin of the actor James Dean , was born Jimmy Ray Dean on August 10, 1928 in Plainview, Texas. He took to the life of a professional singer after serving in the U.S. Air Force during the late 1940s. Dean began building his reputation as a musician touring with his band, The Texas Wildcats, which featured Roy Clark as lead guitarist. In 1953, he scored his first hit, "Bummin' Around." Dean landed a gig as the host of a TV program in the Washington D.C. market, "Town and Country Time." (The District of Columbia has in many ways always been a Southern town.) Dean was a promoter of rising country acts, and such top country singers as Clark and Patsy Cline got their starts with Dean. (He eventually fired Clark but later promoted his career.) Dean subsequently moved to New York after signing with Columbia Records, where he hosted a TV variety show for the CBS network. In 1961, his song "Big Bad John" went to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and won him the 1962 Grammy Award for Best Country & Western Recording. Several of his subsequent songs charted in the Top 40, and he scored a Top 10 hit in 1962 with a song commemorating President John F. Kennedy's patrol torpedo boat, "PT 109." Because of his affability and his burgeoning popularity, he occasionally was booked to guest-host "The Tonight Show." ABC offered him a variety show in the mid-1960s, and Dean used it as a forum to present country music on his terms, as a mainstream entertainment. His show offered the first major TV exposure to a number of country singers, including George Jones , Charlie Rich , and Buck Owens . His show also introduced the first Muppet, Jim Henson 's Rowlf the Dog. Aside from a featured part as a Howard Hughes -like billionaire in the James Bond movie Diamonds Are Forever (1971) (Dean said he was offered the role on the basis of his having had a #1 hit with "Big John" in Britain, which surprised him as it had been a decade before), Dean has mostly stuck to his music and the business he founded in 1969, "Jimmy Dean Pure Pork Sausage." The TV commercials featuring the very likable Dean were the best advertising the new brand could have had, and it became #1 in its product category. In the fall of 2004, Jimmy Dean published his autobiography, "30 Years of Sausage, 50 Years of Ham." He semi-retired and lived with his second wife, the former singer Donna Meade Dean until his death in 2010. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Jon C. Hopwood
• Spouses Donna Meade (October 27, 1991 - June 13, 2010) (his death) Mary Sue Wittauer (July 11, 1950 - October 30, 1990) (divorced, 3 children)
• Children Garry Dean Robert Dean Connie Dean
• Parents Ruth Dean George Otto Dean
• During the run of his TV show, Dean was offered 40% ownership of Jim Henson's Muppets Inc., but he declined because that he felt he didn't have anything to do with Henson's work and it was unfair to profit from the puppeteer's labor. It was a decision of conscience Dean never regretted making.
• Was working at the Desert Inn hotel when he was cast as Willard Whyte in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) . Whyte was clearly modeled after Howard Hughes , who owned the Desert Inn and was therefore, by extension, Dean's employer at the time.
• Founded the Jimmy Dean Breakfast Foods (sausage, bacon, sandwiches, etc.) and Sausage Company in 1969 - out of his Texas hometown, Plainview - and sold it to the Sara Lee Corporation 15 years later, in 1984. Twenty years after that, in 2004, Dean was dismissed by Sara Lee as product spokesman for his own sausage brand. The Chicago-based food products firm retains the rights to Dean's name and likeness. Even years after he passed away, his image and voice are still used in commercials for Jimmy Dean Sausage products.
• In 1963, he became Johnny Carson's first guest host on "The Tonight Show".
• When his "Big Bad John" was first released, it ended with the words "at the bottom of this mine lies one hell of a man". It was changed on later releases to "at the bottom of this mine lies a big, big man".
• When fans ask me for advice, here's what I tell them: "Grin once in a while; it's good for you!"
• Anybody in any business who thinks they can't be replaced should do this: stick their hand in a bucket of water, then pull it out, and see how big a hole it leaves.
• [on ex-bandmate and good friend Roy Clark] Ultimately, I had to drop him from the Texas Wildcats because he just wasn't reliable enough. At the same time, however, I had no doubt in my mind that he'd soon be among the biggest names in country and western. Sure enough, when I went about getting Roy on my show 8 years later, it was a frustrating process to track him down. I was like, "Roy, I can understand *you* having an unlisted phone number, but *your agent*?"

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Here's Who Inherited Jimmy Dean's Money After He Died

Jimmy Dean was one of country music's biggest stars. He was a Grammy-winning artist who was best known for his hit song "Big Bad John, "and today, food products with his name on them can be found in millions of American kitchens. 

The Texas-bred singer was born on August 10, 1928, in Olton, Texas, says Biography . His birth name was Jimmy Ray Dean, and he grew up poor in the city of Plainview. Very early on, though, he discovered a talent in his love for music by playing a variety of instruments. But growing up in poverty meant struggle, and this led Dean to drop out of school when he was a teenager to join the U.S. Air Force. While in service, he performed music, which helped get him signed to a label and earned him a radio show in the '50s. His show eventually ended up on television, and he was a recognizable figure in entertainment with "The Jimmy Dean Show." Success quickly came to Dean in music, television, and even in business. 

In the late '60s, Dean stepped into the entrepreneurial ring by launching the Jimmy Dean Meat Company . It was a triumph — Dean earned millions and turned into a sausage king. He sold his company in 1984 but remained a spokesman for it until 2003. Dean died on June 13, 2010, at the age of 81 of natural causes, per Rolling Stone .

The heir to Jimmy Dean's estate

At the time of his death, Jimmy Dean was married to his second and last wife, Donna Meade Dean. The couple had no children, but Dean had three with his first wife, Mary Sue Wittauer  — two sons, Robert and Garry, and a daughter named Connie. He was survived by all of his children and his wife when he died.

Dean was a famous man in entertainment and business as well as the news. He often made headlines for his money and legal issues and was sued often. Notably, Dean was sued by his own brother , his ex-wife , and even his divorce lawyer . When he died, Dean was worth $50 million, says Celebrity Net Worth . In 2014, his remarried widow shared that she was still investing in the home they shared. According to Dean's widow, she's spent $1 million on a home makeover since his death (via the  Richmond Times-Dispatch ). Just over a month before he died, the home was reconstructed following a devastating fire.

Seemingly, the majority of Dean's money went to his widow, Donna Meade, who continues to live on their Virginia estate, where he is also buried (via CMT ). She is responsible for the management of the Dean Family Estate (via Find a Grave ). "I promised Jimmy I would maintain it so that it looked like it belongs to him still, and no amount of money could buy it from me. I'm the steward of this property, she said.

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Country Music Hall of Fame Singer Jimmy Dean Dies at 81

By Daniel Kreps

Daniel Kreps

Country music singer and sausage company founder Jimmy Dean passed away at his Henrico, Virginia home this weekend at the age of 81. According to a brief statement by Jimmy’s wife Donna, Dean died of natural causes Sunday night, June 13th. Dean, who was experiencing health problems recently but was otherwise in good shape, was eating and watching television when Donna Dean found him unresponsive, CBS News reports . “He was amazing,” Donna Dean said of her husband. “He had a lot of talents.” Funeral service information is pending. Dean’s death comes just four months after he was named to this year’s Country Music Hall of Fame class. He was due to be inducted officially in October.

Over the course of his long career in entertainment, Dean was a singer, television host, actor and the spokesperson for the sausage company that he founded and to this day still bears his name. As the host of The Jimmy Dean Show in the late 1950s, Dean helped launch the careers of Patsy Cline and Roy Clark. In 1961, Dean had a Number One hit with the song “Big Bad John,” which won him a Grammy for Best Country & Western Recording. The song was later covered by Johnny Cash and Charlie Daniels. Dean had another country chart-topper with “The First Thing Ev’ry Morning (And the Last Thing Ev’ry Night)” in 1965. However, in the later part of the decade, Dean became more well known as a television personality, occasionally guest-hosting The Tonight Show and leading a second Jimmy Dean Show , where he developed a memorable rapport with the Muppets’ Rowlf the Dog (watch the video below).

After butchering hogs with his family in his youth, Dean and his brother formed the Jimmy Dean Sausage brand in 1969, and Dean served as its spokesperson until 2004, the same year he released his autobiography Thirty Years of Sausage, Fifty Years of Ham . The company was sold to the Sara Lee Corporation in 1994. As an actor, Dean most notably appeared as a billionaire in the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever . He also starred in episodes of Murder, She Wrote , Daniel Boone and Fantasy Island and appeared in the film Big Bad John , based on his hit song.

Dean is survived by his wife, three children and two grandchildren. Watch clips from his career below:

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Jimmy Dean Biography: Early life, Acting Career, Businesses, Death

Jimmy Dean is an American actor and entrepreneur. He was also known as Jimmie Dean and James R. Dean Jr. Jimmy Dean passed away in 2010 at the age of 81. His fortune was estimated at $50 million. Jimmy Dean served in the military when he was a young age. He was also an actor in Hollywood who released music albums.

He had businesses in the food industry and real estate. He rose to fame in the early 60s and remained one of the most loved celebrities till his death. In this blog, we will look at how he went from being a country singer to a well-known TV host and actor.

Jimmy Dean’s Biography: Born Place, Early Life, and Education  

 Jimmy Dean was born in Olton, Texas on 10 August 1928. He was the son of George Otto Dean and Ruth Dean. His father was a farmer and his mother was a homemaker. Jimmy Dean had 2 siblings:  Billy Dean , and  Don Dean Jimmy Dean dropped out of high school when he was a sophomore in 1944 to help support his family. He joined the Air Force and served for two years. After his discharge from the Air Force, he attended Hart College in Artesia California on the G.I. Bill. Jimmy Dean began his acting career in 1950 with a small role in the film noir “The Killer That Stalked New York”. He appeared in several other films throughout the 1950s including “Rebel Without a Cause”, “Giant”, and “East of Eden”. In 1955, he starred in the television series “The Jimmy Dean Show”. The show was a hit and lasted only one season.

Jimmy Dean’s Family, Wife, and Children  

Jimmy Dean was born with USA citizenship, He was the youngest of three children. His father was a farmer and his mother was a homemaker. Jimmy has two siblings   Jimmy Dean began acting in school plays and community theatre when he was a teenager. He briefly attended Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, before moving to Hollywood to pursue an acting career.

On 11 July 1950 Jimmy married his first wife Mary Sue Wittauer and this couple has 3 Children: Connie Dean, Robert Dean, and Garry Dean, but after a long 40 years relationship, this couple was separated on 30 Oct 1990 and just 1-year late jimmy married to his second wife Donna Meade on 27 October 1991 both couples live together till his death.

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Jimmy Dean’s Age, Height, and Weight

Jimmy Age was 81 years till his death, his Height was 6′ 1″ (1.85 m), and jimmy’s weight was 63 kg. 

Jimmy Dean’s Acting Career

Jimmy Dean’s acting career began in 1954 when he landed a role in the film “East of Eden.” Dean’s performance in the film earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. After “East of Eden,” Dean went on to star in several other films, including “Rebel Without a Cause” and “Giant.” Dean’s success as an actor paved the way for his eventual transition into country music.

In the 1960s, Dean became a successful country music singer, releasing several hit songs, such as “Big Bad John” and “The Jimmy Dean Theme.” Despite his success in both acting and music, Dean is perhaps best remembered for his role as the spokesperson for Jimmy Dean sausage.

What Was the Jimmy Dean’s Famous For?

 Jimmy moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. He had some success, appearing in films such as Giant (1956) and Rebel Without a Cause (1955). However, he is best known for his work on television. Dean starred in the CBS western series Rawhide from 1959 to 1966. He also hosted The Jimmy Dean Show, a variety show that aired on ABC from 1963 to 1966. In 1969, Jimmy started a company called Jimmy Dean Foods. The company sold sausage under the Jimmy Dean brand name. It became a successful business and made Jimmy Dean a millionaire many times over.

List of Top Jimmy Dean’s Movies and Movie Shows?

Jimmy Dean was born in 1928 in Olton, Texas. He was the youngest of three brothers. His father, George Washington Dean, was a farmer and his mother, Alta Mae Dean, was a housewife. Jimmy Dean dropped out of high school in his junior year to help support his family during the Great Depression. He began his acting career in the early 1950s with a few small roles in movies and TV shows. In 1954, he landed a major role in the film “East of Eden” starring James Dean. The movie was a hit and made Jimmy Dean a household name. He went on to star in several more films including “Giant” (1956), “Rebel Without a Cause” (1955), and “The Searchers” (1956). In the 1960s, Jimmy Dean turned his attention to country music. He recorded several hits including “Big Bad John ” and “ The First Thing I Do Each Morning. ” He also hosted his TV show, “The Jimmy Dean Show,” which featured country music and guests from Hollywood.

Jimmy Dean’s Company

Jimmy Dean’s Company – Jimmy Dean Foods Jimmy Dean Foods is a food company created by country singer and actor Jimmy Dean in 1969. The company sells breakfast sausages, biscuits, and other breakfast foods. Jimmy Dean Foods is headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company was founded by Jimmy Dean and his brother Don in 1969. The brothers started the company after they bought a sausage-making business in Plainview, Texas. The business had been owned by their father, who died in 1966. Jimmy Dean Foods offers a variety of breakfast foods, including sausages, Pancakes & Waffles mixes, oatmeal, and yogurt parfaits. The company also makes lunchmeat and hot dogs under the Jimmy Dean brand name.

Jimmy Dean’s Legacy and iconic status

Jimmy Dean was an American actor, musician, and businessman. He is best remembered for his role as J.D. Pickett in the television series The Virginian and his work as a country music singer-songwriter.  As a teenager, Dean began acting in local theater productions and soon caught the attention of Hollywood talent scouts. In 1950, he made his film debut in a small role in the cowboy comedy They Died with Their Boots On starring Errol Flynn. Dean’s big break came two years later when he landed the lead role of J.D. Pickett on the NBC western television series The Virginian opposite James Drury. The show was a hit and made Dean a household name.  

He also continued to act occasionally, appearing in films like Giant (1956) with Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean and Cool Hand Luke

What was Jimmy Dean’s Net Worth 

Jimmy Dean’s net worth was estimated to be more than $50 million at the time of his death. He made his fortune through a variety of businesses and investments, including his successful acting career.

Controversies

There have been several controversies surrounding Jimmy Dean throughout his life. One of the most well-known is his arrest in 1969 for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. This led to a brief suspension from his show, The Jimmy Dean Show. Another controversy arose in 1974 when it was revealed that Dean had an affair with country singer Loretta Lynn. This caused a great deal of backlash from both fans and the media.

Awards and Achievements?  

-In 1956 Nominee Oscar-Best Actor in a Leading Role Giant 

-Same Year In 1956 Nominee Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role East of Eden (1955),

-In 1957 Winner Henrietta Award World Film Favorite – Male Posthumously.,

-In 1960 Winner Starred on the Walk of Fame Motion Picture On 8 February 1960. Posthumously. At 1719 Vine Street. and many more

Jimmy Dean’s Death 

Dean starred in several other films including Giant (1956), Rebel Without a Cause (1955), and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (2010). He was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor posthumously for his role in East of Eden. 

And on 13 June 2010, Jimmy Dean Died in Varina, Virginia, United States and the reason was James Dean killed in an accident

The late Jimmy Dean was a man of many talents. He was an actor, singer, and businessman who made a lasting impact on the entertainment industry. His life was not without tragedy, but he persevered and continued to achieve great things. Dean will be remembered as a true pioneer in the world of entertainment.

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Singer, sausage businessman Jimmy Dean dies

Jimmy Dean, a country music legend for his smash hit about a workingman hero, "Big Bad John," and an entrepreneur known for his sausage brand, died on Sunday. He was 81.

His wife, Donna Meade Dean, said her husband died at their Henrico County, Va., home.

She told The Associated Press that he had some health problems but was still functioning well, so his death came as a shock. She said he was eating in front of the television. She left the room for a time and came back and he was unresponsive. She said he was pronounced dead at 7:54 p.m.

"He was amazing," she said. "He had a lot of talents."

Born in 1928, Dean was raised in poverty in Plainview, Texas, and dropped out of high school after the ninth grade. He went on to a successful entertainment career in the 1950s and '60s that included the nationally televised "The Jimmy Dean Show."

In 1969, Dean went into the sausage business, starting the Jimmy Dean Meat Co. in his hometown. He sold the company to Sara Lee Corp. in 1984.

Dean lived in semiretirement with his wife, who is a songwriter and recording artist, on their 200-acre estate just outside Richmond, where he enjoyed investing, boating and watching the sun set over the James River.

Devastating fire gutted home in 2009 In 2009 a fire gutted their home, but his Grammy for "Big Bad John," a puppet made by Muppets creator Jim Henson, a clock that had belonged to Prince Charles and Princess Diana and other valuables were saved. Lost were a collection of celebrity-autographed books, posters of Dean with Elvis Presley and other prized possessions.

Donna Meade Dean said the couple had just moved back into their reconstructed home.

With his drawled wisecracks and quick wit, Dean charmed many fans. But in both entertainment and business circles, he was also known for his tough hide. He fired bandmate Roy Clark, who went onto "Hee Haw" fame, for showing up late for gigs.

More recently, a scrap with Sara Lee led to national headlines.

The Chicago-based company let him go as spokesman in 2003, inciting Dean's wrath. He issued a statement titled "Somebody doesn't like Sara Lee," claiming he was dumped because he got old.

"The company told me that they were trying to attract the younger housewife, and they didn't think I was the one to do that," Dean told The Associated Press in January 2004. "I think it's the dumbest thing. But you know, what do I know?"

Sara Lee has said that it chose not to renew Dean's contract because the "brand was going in a new direction" that demanded a shift in marketing.

A musical life Dean grew up in a musical household. His mother showed him how to play his first chord on the piano. His father, who left the family, was a songwriter and singer. Dean taught himself to play the accordion and the harmonica.

His start in the music business came as an accordionist at a tavern near Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., where he was stationed in the 1940s. After leaving the Air Force in 1948, he fronted his band, the Texas Wildcats, and drew a strong local following through appearances on Washington-area radio.

By the early 1950s, Dean's band had its first national hit in "Bummin' Around."

"Big Bad John," which is about a coal miner who saves fellow workers when a mine roof collapses, became a big hit in 1961 and won a Grammy. The star wrote it in less than two hours.

His fame led him to a string of television shows, including "The Jimmy Dean Show" on CBS. Dean's last big TV stint was ABC's version of "The Jimmy Dean Show" from 1963 to 1966.

Dean in February was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame. He was to be inducted in October and his wife said she thinks he was looking forward to it.

Dean became a headliner at venues like Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl and became the first country star to play on the Las Vegas strip. He was the first guest host on "The Tonight Show," and also was an actor with parts in television and the movies, including the role of James Bond's ally Willard Whyte in the 1971 film "Diamonds Are Forever."

In the late '60s, Dean entered the hog business — something he knew well. His family had butchered hogs, with the young Dean whacking them over the head with the blunt end of an ax. The Dean brothers — Jimmy and Don — ground the meat and their mother seasoned it.

The Jimmy Dean Meat Co. opened with a plant in Plainview. After six months, the company was profitable.

His fortune was estimated at $75 million in the early '90s.

Having watched other stars fritter away their fortunes, Dean said he learned to be careful with his money.

"I've seen so many people in this business that made a fortune," he told the AP. "They get old and broke and can't make any money. ... I tell you something, ... no one's going to play a benefit for Jimmy Dean."

Dean said then that he was at peace at his estate and that he had picked a spot near the river where he wanted to be buried.

"It's the sweetest piece of property in the world, we think," he told the Richmond Times-Dispatch. "It sure is peaceful here."

Jimmy Dean Biography

No stranger to hard work, Jimmy Dean grew up on a Texas farm. After dropping out of school at age 16 and serving in the merchant marine and Air Force, Dean began his music career with the band the Tennessee Haymakers. A popular country singer, Dean's song "Big Bad John" spent five weeks at No. 1. It was his musical career that brought Dean to the small screen, headlining with the Texas Wildcats on national television from 1957 to 1959. Other TV credits include roles on Daniel Boone, J. J. Starbuck, and his own variety series, The Jimmy Dean Show (1963-1966). In addition, television viewers watched Mr. Dean's 30 years of commercials promoting sausages from the Jimmy Dean Meat Company, which he started in 1969. Jimmy Dean died of natural causes at his home in Varina, Va. at the age of 81.

Jimmy Dean can be credited with giving the first Muppet his big break. Jim Henson's Rowlf was a regular guest on The Jimmy Dean Show .

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