Here's the photo of James Dean which inspired a mural on the Brookdale Lodge many years ago (at least 20 that I remember). The mural was pretty good and very memorable in the San Lorenzo Valley...so much so that when the Lodge's new owners decided to paint over it there was a huge outcry. This resulted in a repainting of the image (left) which, well, falls way short in quality compared to the original. Notice in this mural a faint figure to the right of Dean, climbing a ladder putting a big puzzle piece up. Could this be a self portrait of the original muralist, saved from the paint over?

I have been searching for a photo of the original mural. As of yet I haven't found one, but in the process I have discovered that James Dean is a very popular figure in murals! For starters, check out: http://www.americanlegends.com/jamesdean/photos/murals.html
then if that isn't enough, try this: http://www.findamuralist.com/California/jana-pitlova-toluca-lake.php
and okay, so here's the James Dean and Elvis barn in Warwick, New York:
Or how about this fabulous one in Denver:












There are more. Try Googling them yourself and see just how many you can find!