James Dean

Biography:

James Dean was an American actor who became one of the leading figures in the cultural imagery of cinema of the 1950s despite having appeared in three major films in his lifetime. Born on February 8, 1931, in Marion, Indiana, Dean started his career in television and theater productions before heading to Hollywood. James Dean gained recognition by taking part in television programs and the film East of Eden (1955), produced by Elia Kazan. The film marked Dean as a significant talent in acting and presented an emotionally powerful style of acting typical for the new generation of Method actors by playing the character of Cal Trask – the rebellious son who tries to win the love of his father.

The other two performances that Dean is widely recognized for are Rebel Without a Cause (1955) as a rebel Jim Stark and Giant (1956) where Dean played the role of a determined rancher Jett Rink. Both films resulted in posthumous nominations for the Best Actor Oscar and thus made James Dean the first actor to be nominated twice for acting Oscar posthumously. James Dean died in a car accident on September 30, 1955, at the age of 24 before Rebel Without a Cause and Giant had been released.