James Dean

 

James Dean AFI’S 50 GREATEST AMERICAN SCREEN LEGEND

Born	James Byron Dean February 8, 1931 Marion, Indiana, U.S.
Died	September 30, 1955 (aged 24) Cholame, California, U.S.
Cause of death	Vehicle accident
Resting place	Park Cemetery, Fairmount, Indiana, U.S.
Other names	Jimmy Dean
Alma mater	Santa Monica College University of California, Los Angeles
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1950–1955
Notable work	East of Eden Rebel Without a Cause Giant
Home town	Santa Monica, California, U.S. Fairmount, Indiana, U.S.
Religion	Quaker
Awards	Golden Globe Awards (1956) Special Achievement Award Jussi Awards (1955) Best Foreign Actor

James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was an American actor.^[1] He is a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), in which he starred as troubled teenager Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his stardom were loner Cal Trask in East of Eden (1955) and surly ranch hand Jett Rink in Giant (1956). Dean's enduring fame and popularity rest on his performances in only these three films, in two of which he is the leading actor. Dean's premature death in a car crash cemented his legendary status.^[2] He became the first actor to receive a posthumousAcademy Award nomination for Best Actor, and remains the only actor to have had two posthumous acting nominations.^[3] In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him the 18th best male movie star on their AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list.^[4]