James Dean
Born February 8, 1931
September 30 1955
So much is written on the life of James Byron Dean, that it would be hard to imagine that the young actor only lived to reach twenty four years of age. The combination of his fragile good looks, praised performances and tragic death in a car accident, have lead to Dean being perhaps the ultimate male icon of all time.
Whilst at high school Dean resolved that his life would be dedicated to arts and dramatics. He studied with James Whitmore’s acting workshop and landed parts in commercials and several minor film and stage roles. Whitmore advised Dean to go to New York to pursue his dreams of becoming a star.
James Dean’s first lead role was in the screen adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. His performance as a troubled teenager struck a chord in the hearts of the American youth and young men today still identify with the emotions at the heart of Dean’s performance. Tragically, this was to be the only of Dean’s movies to be released before his death.
Rebel Without a Cause was released a month after Dean’s death. Playing a ‘bad boy from a good family’ as described in its ads, Dean embodied the angst of American youth. His much improvised style lead to a raw, intense performance, with Dean combining aggression and tenderness to become a hero for disenchanted young men.
His last film Giant, starred Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. Jimmie (some argue Jimmy, but sources say he spelt in Jimmie i highschool) played Jett Rink, and ages from boy to man within the film. His character embodies delinquency, genius, recklessness and charm.
Dean’s personal life was taken up with motorbikes, cars, drawing and playing the bongos. Many unsubstantiated stories exist in relation to Dean’s sexuality and love affairs. Claims of homosexual affairs have been made, actress Liz Sheridan has written a book about her love affair with Dean. Dean was reportedly in love with actress Pier Angeli, although the romance was forced to an end by Angeli’s dominating mother who would not allow her daughter to marry a non-Catholic man.
On September 30 1955, Dean and a friend set off for a car race at Palm Beach. Dean had apparently intended to tow the Porsche 550 Spyder, but changed his mind at the last minute. En route a car crossed Dean’s path on the Highway and the two cars collided. Dean was the only fatality of the accident.
Incidentally, the car wreckage was purchased by legendary Hot Rodder George Barris who eventually became exasperated with the vehicle as the Porsche and its parts caused injury and disaster to to many of those who came into contact with it. The whereabouts of the car are now unknown as the car vanished during transportation, along with the truck carrying it and the driver.
