James Dean

The American actor James Dean became a profound cultural symbol during the 1950s. James Dean was born in February of 1931 and died tragically in a car crash on September 30, 1955. He is best known for his films, Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden, and Giant. Dean lived a wild and tempestuous life. When he was only nine years old, his mother died of cancer, and he was sent to Indiana to live with relatives on a farm.

He was always interested in drama, but he focused on basketball during high school. He enrolled in college in Los Angeles and frustrated his father by switching his major from pre-law to drama. Dean's decision to go into acting caused a rift with his father that permanently damaged their relationship.

After graduating from Santa Monica College, Dean tried to get a foothold in the acting world. Although, he got gigs on a game show and a Coca Cola commercial, he couldn't pay the bills. In order to survive, he had to take a job as a CBS parking lot attendant. In the 1950s, Dean fled the West Coast for New York City, where he slowly but steadily built up his credits on TV shows and stage performances.

Thanks to a very solid performance in The Immoralist, a play penned by Andre Gide, Dean managed to get cast in motion pictures. Although he only made three major motion pictures, Dean proved to be an onscreen natural. He won multiple academy awards, including a nomination for East of Eden which he received posthumously. Dean tapped into his internal tumult to express the unbridled angst of the youth of his generation, and his raw, honest performances are what keep his legend alive today.