The James Dean legend will be with us for a long time. His life ended in an automobile accident at the age of 24 and his early demise adds to the aura that surrounds the young Hollywood actor who starred in only three movies: East of Eden, Giant, & Rebel Without a Cause. All three movies were hits but it was Rebel Without a Cause that made the actor's reputation. His performance in that movie as a young man confronting the somewhat typical problems of youth made him a hero to the young generation of that era who always felt they were ignored.
But Dean appealed to more than just the young. He also appealed to adult men and women in his movies.
I personally saw East of Eden first and I was astounded that an inexperienced actor like James Dean could put in such a fine acting performance. The movie became a favorite of mine I then saw Rebel Without a Cause and, later, Giant. These were good movies although neither was as good as East of Eden in my opinion.
In each of his three movies, I felt he represented me (I was a very young man at the time) at the same time he played himself. Yes, how could Dean have missed being a hit in the three movies. In each, he played his own disturbed self. He was the voice of youth.
He loved fast cars and initial reports were that he was speeding when his fatal accident occurred. But reliable experts now say he was probably not traveling over 55 miles per hour.
There have been many questions about James Dean & sex and he was rumored to be either a homosexual, a bisexual, and even a heterosexual. But what does it matter? He was a young man who liked to experiment. We should judge him strictly by his acting skills.
1. James Dean - Wikipedia reviews the life and acting career of Dean. A Hollywood immortal!
First, there was John Garfield. Then came Humphrey Bogart. Later came Marilyn Monroe. In between, there was James Dean. These Hollywood celebrities will live forever!
Last Updated: December 11, 2009
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