The Unexpected and Early Death of Promising Actor James Dean
Who can forget this actor’s style?
James Dean had style. Aside from being young and handsome, he carried the promise of a long career in acting.
In 1955, Dean was a 24-year-old actor who had a lot of determination. He liked to race cars. He also brought a different style to the screen with his acting that wasn’t so stiff and straightforward as previous actors.
Dean was born in Marion, Indiana on February 8, 1931. When he was 9, his mother died of cancer. Before then, his father had moved them to Santa Monica, California. With the death of his mother, his father sent him to live with an aunt and uncle but would return to California after finishing high school. He would study theater at the University of California and eventually drop out of college.
Early acting
After a commercial piece for Pepsi and some minor uncredited movie parts, in 1951, Dean moved to New York City. Like other actors, he studied under Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio. Dean had some roles on television and Broadway prior to gaining attention in Hollywood.
Dean’s movies
- 1954 — East of Eden character Cal Trask. This movie was released prior to Dean’s death. He was nominated for…
