James Dean
Cropped screenshot of James Dean in the trailer for the film East of Eden (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
James Dean (1931-55) was an American TV and film actor who starred in three major films: East of Eden (1955), Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Giant (posthumously screened in 1956). He quickly became a symbol for tragic and rebellious youth and an icon for “cool” which lives this day.
In the same league as Humphrey Bogart and Marlon Brando, Dean’s stormy but vulnerable gaze, expressive postures and striking appearance make him a fascinating study. He apparently was a bisexual, which some say contributed to his mystique and widespread appeal (not unlike Rock Hudson and Cary Grant).
He met an untimely death in a car accident while breaking in a 1955 Porsche Spyder, which he bought for sports car races at Salinas, California.
Today, some compare Justin Bieber with James Dean.¹
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¹ http://www.hollywoodlife.com/2012/04/19/justin-bieber-new-pics-motorcycle-james-dean
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Posted on June 25, 2012, in D and tagged cool, hollywood, icons, James Dean, movies, rebels, tragedy. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
Dean was great. The current generation of youth and even preceding ones have no idea of the potential of this actor.
Photo clips promoting “Giant” have a scene depicting Dean with a shotgun crossed over his back in a manner of looking like Jesus on a cross and bending a knee in front of him is Liz Taylor.
See this film and look for that scene. It’s remarkable.
In “rebel” well what can I say? It’s awesome. Dennis Hopper by the way is the only star left from that film that did not die a tragic death. Natalie Wood, drowned. Sal Mineo stabbed to death and Dean in that Porsche Spyder.
In “Eternity” the raw emotions of the character played by James Dean, I yet to have seen in any film.
He is a film legend.
Hi… interesting comments. Thanks. Up here in Canada we have this channel, TCM, which one of my American friends didn’t know about. But I imagine Americans get it on some cable or sat. network? Anyhow, the other night on TCM they were saying that Bogart was arguably the “greatest” of all actors. And I must admit that Dean came to mind…