born Feb. 8, 1931, Marion, Ind., U.S.
died Sept. 30, 1955, near Paso Robles, Calif.
U.S. film actor.
He played bit parts in four films before trying the Broadway stage, where his role in The Immoralist (1954) led to a screen test and a brilliant though brief movie career. His starring role in East of Eden (1955) brought him an Academy Award nomination. As a misunderstood teenager in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) he personified the confused and restless youth of the 1950s. He was featured as a nonconformist ranch hand in his last film, Giant (1956). His death at age 24 in an automobile crash caused anguish among his fans and contributed to his idolization as a cult figure.
James Dean in Giant (1956).
© 1956 Giant Productions, courtesy of Warner Bros.; photograph, Culver Pictures