James Dean

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But removing unused languages, unused templates, and most redlinks, and exposing references.  In addition changes from 22 Aug 2008 forward are original work.</td><td>http://www.livefastdieyoungbook.com/index_files/sal_mineo_james_dean.jpg<br>James Dean and Sal Mineo</td></tr></table>
 
But removing unused languages, unused templates, and most redlinks, and exposing references.  In addition changes from 22 Aug 2008 forward are original work.</td><td>http://www.livefastdieyoungbook.com/index_files/sal_mineo_james_dean.jpg<br>James Dean and Sal Mineo</td></tr></table>
 
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'''James Byron Dean''' (8 Feb 1931 &ndash; 30 Sep 1955) was a two-time Oscar-nominated [[United States|American]] film actor. Dean's status as a cultural icon is best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'', in which he starred as troubled high school rebel Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his star power were as the awkward loner Cal Trask in ''[[East of Eden]]'', and as the surly farmer Jett Rink in ''[[Giant]]''. His enduring fame and popularity rests on only three films, his entire starring output. His death at a young age helped guarantee a legendary status. He was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only person to have two posthumous acting nominations (although other people had more than one posthumous nomination in other Oscar categories).
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'''James Byron Dean''' (8 Feb 1931 &ndash; 30 Sep 1955) was a two-time Oscar-nominated [[United States|American]] film actor. Dean's status as a cultural icon is best embodied in the title of his most celebrated film, ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without a Cause]'', in which he starred as troubled high school rebel Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his star power were as the awkward loner Cal Trask in ''[[East of Eden]]'', and as the surly farmer Jett Rink in ''[[Giant]]''. His enduring fame and popularity rests on only three films, his entire starring output. His death at a young age helped guarantee a legendary status. He was the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and remains the only person to have two posthumous acting nominations (although other people had more than one posthumous nomination in other Oscar categories).
  
 
==Early life==  
 
==Early life==  
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Dean got his first acting job in a Pepsi Cola television commercial.([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfikxbS4zE Youtube: 1950 Pepsi commercial]) He quit college to act full time and was cast as John the Beloved Disciple in "Hill Number One", an Easter television special, and three walk-on roles in movies, ''Fixed Bayonets'', ''Sailor Beware'', and ''Has Anybody Seen My Gal''. His only speaking part was in ''Sailor Beware'', a Paramount Pictures comedy starring [[Dean Martin]] and [[Jerry Lewis]];  Dean played a boxing trainer.  While struggling to get jobs in Hollywood, Dean also worked as a parking lot attendant at CBS Studios, during which time he met Rogers Brackett, a radio director for an advertising agency, who offered Dean professional help and guidance in his chosen career, as well as a place to stay.(Bast, W., ''Surviving James Dean'', New Jersey: Barricade Books, 2006, On Dean's relationship with Brackett, see also Hyams, ''James Dean: Little Boy Lost'', p.79.)
 
Dean got his first acting job in a Pepsi Cola television commercial.([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfikxbS4zE Youtube: 1950 Pepsi commercial]) He quit college to act full time and was cast as John the Beloved Disciple in "Hill Number One", an Easter television special, and three walk-on roles in movies, ''Fixed Bayonets'', ''Sailor Beware'', and ''Has Anybody Seen My Gal''. His only speaking part was in ''Sailor Beware'', a Paramount Pictures comedy starring [[Dean Martin]] and [[Jerry Lewis]];  Dean played a boxing trainer.  While struggling to get jobs in Hollywood, Dean also worked as a parking lot attendant at CBS Studios, during which time he met Rogers Brackett, a radio director for an advertising agency, who offered Dean professional help and guidance in his chosen career, as well as a place to stay.(Bast, W., ''Surviving James Dean'', New Jersey: Barricade Books, 2006, On Dean's relationship with Brackett, see also Hyams, ''James Dean: Little Boy Lost'', p.79.)
  
In October 1951, following actor James Whitmore's and his mentor Rogers Brackett's advice, Dean moved to New York City. In New York he worked as a stunt tester for the ''Beat the Clock'' game show. He also appeared in episodes of several CBS television series, ''The Web'', ''Studio One'', and ''Lux Video Theater'', before gaining admission to the legendary Actor's Studio to study "Method acting" under Lee Strasberg. Proud of this accomplishment, Dean referred to the Studio in a 1952 letter to his family as "The greatest school of the theater. It houses great people like [[Marlon Brando]], Julie Harris, Arthur Kennedy, Mildred Dunnock.... Very few get into it... It is the best thing that can happen to an actor. I am one of the youngest to belong."(''Surviving James Dean''). His career picked up and he performed in further episodes of such early 1950s television shows as ''Kraft Television Theater'', ''Robert Montgomery Presents'', ''Danger'' and ''General Electric Theater''. One early role, for the CBS series, ''Omnibus'', (''Glory in the Flower'') saw Dean portraying the same type of disaffected youth he would later immortalize in ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'' (this summer, 1953 program was also notable for featuring the song "Crazy Man, Crazy", one of the first dramatic TV programs to feature rock and roll music). Positive reviews for his 1954 theatrical role as "Bachir", a pandering North African houseboy, in an adaptation of André Gide's book ''The Immoralist'', led to calls from Hollywood.(Reise, R. ''The Unabridged James Dean'', 1991)
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In October 1951, following actor James Whitmore's and his mentor Rogers Brackett's advice, Dean moved to New York City. In New York he worked as a stunt tester for the ''Beat the Clock'' game show. He also appeared in episodes of several CBS television series, ''The Web'', ''Studio One'', and ''Lux Video Theater'', before gaining admission to the legendary Actor's Studio to study "Method acting" under Lee Strasberg. Proud of this accomplishment, Dean referred to the Studio in a 1952 letter to his family as "The greatest school of the theater. It houses great people like [[Marlon Brando]], Julie Harris, Arthur Kennedy, Mildred Dunnock.... Very few get into it... It is the best thing that can happen to an actor. I am one of the youngest to belong."(''Surviving James Dean''). His career picked up and he performed in further episodes of such early 1950s television shows as ''Kraft Television Theater'', ''Robert Montgomery Presents'', ''Danger'' and ''General Electric Theater''. One early role, for the CBS series, ''Omnibus'', (''Glory in the Flower'') saw Dean portraying the same type of disaffected youth he would later immortalize in ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without a Cause]'' (this summer, 1953 program was also notable for featuring the song "Crazy Man, Crazy", one of the first dramatic TV programs to feature rock and roll music). Positive reviews for his 1954 theatrical role as "Bachir", a pandering North African houseboy, in an adaptation of André Gide's book ''The Immoralist'', led to calls from Hollywood.(Reise, R. ''The Unabridged James Dean'', 1991)
  
 
=== ''East of Eden'' ===
 
=== ''East of Eden'' ===
 
In 1953, director Elia Kazan was looking for an actor to play the role of "Cal Trask" in screenwriter Paul Osborn's adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel ''[[East of Eden]]''.  The book dealt with the story of the Trask and Hamilton families over the course of three generations, focusing especially on the lives of the latter two generations in Salinas Valley, California in the mid-1800s through the 1910s. However, the film chose to deal predominantly with the character of Cal Trask, who is essentially the rebel son of a pious and constantly disapproving father (played by Raymond Massey), and estranged mother, whom Cal discovers is a brothel-keeping madam (Jo Van Fleet).  
 
In 1953, director Elia Kazan was looking for an actor to play the role of "Cal Trask" in screenwriter Paul Osborn's adaptation of John Steinbeck's 1952 novel ''[[East of Eden]]''.  The book dealt with the story of the Trask and Hamilton families over the course of three generations, focusing especially on the lives of the latter two generations in Salinas Valley, California in the mid-1800s through the 1910s. However, the film chose to deal predominantly with the character of Cal Trask, who is essentially the rebel son of a pious and constantly disapproving father (played by Raymond Massey), and estranged mother, whom Cal discovers is a brothel-keeping madam (Jo Van Fleet).  
<table><tr><td>Elia Kazan said of Cal before casting, "I wanted a [[Marlon Brando|Brando]] for the role." Osborn suggested to Kazan that he consider Dean for the part. After introducing Dean to Steinbeck, and gaining his enthusiastic approval, Kazan set about putting the wheels in motion to cast the relatively unknown young actor in the role. On 8 Mar 1954, Dean left New York City and headed for Los Angeles to begin shooting. Dean's performance in the film foreshadowed his role as Jim Stark in ''[[Rebel Without A Cause]]''. Both characters are rebel loners and misunderstood outcasts, desperately craving parental guidance from a father figure.</td><td>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/James_Dean_in_East_of_Eden_trailer_2.jpg<br>Dean as Cal Trask in ''East of Eden''.</td></tr></table>
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<table><tr><td>Elia Kazan said of Cal before casting, "I wanted a [[Marlon Brando|Brando]] for the role." Osborn suggested to Kazan that he consider Dean for the part. After introducing Dean to Steinbeck, and gaining his enthusiastic approval, Kazan set about putting the wheels in motion to cast the relatively unknown young actor in the role. On 8 Mar 1954, Dean left New York City and headed for Los Angeles to begin shooting. Dean's performance in the film foreshadowed his role as Jim Stark in ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without A Cause]''. Both characters are rebel loners and misunderstood outcasts, desperately craving parental guidance from a father figure.</td><td>http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/James_Dean_in_East_of_Eden_trailer_2.jpg<br>Dean as Cal Trask in ''East of Eden''.</td></tr></table>
  
 
Much of Dean's performance in the film is completely unscripted, such as his dance in the bean field and his curling up and pulling his arms inside of his shirt on top of the train during his ride home from meeting his mother. The most famous improvisation during the film was when Cal's father rejects his gift of $5,000 (which was in reparation for his father's business loss). Instead of running away from his father as the script called for, Dean instinctively turned to Massey and, crying, embraced him. This cut and Massey's shocked reaction were kept in the film by Kazan.
 
Much of Dean's performance in the film is completely unscripted, such as his dance in the bean field and his curling up and pulling his arms inside of his shirt on top of the train during his ride home from meeting his mother. The most famous improvisation during the film was when Cal's father rejects his gift of $5,000 (which was in reparation for his father's business loss). Instead of running away from his father as the script called for, Dean instinctively turned to Massey and, crying, embraced him. This cut and Massey's shocked reaction were kept in the film by Kazan.
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Contrary to reports of Dean's speeding, which persisted decades after his death, Nelson said "the wreckage and the position of Dean's body indicated his speed was more like 55 mph (88 km/h)." Turnupseed received a gashed forehead and bruised nose and was not cited by police for the accident. Rolf Wütherich would die in a road accident in Germany in 1981 after surviving several suicide attempts.  
 
Contrary to reports of Dean's speeding, which persisted decades after his death, Nelson said "the wreckage and the position of Dean's body indicated his speed was more like 55 mph (88 km/h)." Turnupseed received a gashed forehead and bruised nose and was not cited by police for the accident. Rolf Wütherich would die in a road accident in Germany in 1981 after surviving several suicide attempts.  
  
While completing ''Giant'', and to promote ''Rebel Without a Cause'', Dean filmed a short interview with actor Gig Young for an episode of ''Warner Bros. Presents''([http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047786/ see here]) in which Dean, instead of saying the popular phrase "The life you save may be your own" instead ad-libbed "The lives you might save might be ''mine'' ."[sic]([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm26GYvSEzU&mode=related&search= Youtube video]) Dean's sudden death prompted the studio to re-film the section, and the piece was never aired - though in the past several sources have referred to the footage, mistakenly identifying it as a public service announcement. (The segment can, however, be viewed on both the 2001 VHS and 2005 DVD editions of ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'').
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While completing ''Giant'', and to promote ''Rebel Without a Cause'', Dean filmed a short interview with actor Gig Young for an episode of ''Warner Bros. Presents''([http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047786/ see here]) in which Dean, instead of saying the popular phrase "The life you save may be your own" instead ad-libbed "The lives you might save might be ''mine'' ."[sic]([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm26GYvSEzU&mode=related&search= Youtube video]) Dean's sudden death prompted the studio to re-film the section, and the piece was never aired - though in the past several sources have referred to the footage, mistakenly identifying it as a public service announcement. (The segment can, however, be viewed on both the 2001 VHS and 2005 DVD editions of ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without a Cause]'').
  
 
William Bast identifies a potentially bipolar depression in James Dean's erratic behavior and mood swings.(William Bast, ''Surviving James Dean'', Barricade 2006, p. 301) In his description of their relationship, Dean emerges as a character very much torn apart between wanting to reach out (to Bast) and needing protection against possible rejections or wanting to hide any supposed weakness. Shortly before his death, Dean also gave away his pet kitten Marcus, saying: "I figured, I might go out some night and just never come home."(William Bast, ''Surviving James Dean'', Barricade 2006, p. 230-231) Bast also repeatedly observed Dean's heavy use of alcohol and drugs during the filming of ''Rebel Without a Cause''.(William Bast, ''Surviving James Dean'', Barricade 2006, p. 207, p.210-211)
 
William Bast identifies a potentially bipolar depression in James Dean's erratic behavior and mood swings.(William Bast, ''Surviving James Dean'', Barricade 2006, p. 301) In his description of their relationship, Dean emerges as a character very much torn apart between wanting to reach out (to Bast) and needing protection against possible rejections or wanting to hide any supposed weakness. Shortly before his death, Dean also gave away his pet kitten Marcus, saying: "I figured, I might go out some night and just never come home."(William Bast, ''Surviving James Dean'', Barricade 2006, p. 230-231) Bast also repeatedly observed Dean's heavy use of alcohol and drugs during the filming of ''Rebel Without a Cause''.(William Bast, ''Surviving James Dean'', Barricade 2006, p. 207, p.210-211)
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==Dean's iconic appeal==
 
==Dean's iconic appeal==
  
Many American teens at the time of Dean's major movies identified with Dean and the roles he played, especially in ''[[Rebel Without A Cause]]'': the typical teenager, caught where no one, not even his peers, can understand him. Joe Hyams says that Dean was "one of the rare stars, like [[Rock Hudson]] and [[Montgomery Clift]], who both men and women find sexy." According to Marjorie Garber, this quality is "the undefinable extra something that makes a star."(Marjorie B. Garber, ''Bisexuality and the Eroticism of Everyday Life'' (2000), p.140. See also "Bisexuality and Celebrity." In Rhiel and Suchoff, ''The Seductions of Biography'', p.18.)
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Many American teens at the time of Dean's major movies identified with Dean and the roles he played, especially in ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without A Cause]'': the typical teenager, caught where no one, not even his peers, can understand him. Joe Hyams says that Dean was "one of the rare stars, like [[Rock Hudson]] and [[Montgomery Clift]], who both men and women find sexy." According to Marjorie Garber, this quality is "the undefinable extra something that makes a star."(Marjorie B. Garber, ''Bisexuality and the Eroticism of Everyday Life'' (2000), p.140. See also "Bisexuality and Celebrity." In Rhiel and Suchoff, ''The Seductions of Biography'', p.18.)
  
Dean's iconic appeal has been attributed to the public's need for someone to stand up for the disenfranchised young of the era (Perry, G., ''James Dean'', p. 204, New York, DK Publishing, Inc., 2005), and to the air of androgyny (David Burner, ''Making Peace with the 60s'' (Princeton University Press, 1997), p.244.) that he projected onscreen. Dean's "loving tenderness towards the besotted [[Sal Mineo]] in ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'' continues to touch and excite gay audiences by its honesty. The ''Gay Times'' Readers' Awards cited him as the male gay icon of all time."(Garry Wotherspoon and Robert F. Aldrich, ''Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History: from Antiquity to World War II'' (Routledge, 2001), p.105.)
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Dean's iconic appeal has been attributed to the public's need for someone to stand up for the disenfranchised young of the era (Perry, G., ''James Dean'', p. 204, New York, DK Publishing, Inc., 2005), and to the air of androgyny (David Burner, ''Making Peace with the 60s'' (Princeton University Press, 1997), p.244.) that he projected onscreen. Dean's "loving tenderness towards the besotted [[Sal Mineo]] in ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without a Cause]'' continues to touch and excite gay audiences by its honesty. The ''Gay Times'' Readers' Awards cited him as the male gay icon of all time."(Garry Wotherspoon and Robert F. Aldrich, ''Who's Who in Gay and Lesbian History: from Antiquity to World War II'' (Routledge, 2001), p.105.)
  
 
==Dean's personal relationships and sexual orientation==
 
==Dean's personal relationships and sexual orientation==
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*Won Jussi Award
 
*Won Jussi Award
 
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| ''[[Rebel Without a Cause]]'' || Jim Stark ||  
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| ''[http://sites.google.com/site/movielegends/rebel-without-a-cause Rebel Without a Cause]'' || Jim Stark ||  
 
*Nominated for BAFTA
 
*Nominated for BAFTA
 
|-
 
|-

Revision as of 16:24, 6 October 2008

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