The acting biography of James Dean was interrupted at the very take-off - the charismatic favorite of directors and the public died in a car accident at the age of 24. The last film with the participation of a young star - “Giant” - was released after Dean’s death. For the role of oil magnate, the deceased actor was included in the list of Oscar nominees.
Childhood: the beginning of a biography and first successes
James Dean was born February 8, 1931 in the small town of Marion, Indiana. The boy’s father was a farmer, he later left agriculture and became a dentist. The family moved to California, in the city of Santa Monica.
James did not get along too well with his father, but he really loved his mother, Mildred. However, she died of cancer, when her son was only 9 years old. The father gave the child to be raised by a family of Quaker relatives who lived on a farm in Fairmount. At the new residence, the boy made friends with local priest James Dee Wyrd. He told Dean a lot about acting, bullfighting, car racing - things that would interest James throughout his life and, ultimately, affect his fate.
Despite his acting image as a bully and a bad guy at school, Dean behaved quite roughly. He enrolled in a drama club, but did not achieve much success and did not shine in the lead roles. But he enthusiastically played basketball and baseball, studied well and successfully finished school.
After receiving a certificate, James returned to California and, at the insistence of his father, went to law college. Studying was not bad, but the young man caused irresistible boredom. Dean increasingly thought about the acting career, which attracted him from childhood. After painful deliberation, James dropped out of school and seriously began to study acting. The father was furious and completely stopped financing his son. But such trifles could no longer stop him - James was aiming for success and was sure that he would come very soon.
Career takeoff
Dean owes his first appearance on the screen to Pepsi-Cola ads. A tiny movie was noticed, the young actor got a role in the Easter show, and then was invited to episodic roles in minor films. There is no Dean name in their credits.
In 1952, the actor finally got the role with the words in the film “Watch Out, Sailor”. James Dean played boxing trainer and fit perfectly into the brilliant duo of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.
During the pauses between filming, Dean had to earn a living, taking up any work. Sometimes random places brought unexpected and very useful acquaintances. Having settled in a parking lot as a media holding, Dean met with Rogers Brekket, a talented advertiser, who later greatly helped the aspiring actor. James learned a lot of important things about career growth, promotion features, opportunities for success in the cinema.
In search of interesting offers, Dean moved to New York and for the first time starred exclusively in gaming television shows. Then he was lucky to get into the acting studio under the leadership of Lee Strasberg. The next stage was rating shows and invitations to Hollywood, where the young actor played in a row 3 iconic roles that turned him into an idol for teenagers.
The first victory was an invitation to the picture "East of Paradise." The role of Cal Traske was supposed to go to Marlon Brando, but the director insisted on Dean's candidacy and did not lose - the film was a huge success.
After the first triumph, a new proposal followed - James brilliantly played Jimmy Stark in the drama Rebel Without a Reason. The role of the rebel teenager perfectly matched Dean's character and forever made him a cult figure in the world of big cinema.
The last starring role was Jett Rink in the movie Giant. Dean played with Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson, absolutely not lost against the venerable stars. For this role, he received an Oscar nomination. However, a brilliant career was interrupted at its zenith - shortly after filming, the actor died tragically.
