James Dean

James Dean

Acting • Born 1931-02-08 – Died 1955-09-30

Acting2Marion, Indiana, USA

Biography

James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was an American actor. He is remembered as a cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement, as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film, Rebel Without a Cause (1955), in which he starred as troubled teenager Jim Stark. The other two roles that defined his stardom were loner Cal Trask in East of Eden (1955) and surly ranch hand Jett Rink in Giant (1956). After his death in a car crash on September 30, 1955, Dean became the first actor to receive a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in East of Eden. Upon receiving a second nomination for his role in Giant the following year, Dean became the only actor to have had two posthumous acting nominations. In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him the 18th best male movie star of Golden Age Hollywood in AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars list.

Filmography

83 credits
Rebel Without a Cause

Rebel Without a Cause

Movie • 1955

Jim Stark

East of Eden

East of Eden

Movie • 1955

Cal Trask

Run Like a Thief

Run Like a Thief

Movie • 1954

Robbie

Giant

Giant

Movie • 1956

Jett Rink

Keep Our Honor Bright

Keep Our Honor Bright

Movie • 1953

Jim Cooper

Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths

Hollywood Heaven: Tragic Lives, Tragic Deaths

Movie • 1990

(archive footage)

Return to 'Giant'

Return to 'Giant'

Movie • 1996

Self (archive footage)

James Dean and Me

James Dean and Me

Movie • 1995

Self (archive footage)

James Dean: Born Cool

James Dean: Born Cool

Movie • 2001

Children of 'Giant'

Children of 'Giant'

Movie • 2015

Self (archive footage)

Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents

Rebel Without a Cause: Defiant Innocents

Movie • 2005

Himself (uncredited)

Deadline - U.S.A.

Deadline - U.S.A.

Movie • 1952

Press Boy (uncredited)

East of Eden: Art in Search of Life

East of Eden: Art in Search of Life

Movie • 2005

Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)

The James Dean Classic

The James Dean Classic

Movie

(archive footage)

The Unlighted Road

The Unlighted Road

Movie • 1955

Jeffrey Latham

Death Is My Neighbor

Death Is My Neighbor

Movie • 1953

J.B.

Padlocks

Padlocks

Movie • 1954

The Man (Jack)

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

Movie • 2023

Self (archive footage)

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage

Movie • 1983

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Hello Actors Studio

Hello Actors Studio

Movie • 1988

Self (archive footage)

Death Scenes 2

Death Scenes 2

Movie • 1992

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Rediscovering a Rebel

Rediscovering a Rebel

Movie • 1996

Self - 'Jim Stark' (archive footage)

Fixed Bayonets!

Fixed Bayonets!

Movie • 1951

Doggie (uncredited)

Forever James Dean

Forever James Dean

Movie • 1988

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

James Dean: The First American Teenager

James Dean: The First American Teenager

Movie • 1975

Self (archive footage)

James Dean Remembered

James Dean Remembered

Movie • 1974

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

James Dean: Sense Memories

James Dean: Sense Memories

Movie • 2005

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and Inspiration

Hill Number One: A Story of Faith and Inspiration

Movie • 1951

John

Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still

Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still

Movie • 1974

Self (archive footage) (uncredited)

A Long Time Till Dawn

A Long Time Till Dawn

Movie • 1953

Joe Harris

Trouble Along the Way

Trouble Along the Way

Movie • 1953

Football Spectator (uncredited)

Sailor Beware

Sailor Beware

Movie • 1952

Boxing Opponent's Second (uncredited)

The Thief

The Thief

Movie • 1955

Fernand Lagarde

A Star Is Born World Premiere

A Star Is Born World Premiere

Movie • 1954

Self

Sentence of Death

Sentence of Death

Movie • 1953

Joe Palica

Tab Hunter Confidential

Tab Hunter Confidential

Movie • 2015

Self (archive footage)

The Real James Dean

The Real James Dean

Movie • 2006

Archival Footage

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

Movie • 1952

Youth at Soda Fountain (uncredited)

The James Dean Story

The James Dean Story

Movie • 1957

Self (archive footage)

James Dean: Little Prince, Little Bastard

James Dean: Little Prince, Little Bastard

Movie • 2005

James Dean: Forever Young

James Dean: Forever Young

Movie • 2005

The Bells of Cockaigne

The Bells of Cockaigne

Movie • 1953

Joey

Jackie Knows All

Jackie Knows All

Movie • 1951

Randy

10,000 Horses Singing

10,000 Horses Singing

Movie • 1952

Hotel Bellboy

The Foggy, Foggy Dew

The Foggy, Foggy Dew

Movie • 1952

Kyle McCallum

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln

Movie • 1952

William Scott

Forgotten Children

Forgotten Children

Movie • 1952

Bradford

The Hound Of Heaven

The Hound Of Heaven

Movie • 1953

Angel

Something For An Empty Briefcase

Something For An Empty Briefcase

Movie • 1953

Joe Adams

Rex Newman

Rex Newman

Movie • 1953

Todd Ingalls

Life Sentence

Life Sentence

Movie • 1953

Hank Bradon

Harvest

Harvest

Movie • 1953

Paul Zalinka

Sherwood Anderson's I'm A Fool

Sherwood Anderson's I'm A Fool

Movie • 1954

The Boy

The Dark, Dark Hours

The Dark, Dark Hours

Movie • 1954

Bud

The Evil Within

The Evil Within

Movie • 1953

Ralph

Året var 1955

Året var 1955

Movie • 2005

Self (archive footage)

James Dean: A Portrait

James Dean: A Portrait

Movie • 1995

Self (archive footage)

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

Hollywood Scandals and Tragedies

Movie • 1988

James Dean: Rebel Generation

James Dean: Rebel Generation

Movie • 2025

Self (archive footage)

Memories of Giant

Memories of Giant

Movie • 1998

Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes

Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes

Movie • 2024

Self (archive footage)

Faces of Death Part VII

Faces of Death Part VII

Movie • 1992

Gay! Gay! Hollywood

Gay! Gay! Hollywood

Movie • 1994

Omnibus

Omnibus

TV • 1952

Bronco Evans

General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater

TV • 1953

The Boy

Hallmark Hall of Fame

Hallmark Hall of Fame

TV • 1951

Bradford

Lux Video Theatre

Lux Video Theatre

TV • 1950

Kyle McCallum

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

Schlitz Playhouse of Stars

TV • 1951

Jeffrey Latham

Studio One

Studio One

TV • 1948

William Scott

Studio One

Studio One

TV • 1948

Joe Palica

Armstrong Circle Theatre

Armstrong Circle Theatre

TV • 1950

Joey Frasier

Robert Montgomery Presents

Robert Montgomery Presents

TV • 1950

Paul Zalinka

Tales of Tomorrow

Tales of Tomorrow

TV • 1951

The Big Story

The Big Story

TV • 1949

Rex Newman

The United States Steel Hour

The United States Steel Hour

TV • 1953

Fernand Lagarde

General Electric Theater

General Electric Theater

TV • 1953

Bud

Studio One

Studio One

TV • 1948

Hotel Bellboy (uncredited)

You Are There

You Are There

TV • 1953

Bob Ford

Crossroads

Crossroads

TV • 1955

Man in Crowd

The Philco Television Playhouse

The Philco Television Playhouse

TV • 1948

Robbie Warren

Kraft Television Theatre

Kraft Television Theatre

TV • 1947

Jim Cooper

Campbell Soundstage

Campbell Soundstage

TV • 1953

Hank Bradon

Final Days of an Icon

Final Days of an Icon

TV • 2007

James Dean – Filmography & Biography – Critifan