February. 8, 1931-September 30, 1955

During his all-too-brief career, actor James Dean rose to become a legend in American culture. When he was five years old, the Indiana-born Dean moved with his family to L.A. Four years later, following his mother's death, he was sent back to Indiana to be raised by relatives. After high school he moved to California and attended college; there he also began acting with James Whitmore's theater group and got big parts in several movies, as well as work in TV commercials. In 1951, Dean moved to New York, where he worked as a busboy to support himself until he landed a part in the Broadway play See the Jaguar. He then remained in the Big Apple to observe classes at the Actors' Studio and played small roles on television until he again returned to Broadway to appear in The Immoralist in 1954; this lead him to test for Warner Bros. Within a year, Dean had starred in three films, all of which had a tremendous effect on mid-'50s youth who came to see Dean (especially in his film Rebel Without a Cause [1955])The films were also critically acclaimed; for his roles in East of Eden (1955), and Giant (1956)--his final film--Dean was nominated for Oscars for "Best Actor." His career came to a sudden end on September 30, 1955, when he was involved in a high-speed car crash going to a road race in Salinas. tributes to Dean, a screen legend who will remain forever young, tormented, and fascinating.

Dean has earned a place in entertainment history that few people have attained. When Marilyn Monroe died, Elton John sang, Goodbye, Norma Jean... your candle burned out long before your legend ever did. Appropriately, the Eagles summed up Dean's life with these lyrics: You weretoo fast to live, too young to die. James Dean, a screen legend who will remain forever young, tormented, and fascinating.