James Dean

Biography

Born in Marion, Indiana, and raised in Fairmount, Indiana, James Dean was an American actor who studied theater arts at UCLA before leaving college in 1951 to act full time. After early television work, including a speaking role in Hill Number One, he took small parts in Fixed Bayonets! (1951), Sailor Beware (1952), and Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952). In New York he trained in method acting at the Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg and won praise onstage in The Immoralist, which led Elia Kazan to cast him as Cal Trask in East of Eden (1955). That role earned a posthumous Best Actor Academy Award nomination. He followed it with Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Jett Rink in Giant (1956), released after his death and earning him a second posthumous Best Actor nomination and making him the only actor with two. In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked him 18th among male Golden Age stars.

24years old at death

Born February 8, 1931Marion
Died September 30, 1955Cholame
Star sign: AquariusThe sign runs January 20 to February 18
James Byron Dean (birth name)

Movie Career

Films: 8
Career span: 72 years1951 to 2023

Genres

Drama50%, 4 films
Comedy25%, 2 films
Documentary25%, 2 films
Action13%, 1 film
Musical13%, 1 film

First and latest

Did you know?!

Behind the award
Dean earned a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for East of Eden, the first actor to do so. A second nomination came the next year for Giant, making him the only actor with two posthumous acting nominations.
First role
Dean's first television appearance came in 1950, in a Pepsi commercial. After leaving college to act full time, he landed his first speaking part as John the Apostle in Hill Number One, an Easter special.
Big break
Kazan wanted a "Brando type" for Cal, and Osborn put forward Dean, then a relatively unknown actor. Steinbeck met Dean and reportedly took a personal dislike to him, yet thought he suited the part. Dean got the role and on April 8, 1954, went from New York City to Los Angeles to start filming.

James Dean movies on Netflix

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed2023IMDb rating 7.3as Himself
The James Dean Story1957IMDb rating 6.2as Himself
Giant1956IMDb rating 7.6as Jett Rink
East of Eden1955IMDb rating 7.8as Cal Trask
Rebel Without a Cause1955IMDb rating 7.6as Jim Stark
Has Anybody Seen My Gal1952IMDb rating 7.1as Youth at Soda Fountain
Sailor Beware1952IMDb rating 6.2as Boxing Opponent's Second
Fixed Bayonets!1951IMDb rating 6.9as Doggie

Best known for

The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.

Top

Rebel Without a Cause1955 Dramaas Jim Stark
IMDb rating 7.6104K votes
East of Eden1955 Dramaas Cal Trask
IMDb rating 7.851K votes
Giant1956as Jett Rink
IMDb rating 7.644K votes
The James Dean Story1957as Himself
IMDb rating 6.2763 votes
Fixed Bayonets!1951as Doggie
IMDb rating 6.92.3K votes
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed2023as Himself
IMDb rating 7.31.8K votes
Sailor Beware1952as Boxing Opponent's Second
IMDb rating 6.21.6K votes
Has Anybody Seen My Gal1952as Youth at Soda Fountain
IMDb rating 7.12.1K votes

Most often with

Rock Hudson appears in four of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.

Top

Rock Hudson

Dennis Hopper

Skip Homeier

Elizabeth Taylor

Piper Laurie

Natalie Wood

Films together

Rock Hudson4 films together, 1952 to 2023
Rock Hudson's page
- Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed2023IMDb rating 7.3Dean as HimselfHudson as Himself
- The James Dean Story1957IMDb rating 6.2Dean as HimselfHudson as Himself
- Giant1956IMDb rating 7.6Dean as Jett RinkHudson as Jordan 'Bick' Benedict Jr.
- Has Anybody Seen My Gal1952IMDb rating 7.1Dean as Youth at Soda FountainHudson as Dan Stebbins
Dennis Hopper3 films together, 1955 to 1957
Dennis Hopper's page
- The James Dean Story1957IMDb rating 6.2Dean as HimselfHopper as Himself
- Giant1956IMDb rating 7.6Dean as Jett RinkHopper as Jordan Benedict III
- Rebel Without a Cause1955IMDb rating 7.6Dean as Jim StarkHopper as Goon
Skip Homeier3 films together, 1951 to 1952
Skip Homeier's page
- Has Anybody Seen My Gal1952IMDb rating 7.1Dean as Youth at Soda FountainHomeier as Carl Pennock
- Sailor Beware1952IMDb rating 6.2Dean as Boxing Opponent's SecondHomeier as Mac
- Fixed Bayonets!1951IMDb rating 6.9Dean as DoggieHomeier as Whitey
Elizabeth Taylor2 films together, 1956 to 2023
Elizabeth Taylor's page
- Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed2023IMDb rating 7.3Dean as HimselfTaylor as Himself
- Giant1956IMDb rating 7.6Dean as Jett RinkTaylor as Leslie Benedict
Piper Laurie2 films together, 1952 to 2023
Piper Laurie's page
- Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed2023IMDb rating 7.3Dean as HimselfLaurie as Self - Co-Starvoice
- Has Anybody Seen My Gal1952IMDb rating 7.1Dean as Youth at Soda FountainLaurie as Millicent Blaisdell
Natalie Wood2 films together, 1955 to 1957
Natalie Wood's page
- The James Dean Story1957IMDb rating 6.2Dean as HimselfWood as Himself
- Rebel Without a Cause1955IMDb rating 7.6Dean as Jim StarkWood as Judy
Also two films together1 more actor
- Sal MineoGiant (1956) and Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.

Awards

Three awards and honors from 1954 to 1956.

Top

James Dean's awards and nominations, grouped by award
Year	Award	Result
Other honors
1956	Henrietta Award (posthumous)	Won
1954	Theatre World Award	Won
	Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame	Honored

Online

Official profiles and reference pages.

Top