James Dean The Legend

James Dean only starring in three movies in his life: East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant, but the mark he made on a generation and he remain legend 45 years after his death

James Dean had appeared in a number of television shows before getting his "big break" in 1954 when he was chosen to play Cal Trask, the leading male role in the film East of Eden

James Dean, was killed in the car accident (1955)about six months after "East of Eden" premiered, and one month before "Rebel Without a Cause" would premiere.

Dean had the car specialized by having the number "130" painted on both the front and back. Dean was only 24-years-old when he died in the car accident.

James Dean became a Hollywood legend portraying moody, sensitive and often rebellious characters. James Dean Brad Field grew up with a close-knit group of kindred spirits in Blackwood, South Wales.

Dean's status as a cultural icon is likely embodied in the title of his most cited work, Rebel Without a Cause. Dean's emotional and highly idiosyncratic film performances electrified generations of audiences and aspiring actors around the world.

Dean also won several small parts on television, but it was his performance in The Immoralist (1954) that caught the attention of Hollywood. Dean embodied the expression "live fast and die young," which has only fueled curiosity about his life and his work.

Dean got his start in television and stage before starring in the three films, "East of Eden", "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Giant" that would catapult him to stardom and earn him the title "Moody New Star" by Life magazine.

Dean's career was short, but his legacy lives on in the movies he left behind. Dean received a second posthumous Oscar nomination for Best Actor for this role.

Dean's performance in EAST OF EDEN would eventually earn him an Academy Award nomination as Best Actor, one of the record two posthumous Oscar nominations he received. Dean was nominated for two Oscars for Giant and Eden after his death. Dean had major roles in just three movies, but he had a solid reputation as a television actor.