James Dean

James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was an American movie actor. He was best known for his part in a movie called Rebel Without a Cause. He was in two other movies East of Eden and Giant, both of which were huge successes. He got an Academy Award (Oscar) nomination after his death. He was the first person to get this nomination posthumously (after they died).

Early life
James Dean was born in 1931 in Marion, Indiana, United States. His parents were called Winton Dean and Mildred Wilson. Six years later, the family moved to California, and James went to school in Los Angeles. He was very close to his mother. She died of cancer when he was nine, and James went to live with his aunt and uncle in Fairmount, Indiana. In high school, he became interested in drama and car racing. After he graduated, he moved back to California to live with his father and stepmother. He attended Santa Monica College and UCLA, but left college in 1951 to become a professional actor.

In an interview, Elizabeth Taylor told something which James Dean had said to her during their filming. After his mother’s death, when he was 11 years old, he was sexually harassed by a Protestant minister. This experience tortured him during all his whole childhood.

Death
In 1955, Dean was killed in a road crash while driving his sports car to a race. He was buried in Fairmount, Indiana.