James Dean

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 AFIs 100 Years100 Stars list