Good evening and Welcome to tonight's addition of legendary lives our subject this evening is James Dean actor in hero for the young people of his time. Edward Murray is the author of a new biography of Dean. Good evening, Edward.
Hello, Tina.
Edward, tell us about what you know about Dean's early life.
He was born in Indiana in nineteen thirty one, but his parents moved to California when he was 5. He wasn't there long, though, because his mother passed away just 4 years later. Jimmy's father sent him back to Indiana after that, to live with his aunt.
So how did he get into acting?
Well, first, he acted in plays at high school. Then he went to College in California, where he got seriously interacting. In nineteen fifty one, he moved to New York to do more stage acting.
Then when did his movie career really start?
Nineteen fifty five. His first starring role was in east of Eden. It was fabulous. Dean became a huge success. But the movie that really made him famous was his second one. Rebel without a Cause. That was about teenagers who felt like they didn't fit into society.
So how many more movies did he made?
Just one more. Then he died in that car crash in Californian in nineteen fifty five.
What a tragedy! He only made 3 movies. So what made him the legend, he still is today.
Well, I guess his looks, his acting ability, his short life and maybe the type of character he played in his movies. \Many young People saw him as a symbol of American youths.