James Dean Biography

Fast Facts

• Ranked No․ 18 on the American Film Institute's "100 Years․․․ 100 Stars" list for Male Legends
• Received an Oscar nomination in two-thirds of the films in which he acted
• Was the first actor to posthumously receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor
• Died at the age of 24 in a head-on automobile accident
• Quote: "I think the prime reason for existence, for living in this world, is discovery․"
• Quote: "If a man can bridge the gap between life and death ․․․ I mean, if he can live on after his death, then maybe he was a great man․"
• Best known for his onscreen embodiement of youthful angst and disillusionment, the most iconic example of which came in "Rebel Without a Cause․"
• Despite not wearing them on screen, he wore thick glasses due to being very near-sighted
• As a youth, he lost his two front teeth in a motorcycle accident
• Was a close friend of, and mentor to, actor Dennis Hopper