Who is James Dean?
James Dean was born in the small farming town of Fairmount, Indiana in 1931. In his short life and after his death he became one of the most iconic figures in cinematic history. While attending high school, he became a star athlete but also showed an interest in drama. Encouraged by his drama teacher, Dean landed his first acting gig starring in a Pepsi commercial. He soon began to land small roles in television dramas. James Dean then moved to New York in 1951 and began studying at the famed Actors Studio with legendary coach/teacher Lee Strasberg. He swiftly landed roles on stage, in productions such as The Immoralist and See the Jaguar, and in many live television dramas. In 1954, Dean signed a contract with Warner Bros., one of the largest studios at the time. The first film to bear the name of James Dean was Elia Kazan’s East of Eden in 1955, adapted from the book by John Steinbeck. Dean perfectly captured the troubled son, Cal Trask. Portraying emotions such as alienation, angst
