James Dean The Actor example essay topic

James Dean, whether people liked him or not, is a very influential popular icon. In my opinion, he had a positive impact on America, even still today. His films are legendary just as his acting style. His life was interesting, provocative and controversial, he was James Dean. He was originally from Marion, Indiana.

He seemed to have a pretty average childhood, if it weren't for his mother dying at age eight and his father abandoning him to be raised by an aunt. After relocating to Fairmount, Indiana, he grew up playing high school basketball, was cast in the school plays, and rode his motorcycle everywhere. One of his main mentors was a local Methodist minister by the name of James DeWeerd. "DeWeerd was in his 30's and unmarried, liked poetry and classical music, and was partial to the company of boys" (Martinac par. 2).

It was The Rev. DeWeerd who is suspected to having sexual relations with Dean, even though Dean's sexual orientation was never actually known for sure. "There was something funny about James DeWeerd and homosexuality... It is quite possible that he had sex with James Dean. Actually, he did.

In all probability, Jimmy lost his virginity to DeWeerd one of those nights... ". (Alexander p. 45). All of these hurtful and strange situations are what I believe what made James Dean the actor that we think of today. Dean is an Icon today to many actors because of his acting style. His background and history almost place him perfectly into the roles that he was cast for, as in the movie, Rebel Without a Cause he seemed almost like he was made to be that sullen, soft-spoken rebel teenager.

When people think of James Dean they think of that image that he portrayed in Rebel Without a Cause, the jeans and white undershirt, with a red nylon jacket, leaning against a car, with eyes slightly squinted and lighting a fresh Chesterfield. "Dean was a major influence on some future superstars, including the young Steve McQueen, and Dean's look and attitude is still reflected in young actors today" (Movieactors. com par. 3). "James Dean is a part of American culture" (Hansen par. 6). Dean gained fame with movies like Rebel Without a Cause, East of Eden, and his third and final film Giant, but Dean didn't only act in movies, he eventually made it to Broadway, cast in the play The Immoralist where he portrayed a gay Arabian boy.

Dean also was a television actor, cast in The Dark, Dark Hour and in Pepsi commercials, he did it all. In his leisure time, Dean enjoyed racing in Santa Barbara. He drove a 1500 cc. Porsche Spyder 550. In one particular race, he was running in fourth place when his Porsche blew a piston and he was forced to drop out of the race. In another particular instance he was not so lucky.

On September 30, 1955 James Dean died. He was involved in a high-speed car accident with a black and white two-tone Ford. The lightweight German car was easily crumpled under the tremendous weight of the heavy American car. The passenger was friend and mechanic Rolf Wuetherich.

Rolf was instantly ejected through the windshield, and Dean was not so lucky. He would have been thrown from the car as well, but his feet were caught between the clutch pedal and the brake, making it impossible. This, in turn, pinned him in place, breaking his neck, impaling him through the chest with the steering column and caving in his skull with the impact on the dashboard. When the ambulance took him to War Memorial Hospital, he was pronounced dead on arrival. Both his chest and forehead were crushed, rendering Dean dead in minutes. "Ironically he filmed a public service spot on auto safety shortly before he died in a car wreck in 1955" (Movieactors. com par.

2). This was a brutal end to a legendary actor. So who was James Dean? A teenager, an actor, a racecar driver, a rebel, a fruit, an icon, a genius? Maybe all of these, maybe he was just an average ordinary guy who played with the hand that he was dealt. Well one thing is for certain; he is someone whom people still remember today.

He had an important acting style from which many actors derive techniques from still today. He lived an interesting life, which was cut short at the age of twenty-four, and he is still a legend. "Dean invented the role of the troubled teen, serving as an icon to generations of youth" (Movieactors. com par. 1).

Bibliography

Alexander, Paul. Boulevard of Broken Dreams-The Life, Times, and Legend of James Dean. A Plume Book: Published by the Penguin Group- Penguin Books USA, 1994.
East of Eden. Videotape. Dir. Eliza Kazan. With Julie Harris, James Dean, Raymond Massey. Warner Home Video. 1987.
115 mins. Hansen, Van. A Historian looks at James Dean. Available online at: web Martinac, Paula. Was James Dean Gay? Available online at: web Movieactors. com website. James Dean a Super Star of the 1950's.
Available online at: web Rebel Without a Cause. Videotape. Dir. Nicholas Ray. With James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mine, Jim Backus, Ann Doran, Corey Allen, William Hopper, Dennis Hopper. Warner Bros. Classics, 1996.