About Me
James Byron Dean was born in Marion, Indiana, at 2:07am on February 8, 1931 to Winton and Mildred Dean. It is said that his middle name is for the poet, Lord Byron.
When Jimmy was six, Winton, a Dental Technician, was transferred to work in a hospital in Santa Monica, California. The family packed their things and moved from the small town they knew. It was during these days that Jimmy and his mother spent endless hours together. They created a small theater and used dolls as actors and made many a daydream come to life. One of Jimmy's favorite games was called "The Wishing Game". Jimmy would write a wish on a piece of paper and put it under his pillow before he went to sleep. When Mildred was certain Jimmy was fast asleep, she would delicately take the paper from under his pillow and, to the best of her ability, make his wish come true the next day. Sadly these days couldn't last. Mildred died of Cancer when Jimmy was nine years old. He was devastated and silent for days. Winton, not having a clue how to raise a child on his own, decided it was best to send Jimmy back to Fairmount along with his mother's body. He was to live with his Aunt and Uncle, Ortense and Marcus Winslow. Though the first few months were rough, Jimmy finally got used to his new home and his surroundings. He even started calling Ortense "Mom".
Adaline Nall, one of Jimmy's teachers could see a great potential in the young boy and encouraged Ortense to enter Jimmy into many reading competitions. He won every medal the WCTU (Women's Christian Temperance Union) offered and even won the Indiana State dramatic reading when he read 'The Madman'. When Jimmy graduated in 1949 from Fairmount High School, he wanted to move out west to pursue an acting career. He moved in with his father and stepmother. His father had other plans for Jimmy, however, and thought it silly that Jimmy wanted to major in acting. Instead of fighting with his father, Jimmy enrolled in Santa Monica College with a major in Pre-Law. In the summer of 1950, Jimmy took matters in his own hands and enrolled in UCLA where he was accepted. By that fall he was living on his own, doing what he loved, and had been cast as the lead in 'Macbeth'. It was during one of these performances that he was discovered by a talent agent who got him bit parts in television shows and commercials.
It wasn't until 1954 that things really started working out for Jimmy. He landed the lead role as "Cal Trask" in 'East of Eden'. While filming East of Eden, he met the love of his life, Pier Angeli. During their relationship, Pier made the decision to marry Vic Damone - much to Jimmy's surprise. It was a decision that he never fully recovered from. Though things may have seemed to be going bad in his personal life, things in his professional life kept getting better and better. He got the lead role of "Jim Stark" in 'Rebel Without A Cause', and then moved on to co-star with Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson in 'Giant'.
On September 30, 1955 Jimmy was on his way to a race in Salinas, California when he collided with a car at the intersection of Rt.466 and 41 in Cholame. Jimmy was in a tiny convertable Porsche Spyder and the color was a ghostly silver. With no headlights on, the driver of the other car did not see him. Jimmy was pronounced dead at 5:45pm.
He is now an American Icon. He has touched the hearts of so many people around the world and is an inspiration for actors everywhere. He is a hero to many people, and speaking personally, he has become a friend and a Guardian Angel. His light will never go out. He will always be loved and never, ever, forgotten. This fan page is here to celebrate the life of James Dean. It is here for all to enjoy.
- Leslie
