James Byron Dean (1931 – 1955) was an American cultural icon of teenage disillusionment and social estrangement as expressed in the title of his most celebrated film Rebel Without a Cause (1955).
The other two roles that defined his stardom were as a loner in East of Eden (1955) and a surly ranch hand in Giant (released after his death in 1956).
James Dean died in an automobile crash In September 1955.
After his death in a September 1955, Dean received a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.
In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him the 18th best male movie star of Golden Age Hollywood.
Main Source: Wikipedia
I lost track of the times I watched “Rebel”; Dean was captivating. Much of the credit for the film should go to the director, Nicholas Ray, who was mostly known for 1950’s film noir classics. He wanted Natalie Wood , who was in high school at the time, because he felt she could deliver a true teen perspective. How right he was. He also directed “55 Days at Peking”