James Dean was born on February 8, 1931, in Marion, Indiana, to Winton Dean and Mildred Wilson. James’s Dad was a farmer, but quit to become a dentist. When he became a dentist he moved James’s family to Santa Monica, California. When his family moved to Santa Monica, California, James went to Brentwood Public School. Several years later, James’s mom, whom he was very close to, died of cancer, …show more content…
Cinematographers, composers, writers, an actress and a costume designer had all received after death Oscar nominations, but never a male actor until 1956, when James’s portrayal of troubled teenager Cal Trask in “East of Eden” won him a best actor nod. The next year, he was nominated again for best actor, this time for playing ranch hand Jett Rink in “Giant.” He didn’t win either year, however, losing out to Ernest Borgnine and Yul Brynner, respectively. Since then, several other stars have likewise earned best actor or best supporting actor nominations after their deaths, including Spencer Tracy and Heath Ledger, but James remains the only one with two after death nominations.
An interesting facts about James Dean is that he had several nicknames including Jimmy Dean, “One-Speed Dean,” and JD. Another interesting fact about James Dean is that his dad died four years ago on December 19, 2013. Some other interesting facts are that James was 5’8, his first appearance on television was in a Pepsi Cola commercial, he got a speeding ticket to hours before his death, and when he wasn’t racing or acting he liked to practice magic. There are several other interesting facts about James, but that would take too long. So let's just say James was a popular kid, he sure was in