James Dean was born on 8 February 1931 in Marion. An American actor, Dean became a symbol of teenage rebellion and disillusionment in the 1950s through only three major film roles. He starred in East of Eden, for which he received a posthumous Academy Award nomination, in Rebel Without a Cause and in Giant. After working in television and on Broadway, he studied at the Actors Studio, bringing a naturalistic, intense approach. He was also a keen racing driver. He was killed in a car crash in California, while driving a Porsche, and his early death turned him into a lasting cultural icon.
Before and after
- c. 1931Global life expectancy reaches 40 years
- 16 January 1931Birth of Johannes Rau
- 1 February 1931Birth of Boris Yeltsin
- 4 February 1931Birth of Isabel Martínez de Perón
- 8 February 1931Birth of James Dean
- 18 February 1931Birth of Toni Morrison
- 2 March 1931Birth of Mikhail Gorbachev
- 10 April 1931Death of Kahlil Gibran
- from 14 April 1931 to 1 April 1939Second Spanish Republic
More in Art, literature & culture
- 15 August 1914Construction of Panama Canal
- c. 1920sRise of surrealism
- 1932Construction of Dong Hoi Airport
- 1932Construction of Tan Son Nhat International Airport
- c. 1940sRise of Postmodernism
- 6 April 1943Publication of The Little Prince
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.