Amongst my collection of retro vintage items I found a long lost interview with fifties rebel, James Dean. The old hollywood star gave some revealing answers to questions. The following is from a vintage film show annual.
Height ? 5 feet 10 inches
Weight ? 155 pounds
Color of eyes ? Blue
Hair ? Blonde
Where were you born ? Fairmount, Indiana
Date of Birth ? February 8, 1931
What schools did you attend ? Grammar and High School in Fairmount.
College ? University of California at Los Angeles.
In what school sports did you participate in ? Baseball, track, basketball.
Did you take part in school dramatics ? Yes.
Were any of your relatives theatrical people? No.
Who brought you up ? My uncle and aunt, as my mother died while I was a baby.
When did you start acting ? In high school.
To whom do you give credit for stimulating your interest in acting ? To James Whitmore, who lived near the university in Los Angeles. We had many serious talks. I was taking a pre-law course then.
Did you finish your course in law ? No. I left the campus after two years. I decided I wanted to be a professional actor. I headed to New York.
What was your first stage role ? I played the role of a boy who had been shut in an ice house for ten years in "See the Jaguar".
What was your next important role ? The blackmailing Arab in "The Immoralist".
How did you happen to go on the screen ? Elia Kazan saw me in "The Immoralist" and decided to test me for "East of Eden", the film he was about to produce and direct at Warner Brothers in Hollywood.
List of picures in which you have appeared ? "East of Eden"', "Rebel Without a Cause" and "Giant".
What arts are you most interested in outside of acting ? Sailing, fencing, gymnastics, boxing, tennis and an academic interest in bullfighting.
What is your pet aversion ? Nightclubs
What extravagances do you have ? I buy a lot of camera equipment, buy lots of records and keep a palomino horse.
What is your taste in books ? I like books that are on the serious side. I read everything from books on culture, expressionistic literature and philosophical works. Sometimes I read six at a time, skipping from book to book. Generally managing to get them all read at about the same time.
Are you orderly ? No, I'm told that stepping into my house is like arriving at the scene of a hurricane. My belongings are strewn everywhere in my house in the Hollywood Hills. I'm not always in a rush. When I don't have a call to work early on a studio set I prefer to stay up late and then try and sleep till almost noon. Unless I absolutely have to dress up off-screen, I would rather jump into old dungarees and a T-shirt.
What sort of girl do you date ? Usually actresses, so that we can talk more about the screen, stage and television. I don't think I am self-centered, because I am very concerned with the hopes and problems of others. In New York, I sometimes took girlfriends out on the rear seat of my motorcycle. In Hollywood, I have a little foreign car now and am happy to share it with my friends.
Interview quoted from a physical copy of "The New Film Show Annual". I was unable to find a copyright or date.
Hope your enjoyed looking back at the life of this famed classic Hollywood actor.
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