James Dean was the son of farmer-turned-dental technician Winton and housewife Mildred. Young James was raised primarily by his aunt and uncle after his mother’s death from cancer when James was 9.

Despite the fact that Dean loves the process of acting, he is less confident when asked to “perform” in public, leading to a somewhat muted relationship with the studio chief Jack Warner ( Ben ...

“James Dean was cool—period,” said Souther, who died in 2024 at 78. “I don’t remember any personal nostalgia for the fifties other than the fact that at one time or another ...