James Dean — a picture from the past James Dean, the 1950s heartthrob and screen legend, died in a car crash on this day in 1955. He is seen here leaning against his dressing room trailer on the set of Giant, the last film he made Tweet Read More… James Dean leans against his dressing room trailer on the set of the film GiantIllustration: Hulton Archive Illustration: Hulton Archive/Getty Images