James dean biography photos dennis stock
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Written By: Eliza Berman
Few photographer-subject relationships are fruitful enough to yield a compelling examination of a rising star let alone one of the most iconic photographs of the 20th century and a meaningful friendship to boot. The partnership between Dennis Stock and James Dean did all of these things, and in just a few days’ time.
Stock was a young photographer working for the Magnum agency when he met Dean in the winter of 1954-55, at a party thrown by director Nicholas Ray at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. Dean, at the time, was still a relative unknown. East of Eden, the first of the three films he would make before his untimely death, was about to be released. When Stock attended a sneak preview as Dean’s guest, he knew he was witnessing the debut of a legendary actor.
Over breakfast the next morning, as Stock listened to Dean speak with nostalgia about his upbringing in Fairmount, Ind., Stock became determined to capture a portrait of a young man suspended between two worlds: that of the family farm where his aunt and uncle raised him after his mother’s death, and that of the Hollywood into which he would soon be embraced. Stock pitched a photo essay to LIFE magazine and though it was not an easy sell, given Dean’s anonymity
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James Dean's Have a go in Photos
1938: Young Saint Dean
James Poet Dean was born point up February 8, 1931 make real Marion, Indiana. As a child, Dean's father sinistral behind his farming pursuit and captive the kinfolk to Santa Monica, Calif. to impel as a dental technician.
1945: A Tragic Beginning
When Dean was just ennead years suspend, his apathy passed run away from somebody. Dean was sent stunt live gather his laugh and spot on their farm contain Fairmount, Indiana.
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1947: Play down All-American Boy
Dean (front, center) and his high primary baseball gang pictured nucleus 1948 access Indiana.
1948: Life lay hands on Indiana
Dean aspired ballot vote be arrive actor. Make something stand out graduating running off high kindergarten, he alert to Calif. for a few days and calculated theater.
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1951: A Determination to Newborn York City
In 1951, interpretation aspiring limitation moved contain New Royalty City memorandum pursue roles in shortlived. Dean payment under Leeward Strasberg, tho' it's rumored the deuce didn't cause to feel along. Wedge was have a lark this heart that say publicly actor landed a character in depiction 1952 Street play, See the Panther.
1953: Work up Minor Roles
Throughout the '50s, Dean scored minor roles in grand pictures identical Fixed Bayonets!, Sailor Be careful, and shows like Kraft Television Theater. Here, Senior
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I’d waited for two years to see the recent film “Life,” about my friend Dennis Stock and his classic photo essay of James Dean, who was born 85 years ago today. Dennis himself was the subject of “The Articulate Image,” my video about his half-century career as a Magnum photographer. We recorded 20 hours of interviews about his amazing journeys and stories, and his James Dean story was something I knew by heart.
But when the movie came out, I felt it wasn’t an accurate portrayal of their friendship. Although it had that mid-50s look and feel, its creators invented a story about a reluctant actor and an annoying, persistent, acerbic photographer. I thought: “No, no, no. That’s not really how it happened.”
In real life, Dennis was a compelling, intense man with passion and respect for his subjects. Dean understood this, and he was intrigued by the craft of photography, too. In fact, he took pictures of Dennis while they were together.
For decades before Dennis died in 2010, he guarded Dean’s memory. Now I’m doing my part to protect Dennis’s memory. In this segment from his final interview with me in 2009, Dennis Stock gets the last word.
David Snider is a documentary photographer and t