The lovely Sal

One of the most gorgeous men to grace a movie screen, Sal Mineo would have been 71 today. Best known (of course) as the sidekick (and love interest?) of James Dean in Rebel Without a Cause and again in Giant, he struggled in the studio system of the time to escape stereotyping as either the angst-ridden teen or the underworld hoodlum. It couldn't have helped much that Mr Mineo was well known as a gay man in an era of witch hunts and celibate marriages.

He went on to become a stage actor and producer - notably of the homoerotic play Fortune and Men's Eyes (starring a young Don Johnson) - and made several cameo appearances on TV, but never re-captured that moment of success he had in the late 50s.

Returning from rehearsals of his latest play in 1976, he was stabbed to death in an alleyway behind his home. He was 37. A tragic end indeed for such a gorgeous man...

Here he is in one of his lesser-known roles, during a period in his career when he was still trying to sell the "heart-throb" image:

Sal Mineo in Who Killed Teddy Bear?

Here is Mr Mineo singing (during his very short-lived musical career):

Sal Mineo on Shindig

And here is a fab tribute video to Rebel Without A Cause:

[Yes, the video does work, despite there being no thumbnail picture]

Sal Mineo website