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Sal Mineo

Salvatore Mineo, Jr. (January 10, 1939 - February 12, 1976) was an American actor and theater director, famous for his Academy Award-nominated performance opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without A Cause.

Mineo, born in The Bronx, New York City as the son of Sicilian emigrants, was enrolled by his mother in dancing and acting school at an early age. In 1950, he had his first stage appearance in The Rose Tattoo, a play by Tennessee Williams. He also played the young prince opposite Yul Brynner in the stage musical The King And I.

After a few lesser films, his breakthrough was Rebel Without A Cause (1955), in which he gave an impressive performance as "John 'Plato' Crawford", the unstated but apparently gay teenager smitten with James Dean's "Jim Stark".

While explicit mention of homosexuality was not permissible in Hollywood movies at the time, the reportedly bisexual James Dean dared Mineo to let his real-life desires for Dean shine through considerably in the scenes between them. Mineo was later reunited with Dean in Giant, albeit only in a few scenes.

Mineo's slightly exotic good looks also earned him roles such as those of an Indian boy in Tonka or of a Jewish emigrant in Otto Preminger's Exodus, for which he received another Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. In the 1960s, rumors about his sexual orientation began to spread, prompting Hollywood's increasing reluctance to cast him in A-list movies. Thus, he turned to the stage again, producing the gay-themed Fortune and Men's Eyes, starring Don Johnson of later Miami Vice fame.

In 1957, Mineo made a brief foray into music by recording a handful of songs and an album, and two of the songs reached the Top 40 pop charts.

Coming home from an audition for the play, P.S. Your Cat Is Dead (later to be adapted into a movie by Steve Guttenberg), where he was to play a gay burglar, Mineo was stabbed to death in front of his West Hollywood home. He was 37.

Although a man named Lionel Ray Williams was later sentenced to life in prison for killing Mineo, considerable doubts about Williams' involvement in the crime remained, since there apparently was no immediate motive for the murder. Williams was paroled in 1990 after serving 12 years but has been jailed numerous times since for parole violations.

Sal Mineo is interred in the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne, New York.

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Sal Mineo is interred in the Cemetery of the Gate of Heaven in Hawthorne, New York. "If there's one thing that actors know —other than there weren't any WMDs— it's that there is no such thing as best in acting." --After winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in 2004. Williams was paroled in 1990 after serving 12 years but has been jailed numerous times since for parole violations. Penn came under criticism that his gas-guzzling car and gun ownership did not jibe with his advocacy of liberal causes. Although a man named Lionel Ray Williams was later sentenced to life in prison for killing Mineo, considerable doubts about Williams' involvement in the crime remained, since there apparently was no immediate motive for the murder. On April 10, 2003, Penn's limited-edition 1987 Buick Grand National, with two firearms in the trunk, was stolen in Berkeley, California. He was 37. In the letter, Penn also criticised the Bush administration for its "deconstruction of civil liberties" and its "simplistic and inflammatory view of good and evil." Penn visited Iraq briefly in December 2002, largely eschewing meetings with the press.

Your Cat Is Dead (later to be adapted into a movie by Steve Guttenberg), where he was to play a gay burglar, Mineo was stabbed to death in front of his West Hollywood home. It was written as an open letter and referred to the planned attack on Iraq and the War on Terror. Coming home from an audition for the play, P.S. On October 18, 2002, Penn placed an $56,000 advertisement in the Washington Post asking President Bush to end a cycle of violence. In 1957, Mineo made a brief foray into music by recording a handful of songs and an album, and two of the songs reached the Top 40 pop charts. They have two children together, born before the two were married. Thus, he turned to the stage again, producing the gay-themed Fortune and Men's Eyes, starring Don Johnson of later Miami Vice fame. Once married to pop icon Madonna (August 16, 1985 to January 10, 1989), Penn is currently married to actress Robin Wright, whom he wed on April 27, 1996.

In the 1960s, rumors about his sexual orientation began to spread, prompting Hollywood's increasing reluctance to cast him in A-list movies. Penn lives in Marin County, California, north of San Francisco. Mineo's slightly exotic good looks also earned him roles such as those of an Indian boy in Tonka or of a Jewish emigrant in Otto Preminger's Exodus, for which he received another Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor. He has also been nominated for three other Academy Awards (for I Am Sam, Sweet and Lowdown and Dead Man Walking). Mineo was later reunited with Dean in Giant, albeit only in a few scenes. Penn has starred in over 40 movies and has won an Academy Award(Oscar) for Mystic River. While explicit mention of homosexuality was not permissible in Hollywood movies at the time, the reportedly bisexual James Dean dared Mineo to let his real-life desires for Dean shine through considerably in the scenes between them. He has two brothers: actor Chris Penn and musician Michael Penn.

After a few lesser films, his breakthrough was Rebel Without A Cause (1955), in which he gave an impressive performance as "John 'Plato' Crawford", the unstated but apparently gay teenager smitten with James Dean's "Jim Stark". Penn is the son of director Leo Penn, who was blacklisted during McCarthyism for refusing to testify. He also played the young prince opposite Yul Brynner in the stage musical The King And I. Sean Penn (born August 17, 1960) is a American film actor noted for his inflammatory and sometimes violent personality. In 1950, he had his first stage appearance in The Rose Tattoo, a play by Tennessee Williams. Taps (1981). Mineo, born in The Bronx, New York City as the son of Sicilian emigrants, was enrolled by his mother in dancing and acting school at an early age. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982).

Salvatore Mineo, Jr. (January 10, 1939 - February 12, 1976) was an American actor and theater director, famous for his Academy Award-nominated performance opposite James Dean in the film Rebel Without A Cause. Bad Boys (1983). Summerspell (1983). Crackers (1984). Racing with the Moon (1984).

The Falcon and the Snowman (1985). At Close Range (1986). Shanghai Surprise (1986). Colors (1988).

Judgment in Berlin (1988). Cool Blue (1988, uncredited, voice). Casualties of War (1989). We're No Angels (1989).

State of Grace (1990). Schneeweißrosenrot (1991). The Last Party (1993). Carlito's Way (1993).

Dead Man Walking (1995). Loved (1997). She's So Lovely (1997). U Turn (1997).

The Game (1997). Hugo Pool (1997). Hurlyburly (1998). The Thin Red Line (1998).

Being John Malkovich (1999, uncredited). Sweet and Lowdown (1999). Up at the Villa (2000). Before Night Falls (2000).

The Weight of Water (2000). Dogtown and Z-Boys (2001, voice). The Beaver Trilogy (2001). I Am Sam (2001).

9'11''01 September 11 (2002). It's All About Love (2003). Mystic River (2003). 21 Grams (2003).