James Dean

[JimC]

No, had he lived -- and presuming he could attain the same preternatural emotional maturity -- James Dean would have been Paul Newman. It was Newman who was runner-up for East of Eden, and it was Dean who was slated for the lead in Newman's Somebody Up There Likes Me at the time of his death. I've often speculated about some whack alternate dimension wherein the equally race-crazy Newman dies tragically young in a car crash and James Dean goes on to become a much-lauded elder statesman of film. Maybe I can't see James Dean as Butch Cassidy (although he did always want to play Billy the Kid), but I sure as hell can see him as Fast Eddie Felson, Cool Hand Luke, Brick Pollitt, Hud Bannon...hell, maybe even Doc Hudson. ��

Interesting first post - keep them coming!