Sal Mineo

Born in New York City on January 10, 1939, actor Sal Mineo was best known for his role in the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause, which he starred in opposite James Dean. After his performance in the classic film, Mineo was seen as one of the "it" actors of the '50s, starring in films such as Exodus and Somebody Up There Likes Me. He got less film work in the '60s, and following the start of a comeback in the '70s,

Contents

• Synopsis
• Early Career
• Career Highlights and Death

Mineo was murdered by a pizza delivery boy in 1976.

Early Career

Actor Sal Mineo was born Salvatore Mineo, Jr., on January 10, 1939, in the Bronx, New York. As a wayward youth, Mineo found his way to acting only as a means of avoiding juvenile confinement. He made his debut on Broadway in 1951 in Tennessee Williams' The Rose Tattoo followed by a substantial role in The King and I.

Career Highlights and Death

Mineo appeared in a few films before landing the most memorable role of his career, that of Plato in the classic Rebel Without a Cause. Mineo received an Academy Award nomination for his performance opposite James Dean.
The nomination shot Mineo into superstardom, and he continued to work steadily through the 1950s in such films as Somebody Up There Likes Me and Exodus, the latter earning the young actor his second Oscar nod. However, by the mid 1960s, Mineo's film career had slowed considerably, and he began to take parts on television and to direct stage plays.
On February 12, 1976, the down-and-out Mineo met an untimely death. The actor was brutally murdered in Hollywood at the age of 37.