On Sept. 30, 1955, when 24-year old James Dean crashed his Porche on a desolate stretch of freeway in California’s Central Valley, a  legend was born.

He was poster-boy perfect for 50s teen angst:  ruggedly handsome, moody, with a slight snarl in his smile, he ignited “bad boy” fantasies in millions of teen girls and young women, fueling the birth of rock ‘n’ roll and  influencing early pioneers such as Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, and Eddie Cochran.

Despite his brief Hollywood career (he starred in just three films) Dean’s impact was so long-lasting that in1974 The Eagles included “James Dean” in their  “On the Border” LP with this standout line:

“Too fast to live, to young to die.”