James Dean (1976 film)
| James Dean | |
|---|---|
| Written by | William Bast |
| Directed by | Robert Butler |
| Starring | Stephen McHattie Michael Brandon Brooke Adams Candy Clark Amy Irving Katherine Helmond Meg Foster Dane Clark Jayne Meadows Heather Menzies |
| Music by | Billy Goldenberg |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Original release | |
| Release | 1976 |
| Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) | |
James Dean (also known as James Dean: Portrait of a Friend) is a 1976 NBC television film about actor James Dean and starring Stephen McHattie in the title role.
The role of screenwriter William Bast, Dean's best friend, is played by Michael Brandon. This portrayal is based on the 1956 biography by Bast, which recounts the early acting career and rise of Dean. The film paints a clear picture of James Dean's pursuit for authenticity, depth and artistic meaning. Bast claimed that Dean's inspiration as an actor was inspired by what he learned from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's 1943 novella The Little Prince.
The 1976 made-for-TV movie James Dean (also known as James Dean: Portrait of a Friend) includes scenes that depict a gay story, as it portrays James Dean through the eyes of his friend and roommate, William Bast. The film includes a scene where Dean encourages Bast to be more sexually adventurous, leading Bast to go to a gay bar,