Sal Mineo (1939 - 1976)

Sal Mineo was an American actor, director, and singer who was active in the 1950s and 1960s. He was born Salvatore Mineo, Jr. on January 10, 1939, in the Bronx, New York, and began his career as a child actor in the 1950s.

Mineo's breakout role came in 1955 when he played the role of Plato in the film Rebel Without a Cause, opposite James Dean. The film was a critical and commercial success, and Mineo's performance as the sensitive and troubled Plato earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Following his success in Rebel Without a Cause, Mineo appeared in a number of other films, including The Longest Day (1962), Cheyenne Autumn (1964), and Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971). He also had a successful stage career, appearing in a number of Broadway productions, and released a number of popular singles as a singer.

Mineo was murdered on February 12, 1976, at the age of 37. His death was a shock to the entertainment industry and drew widespread attention at the time.

Books on Sal Mineo

		H. Paul Jeffers Sal Mineo, His life, murder, and mystery New York, 2000
		Susan Braudy Who killed Sal Mineo?, A novel New York, 1982

Books with substantial mentioning of Sal Mineo

		Foreword by John-Michael Howson Cut!, Hollywood murders, accidents, and other tragedies Willoughby, Australia, 2005
		Peter Bogdanovich Who the Hell's in It, Conversations with Hollywood's Legendary Actors New York, 2004
		Laurie Jacobson Dishing Hollywood, The Real Scoop on Tinseltown's Most Notorious Scandals 2003
		William Russo The Next James Dean, Clones and Near Misses, 1955-1975 2003
		Tom Pendergast, Sara Pendergast (eds.) International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, 3. Actors and Actresses Detroit/New York/San Francisco/London/Boston/Woodbridge, CT, 2000

Books with an entry on Sal Mineo

Paul Michael, editor in chief. James Robert Parish, associate editor The American movies reference book, The sound era Englewood Cliffs, N.J.,, 1969

Films

1955
Rebel Without a Cause
Six Bridges to Cross
The Private War of Major Benson

1956
Giant
Somebody Up There Likes Me
Crime in the Streets
Rock, Pretty Baby

1957
Dino
The Young Don't Cry

1958
Tonka

1959
The Gene Krupa Story
A Private's Affair

1960
Exodus

1962
The Longest Day
Escape from Zahrain

1964
Cheyenne Autumn

1965
The Greatest Story Ever Told

1967
Stranger on the Run

1968
Krakatoa, East of Java

2003
Los Angeles Plays Itself

IMDb: 0000543