3.3K views · 463 reactions | Remembering Paul Henreid, Sal Mineo, and Ray Bolger on their birthdays | Turner Classic Movies: TCM | Facebook

Sal Mineo gained fame for his poignant portrayal of Plato Crawford in Rebel Without a Cause (1955), starring alongside James Dean and Natalie Wood. His role as Plato, a troubled and lonely teenager who develops a deep emotional connection with Dean's character, Jim Stark, was groundbreaking for its time. Mineo's performance subtly hinted at Plato’s possible queerness—a daring subtext in the conservative 1950s. At just 16 years old, Mineo earned widespread acclaim for his work in the film, includ