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William Bast

William Bast

Actor, Writer, Producer

Born April 3, 1931 in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, USA

Died May 4, 2015

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Biography

William Bast, an Emmy-winning television screenwriter, was the first biographer of film icon James Dean, who was also his close friend and lover. The two met as drama students at UCLA, became friends, and later shared an apartment in New York City.

Bast published his first book about Dean a year after the actor's death, titled "James Dean: A Biography" in 1956. This biography served as the foundation for the 1976 TV movie James Dean, which Bast produced and wrote. The film depicted Dean as primarily straight with bisexual tendencies. In the movie, Bast appears as a narrator and character, stating that Dean's closest relationship was with a woman, Liz Sheridan.

Three decades later, Bast released a more candid memoir, "Surviving James Dean," portraying Dean as a homosexual who might have entered a committed gay relationship with Bast if he had not died in a car accident on September 30, 1955. Bast disputed Sheridan's claim that she and Dean were briefly engaged and in love, admitting that he himself helped create the myth of Dean as a bicurious straight man due to the conservative attitudes of the 1950s. The 1976 film shows Dean encouraging Bast to explore gay experiences by cruising at the Astor Hotel bar in New York.

Besides his 1956 biography, 2006 memoir, and the 1976 TV movie, Bast also wrote a screenplay about Dean's funeral for a 1958 British TV play called "The Myth Makers." This play was later adapted for American television as "The Movie Star" in 1962.

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William Bast Videos

JAMES DEAN - KLEINER PRINZ LITTLE BASTARD | Teaser

Filmography

Actor

8

Type

Year

East of Eden: Art in Search of Life Poster

East of Eden: Art in Search of Life Documentary2005Self - James Dean's Friend

James Dean - Kleiner Prinz, little Bastard Poster

James Dean - Kleiner Prinz, little Bastard TV Movie2005Self

James Dean - Mit Vollgas durchs Leben Documentary2005Self

Living Famously Poster

Living Famously TV Series2002Self

Naked Hollywood Mini-Series1991Self

Forever James Dean Poster

Forever James Dean Documentary1988Self

Biography Poster

Biography TV Series1987Self

American Masters Poster

American Masters TV Series1985Self

Writer

53

Type

Year

Power and Beauty Poster

Power and Beauty TV Movie2002

The Fury Within Poster

The Fury Within TV Movie1998

Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare Poster

Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare TV Movie1995

Secrets TV Movie1992

The Great Los Angeles Earthquake Poster

The Great Los Angeles Earthquake TV Movie1990

Twist of Fate Poster

Twist of Fate Mini-Series1989

The Colbys Poster

The Colbys TV Series1985

The First Olympics: Athens 1896 Poster

The First Olympics: Athens 1896 Mini-Series1984

The Master of Ballantrae Poster

The Master of Ballantrae TV Movie1984

The Hamptons Poster

The Hamptons TV Series1983

The Scarlet Pimpernel Poster

The Scarlet Pimpernel TV Movie1982

Tucker's Witch Poster

Tucker's Witch TV Series1982

Mistress of Paradise Poster

Mistress of Paradise TV Movie1981

The Star Maker Poster

The Star Maker TV Movie1981

The Betsy Poster

The Betsy Feature Film1978

The Man in the Iron Mask Poster

The Man in the Iron Mask TV Movie1977

James Dean Poster

James Dean TV Movie1976

The Legend of Lizzie Borden Poster

The Legend of Lizzie Borden TV Movie1975

Apple's Way Poster

Apple's Way TV Series1974

The Manhunter Poster

The Manhunter TV Series1974

Love Story Poster

Love Story TV Series1973

The New Perry Mason Poster

The New Perry Mason TV Series1973

Circle of Fear Poster

Circle of Fear TV Series1972

The Waltons Poster

The Waltons TV Series1972

The Survivors Poster

The Survivors TV Series1969

The Valley of Gwangi Poster

The Valley of Gwangi Feature Film1969

Hammerhead Poster

Hammerhead Feature Film1968

Hawaii Five-O Poster

Hawaii Five-O TV Series1968

It Takes a Thief Poster

It Takes a Thief TV Series1968

Mod Squad Poster

Mod Squad TV Series1968

Danger Has Two Faces Poster

Danger Has Two Faces TV Movie1967

The Man Who Never Was TV Series1966

Honey West Poster

Honey West TV Series1965

The Long, Hot Summer Poster

The Long, Hot Summer TV Series1965

Thirty-Minute Theatre Poster

Thirty-Minute Theatre TV Series1965

The Rogues Poster

The Rogues TV Series1964

The Fugitive Poster

The Fugitive TV Series1963

The Greatest Show on Earth Poster

The Greatest Show on Earth TV Series1963

The Outer Limits Poster

The Outer Limits TV Series1963

Combat! TV Series1962

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour Poster

The Alfred Hitchcock Hour TV Series1962

Acapulco TV Series1961

Ben Casey Poster

Ben Casey TV Series1961

Bus Stop Poster

Bus Stop TV Series1961

Dr. Kildare Poster

Dr. Kildare TV Series1961

The DuPont Show of the Week Poster

The DuPont Show of the Week TV Series1961

BBC Sunday-Night Play Poster

BBC Sunday-Night Play TV Series1960

National Velvet Poster

National Velvet TV Series1960

On Trial Poster

On Trial TV Series1960

The Law and Mr. Jones Poster

The Law and Mr. Jones TV Series1960

Knight Errant Limited Poster

Knight Errant Limited TV Series1959

Perry Mason Poster

Perry Mason TV Series1957

ITV Play of the Week Poster

ITV Play of the Week TV Series1955

Producer

10

Type

Year

Power and Beauty Poster

Power and Beauty TV Movie2002

The Fury Within Poster

The Fury Within TV Movie1998

Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare Poster

Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare TV Movie1995

Twist of Fate Poster

Twist of Fate Mini-Series1989

The Colbys Poster

The Colbys TV Series1985

The Hamptons Poster

The Hamptons TV Series1983

Tucker's Witch Poster

Tucker's Witch TV Series1982

The Star Maker Poster

The Star Maker TV Movie1981

James Dean Poster

James Dean TV Movie1976

The Legend of Lizzie Borden Poster

The Legend of Lizzie Borden TV Movie1975

Other Crew

3

Type

Year

The Master of Ballantrae Poster

The Master of Ballantrae TV Movie1984

The Scarlet Pimpernel Poster

The Scarlet Pimpernel TV Movie1982

Tucker's Witch Poster

Tucker's Witch TV Series1982

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