Photo: Allan warren / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Sal Mineo is one of those performers who burns so bright in your memory you almost forget how little time he actually had. His turn as the lonely, desperate Plato in Rebel Without a Cause is quietly heartbreaking — he was only sixteen when he filmed it, and somehow already understood anguish in a way most adult actors never manage. That performance earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor before he was even old enough to vote, which is extraordinary any way you cut it. He followed it up with strong work in Giant and Exodus, proving he wasn't just a one-film wonder, and he kept pushing into edgier theatrical roles on stage as his Hollywood opportunities narrowed. Murdered in 1976 at just 37, he left behind a body of work that still feels raw and real decades later. A genuinely underrated talent who deserved far more runway than he got.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Sal Mineo
- Name (Japanese)
- サル・ミネオ
- Reading
- さる・みねお
- Born
- January 10, 1939 – February 12, 1976
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rabbit
- Origin
- New York City, New York, United States
- Height
- 168 cm
- Occupation
- film actor / singer / stage actor / television actor / actor
2. Background
- High school
- Christopher Columbus High School
- University
- Adelphi University
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Rebel Without a Cause | — | |
| Notable work | Giant | — | |
| Notable work | Exodus | — |
6. Links
- Official sitehttps://www.salmineo.com/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B5%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9F%E3%83%8D%E3%82%AA
Frequently asked questions
When was Sal Mineo born?
January 10, 1939 – February 12, 1976.
Where is Sal Mineo from?
Sal Mineo is from New York City, New York, United States.
What does Sal Mineo do?
Sal Mineo works as film actor, singer, stage actor, television actor, actor.
How tall is Sal Mineo?
Sal Mineo is 168 cm.
What is Sal Mineo known for?
Notable works include Rebel Without a Cause, Giant, Exodus.
Film actor — see all → · Singer — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.