Beverly Long obit

‘Rebel Without a Cause’ Actress Beverly Long Dies at 81

She played Helen in the 1955 James Dean drama and later had a lead role in the 1958 film "The Green-Eyed Blonde."

 She was not on the list.

Beverly Long, one of the last surviving castmembers of the James Dean classic Rebel Without a Cause, died May 8 in Los Angeles after a short hospital stay. She was 81.

Long also had a leading role as Ouisie in the 1957 film The Green-Eyed Blonde, appeared in Paramount’s As Young as We Are (1958) and was seen on Robert Young‘s CBS sitcom Father Knows Best.

The longtime resident of Studio City in recent years served as a casting director.

Long played Helen, a friend of Judy (Natalie Wood) and one of the gang, in the 1955 Warner Bros. drama directed by Nicholas Ray.

In the 2005 book Live Fast, Die Young: The Wild Ride of Making Rebel Without a Cause by Lawrence Frascella and Al Weisel, Long described working with Dean.

“In the mornings, you never knew whether he was going to speak to you,” she said. “That made you extremely wary, because one morning you would say, ‘Good morning, Jim,’ and he would look through you as though you didn’t exist.

“On another morning, you would not say hello, and he would say, ‘Well, good morning,’ like his feelings were hurt, and then he would give out with that mischievous grin and giggle. You never could win.”

Frank Mazzola, who played Crunch, and Jack Grinnage (Moose) are believed to be the last surviving Rebel castmembers.

A celebration of Long’s life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills.

Actress

Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion (2008)

Super Capers: The Origins of Ed and the Missing Bullion

3.2

Marge

2008

 

Miss Supreme Queen (1999)

Miss Supreme Queen

6.6

Short

Judge

1999

 

Father Knows Best (1954)

Father Knows Best

7.4

TV Series

JudyJudy ClausonGrace

1958–1960

3 episodes

 

Ray Milland in Markham (1959)

Markham

8.0

TV Series

Maggie

1960

1 episode

 

As Young as We Are (1958)

As Young as We Are

6.3

Marge

1958

 

Susan Oliver in The Green-Eyed Blonde (1957)

The Green-Eyed Blonde

5.7

Ouisie

1957

 

Preston Foster in Cavalcade of America (1952)

Cavalcade of America

8.0

TV Series

Dilly

1957

1 episode

 

December Bride (1954)

December Bride

8.0

TV Series

Susie Martin

1956

1 episode

 

Hal Baylor, Hans Conried, and Chuck Hicks in Schlitz Playhouse (1951)

Schlitz Playhouse

7.6

TV Series

1952–1955

2 episodes

 

James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Corey Allen in Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Rebel Without a Cause

7.6

Helen

1955

 

Jack Arnold, Ray Buffum, Albert J. Cohen, Glenda Farrell, Patricia Hardy, Joyce Holden, and Harvey Lembeck in Girls in the Night (1953)

Girls in the Night

6.5

Mary (uncredited)

1953

 

Gang Busters (1952)

Gang Busters

6.8

TV Series

Stella

1952

1 episode

 

Brian Donlevy in Dangerous Assignment (1952)

Dangerous Assignment

6.6

TV Series

Herta

1952

1 episode

 

The Ruggles (1949)

The Ruggles

7.4

TV Series

Mary Ann

1951

3 episodes

 

Casting Director

Definite Maybe

6.4

Short

Casting Director

2002

 

Gabrielle

8.3

Short

Casting Director

2001

 

Swap Meet (1979)

Swap Meet

3.8

Casting Director

1979

 

Casting Department

When a Stranger Calls (1979)

When a Stranger Calls

6.4

additional casting

1979

 

Thanks

Sal Mineo in James Dean: A Portrait (1995)

James Dean: A Portrait

7.4

TV Movie

the producers wish to thank

1995

 

Self

Real James Dean

8.3

Video

Self

2006

 

Forever James Dean (1988)

Forever James Dean

6.6

Self

1988

 

Archive Footage

American Masters (1985)

American Masters

8.2

TV Series

Actress 'Rebel without a Cause' (archive footage, uncredited)

2005

1 episode

 

Rediscovering a Rebel (1996)

Rediscovering a Rebel

6.5

TV Short

Self - 'Helen' (archive footage)

1996