<human>:  Why did the actor James Dean die?
<bot>: James Dean died in a car crash on September 30, 1955. He was only 24 years old. He was driving his Porsche 550 Spyder, when it hit a truck at an intersection in Santa Monica, California. He died instantly, and his body was never found. He is widely considered to be one of the most influential actors in the history of cinema.