Sal Mineo was an American actor, singer, and director who is best known for his role as John 'Plato' Crawford in the 1955 film Rebel Without a Cause. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film. Mineo was one of the first actors to portray a homosexual character in a Hollywood film. He was also a pioneer in the civil rights movement and was an advocate for gay rights. Mineo's career was cut short when he was murdered in 1976 at the age of 37.