Thinking of his family and sending my love., James Caan. After Brians Song and The Godfather, he was one of Hollywoods busiest actors, appearing in Hide in Plain Sight (which he also directed), Funny Lady (opposite Barbra Streisand), The Killer Elite and Neil Simons Chapter Two, among others. A tweet from the actor's official account Thursday read, "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing . So happy I got to know him. However, he did score again with the stylish Michael Mann-directed heist movie Thief (1981). Send us a tip using our anonymous form. He landed his breakout role in 1972 when he was cast as Sonny in The Godfather. In 2003, Caan would endear himself to a younger generation and get to showcase his comedic chops by playing the biological father of Will Ferrells character in the now-Christmas classic Elf. Photo: Matt Carr/Getty. The character and the man like his Sonny in The Godfather were made for each other. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for El Dorado (DVD, 2005 JOHN WAYNE,ROBERT MITCHUM,JAMES CAAN,CHARLENE HOLT at the best online prices at eBay! Always wanted to be like him. They want me to play Sonny for the rest of my life, Caan said, and after briefly returning to the character in a one-scene cameo flashback in The Godfather Part II, he took on roles that avoided the stereotype. Caan had begun to struggle with drug use and was devastated by the 1981 leukemia death of his sister, Barbara, who until then had been a guiding force in his career. Favreau added, We ended up hanging out a lot off-set. The late actor's passing comes as two other legends from gangster genre movies have died this year: Ray Liotta and Tony Sirico. Frank is half Frank, half Jimmy. Caan received his only Oscar nomination, for best supporting actor, for the film, and his work remains notable for Sonnys gruesome death scene, for which Caan said he was fitted with over 140 squibs, or explosive blood pellets, to simulate gunshot wounds. He followed it up with the popular Alien Nation but fully re-established himself with the Stephen King adaptation Misery, directed by Rob Reiner, in which Caan played the bedbound author subject to the attentions of obsessive nurse/fan Kathy Bates. "Ive done pictures where Id rather do time. Appeared in a PSA for Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV.org). Caan was previously married four times: first to Dee Jay Mattis, from 1961 to 1966, then to Sheila Ryan in 1976. There was a core of values within him about how people should be, more or less. While on sabbatical from acting he coached a Little League baseball team. Tony, who played the iconic Paulie Walnuts on The Sopranos, died at the age of 79 on Friday, just one day after James' family announced his passing in a tweet on Thursday afternoon. Unique. Sending my love to his family.. He toldThe Post: "The biggest thorn in his side was, 'Whos Gianni Russo? This guy, he studied with Stella Adler, you name it. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. The Natural Born Killers star welcomed twin boys Jagger and Jayden with his ex Janelle in 2005. ", Godfather co-star Gianni Russo calls James Caan rude. ", "She was the only person I was afraid of in the world," he explained. Check out what clicked this week in entertainment. ", He also said he was itching "to do some really good character stuff" before he died, explaining, "Henry Fonda always said he wanted to do a good picture before he passed away. I was so saddened to hear about Jimmy leaving us, he wrote in a statement. Caan was married four times: between 1961 and 1966 to Dee Jay Mathis, to Sheila Marie Ryan from 1975-76, to Ingrid Hajek from 1990-94, and to Linda Stokes from 1995 to 2017. James Caan, Film Icon Who Starred in The Godfather, Dead at 82, Fresh Controversy for Ja Morant as NBA Star Is Accused of Assaulting Teen, Boygenius Take Fans on a Road Trip in Video for New Single Not Strong Enough, Metallica Drop New Seven-Minute Epic If Darkness Had a Son, How to Watch 'The Mandalorian' Online: Stream Season 3 Now, Jena Malone Says She Was Sexually Assaulted by 'Hunger Games' Coworker, Chris Pine Clears Up #SpitGate Once and for All: 'Harry Did Not Spit on Me', Oscars Still #SoWhite, Despite Some Improvements in Nominee Diversity, New 'Stranger Things' Play 'The First Shadow' to Offer Some Deep Hawkins Lore, Wizkid More Love, Less Ego Tour Postponed to Fall 2023, Alex MurdaughCalled 'Family Annihilator' by Prosecution in Murder Trial. A masculine and enigmatic actor whose life and movie career have had He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in Misery in 1990. RELATED GALLERY: Celebrities Who've Died in 2022. Tributes have started to arrive from Hollywood, including Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in Misery. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. He improvised a few things like that little billy club he threw at me when I came off the stoop. And its clear that co-star Duvall clicked with Caan right away. ", JAMES CAAN: 'THE GODFATHER' STAR CREATES HOLLYWOOD LEGACY WITH SIGNATURE MOVIE ROLES ACROSS THE DECADES, Actors James Caan and Scott Caan attend the Los Angeles premiere HBO's "His Way" at Paramount Theater on the Paramount Studios lot on March 22, 2011, in Hollywood, California. ", JAMES CAAN, 'GODFATHER' STAR, DEAD AT 82, FAMILY SAYS, James Caan and Barbra Streisand starred in Funny Lady circa 1975. Always wanted to be like him. He was a star athlete and class president at Rhodes High School and, after attending Michigan State and Hofstra University, he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater under Sanford Meisner. Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! The talented star was diagnosed with clinical depression in 1981 after his sister died of Leukemia. Who Are James Caan's Children? James career began when he played Brian Piccolo in Brians Song. Free shipping for many products! Absolute king. If you need support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org to chat online one-on-one with a support . ", CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER, The actor was born in the Bronx and later made his on-screen debut in 1963 with "Irma la Douce. On Thursday, a statement shared on James' official Twitter page announced that the actor died on Wednesday at 82 years old: "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt. Caan left the show during the fourth season and it was later canceled. Last modified on Wed 10 Aug 2022 07.41 EDT. Caan also became famous for the roles he turned down, including One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, Apocalypse Now and Kramer Vs Kramer. An earlier version mistakenly listed Things to Do in Denver When Youre Dead among Caans film credits. The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6," the family wrote in a tweet. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. His father was a meat dealer and butcher. All Rights Reserved. Losing Ray Liotta and James Caan within months of each other just tells me God is up there making one helluva a mobster movie. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. And I didnt have to wait six months for them to put music to it.". The actor's manager shared the news of his demise a day after his passing via the late star's Twitter. His son, Scott Caan, grew up to be an actor as well. (Chris Polk), "When I lost her, I couldnt handle it," Caan admitted. James stayed on the show for four years, only leaving before the shooting of Season 5. James Caan, the Hollywood icon who portrayed Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and starred in films like Brians Song, Thief, and Misery, has died at the age of 82. "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. Before he can escape he is cut down by a seemingly endless fusillade of machine-gun fire. A football player at Michigan State University and a practical joker on production sets, Caan was a grinning, handsome performer with an athletes swagger and muscular build. Gianni Russo, the 78-year-old actor who played Carlo Rizzu in The Godfather, recounted a time when James Caan's agent called him as "Any Given Sunday was being produced. Initial theatrical release was on March 15, 1972, by Paramount Pictures. Short on cash, Caan was hired by Coppola for the leading role in the 1987 film Gardens of Stone. The movie, about life at Arlington National Cemetery, proved too grim for most audiences, but it renewed Caans acting career. All rights reserved. Snubbing the King: Why Don't Big Stars Want to Perform at Charles' Coronation? After their divorce in 1966, James married a former girlfriend ofElvis Presley, Sheila Marie Ryan, but their relationship was short-lived and only lasted a year. Jen Juneau is a digital news writer for PEOPLE since 2016. 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James Caan, the American actor renowned for his role as Sonny Corleone in the mafia epic The Godfather, as well as a string of key films in the 1970s, has died aged 82. May you Rest In Peace forever in the light. In 1990, he starred in both "Dick Tracy" and "Misery." From there, he appeared in numerous memorable movies, including "Eraser," "Elf" and. FILE - James Caan attends the 2016 Summer TCA "Hallmark Event" on July 27, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Caan, whose roles included "The Godfather," "Brians Song" and "Misery," died Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at age 82. Fox News' Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report. The actors family announced Caans death Thursday on social media. (Getty Images), Caan's early work included "Red Line 7000," "El Dorado" and "The Rain People. A tweet from the actor's official account Thursday read, "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.". "But there were days when I was not on my best behavior. The elder Caan experienced addiction in the 1980s, which required him to take a step back from acting. He was 82. He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in The Godfather, Part II.. he boasted. Instead of a passive, relatively one-sided character, he wanted to play someone able to walk around the casino and engage in small talk with its most eccentric customers. He also lent his voice to animated shows likeFamily Guyand American Dad. The crime film paid tribute to James Caan in a tweet, which features a photo of the late actor. Market data provided by Factset. [on being voted "Italian of the Year" in New York twice, after his role In 1978, he graduated with a degree in acting from the University ofMiamiand moved toNew York Cityafterward. So if you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears. Brosnan stars in the upcoming film Fast Charlie with Caan. So happy I got to know him. to join the cast of NBC's Las Vegas this fall, playing "a charismatic . He was never satisfied. Market data provided by Factset. more ups and downs than the average rollercoaster and whose selection 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. "I didnt know what to do. Why did he leave the show? Jimmy was someone who stretched through my life longer and closer than any motion picture figure Ive ever known, the director toldDeadline. The 45-year-old told the news outlet: "To say our relationship wasn't dysfunctional would be a lie. Our relationship was always friendship before business. A year after his Firehouse 51 job ended, Hodge actually worked opposite James Caan in the indie thriller "The Waiting." The same year he made his third, and sadly final appearance in "The Purge . I taught an acting class for a couple of years here, which was fun and rewarding, but it's not as much fun as doing it. A masculine and enigmatic actor whose life and movie career have had more ups and downs than the average rollercoaster and whose selection of roles has arguably derailed him from achieving true superstar status, James Caan is New York-born and bred. Legal Statement. However, the decade produced one of Caans most enduring and acclaimed roles as safecracker Frank in director Michael Manns cult favorite Thief, with Caan like Sonny a decade earlier turning an otherwise despicable person into an audience-beloved antihero. After leaving Las Vegas, James went on to feature in hit movies like New York, I Love You, Blood Ties, and The Good Neighbor. Just last year,Jamesdid an interview withCBSwhere he shared that he was still looking forward to working in his old age. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Al Jean, a producer of The Simpsons, tweeted a joke on Saturday that the three actors would now be "having a sitdown up in heaven.". (Warner Brothers-Seven Arts). Francis Ford Coppola, James longtime friend and director in The Rain People andThe Godfather, shared an emotional statement about the late actor. They wouldn't let me do much else. Robert Duvall, James Caan, The Godfather. Caan would not appear in another Hollywood film until 1987, when Coppola cast him in his Vietnam war drama Gardens of Stone. "My dad never told me he loved me, and consequently I told Scott I loved him every other minute. He portrayed real-life New York mobster and crime figure,Henry Hill. status, James Caan is New York-born and bred. We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing.. ". Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. We all will miss him terribly. He continued to receive significant roles in feature films such as Cinderella Liberty (1973), Rollerball (1975), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Comes a Horseman (1978), Chapter Two (1979) and Thief (1981). He followed this with a supernatural romantic comedy titled Kiss Me Goodbye (1982) and then, due to personal conflicts, dropped out of the spotlight for several years before returning with a stellar performance under old friend Francis Ford Coppola in the moving Gardens of Stone (1987).Caan appeared back in favor with fans and critics alike and raised his visibility with the sci-fi hit Alien Nation (1988) and Dick Tracy (1990), then surprised everyone by playing a meek romance novelist held captive after a car accident by a deranged fan in the dynamic Misery (1990). I love to work with good people. One of a kind! Caan had begun to struggle with drug abuse and was devastated by the 1981 death of his sister, who until then had been a guiding force in his career. Family and sending my love., James Caan in a tweet, which him! Which required him to take a step back from acting the shooting of season 5 be, more or.! ), `` She was the only person I was so saddened to hear about Jimmy us. 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