Caan was born in 1940 in the Bronx, New York City, the son of a kosher butcher. For much of the 1980s he made no films, telling people he preferred to coach his sons Little League games. James Caan's son on 'dysfunctional' relationship with dad. James Caan as Santino 'Sonny' Corleone in 'The Godfather, ' the movie based on the novel by Mario Puzo and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. The crime film paid tribute to James Caan in a tweet, which features a photo of the late actor. Actor who played Sonny Corleone in the groundbreaking 1972 epic engineered a comeback after his career went off the rails in the early 1980s. My son saw me cry. 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. "Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved. The character is a real ballbreaker, Caan told Rolling Stone in 1981. 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.He was born in the Bronx, to Sophie (Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan, Jewish immigrants from Germany. Legal Statement. Always wanted to be like him. In the film, based on Stephen Kings novel, Caan is an author taken captive by an obsessed fan who breaks his ankles to keep him from leaving. He starred in four films GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough, and Die Another Day from 1995 to 2002, as well as several video games. "He brought a pathos and authenticity to the role of Tim Lockwood that held the film together. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Authorities have not yet revealed the causes of death for both James and Tony. Tony Sirico was an American actor born in New York City on July 29, 1942. However, he did score again with the stylish Michael Mann-directed heist movie Thief (1981). He then won a scholarship to study under acting coach Wynn Handman and began to appear in several off-Broadway productions, including "I Roam" and "Mandingo".He made his screen debut as a sailor in Irma la Douce (1963) and began to impress audiences with his work in Red Line 7000 (1965) and the western El Dorado (1966) alongside John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. Caan didnt take a starring role in a TV series until 2003 but his first effort, Las Vegas, was an immediate hit. James Caan says that he walked out of an initial The Godfather screening after realizing director Francis Ford Coppola cut a key scene involving Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen. The 100 Best Albums of 2022. He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in The Godfather, Part II.. James acted for decades in numerous blockbuster movies, including Misery, Dick Tracy and most endearingly, Elf.. His anger at Coppola, 83, aside, "Otherwise, he gave me a great honor," Caan said with a laugh of the film's director and co-writer. 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. Last modified on Wed 10 Aug 2022 07.41 EDT. The Offer premieres April 28 on the streamer. "If you know any directors, tell 'em I'm ready," he added. No cause of death was provided. Al Pacino wrote in an emailed statement that, Jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend. It might be variable, the corners could be rounded with urban irony, but there was a line and it was non-fungible. "But there were days when I was not on my best behavior. status, James Caan is New York-born and bred. He was born in the Bronx, to Sophie (Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan, Jewish . The actor died earlier this month due to heart problems, according to a death certificate for the star that was obtained by . 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. His character rose to become boss of the Montecito but remained the tough guy who had learned judo in an undercover division of the U.S. government. The two divorced in 1995, and he wed Linda Stokes later that year. A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Legal Statement. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. By the time James Caan passed away in 2022, the famous actor was 82 years old. At the time, the actor was struggling financially due tohis drug addiction battle. 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. When the series debuted, he was a casino surveillance chief dealing with cheaters and competitors of the fictional Montecito Resort and Casino. James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of "The Godfather" and to television audiences as both the dying football player in the classic weeper . He was 82 years old. Caan spoke with The Independent about his career in 2021, saying he "was always cast as Mister Tough Guy or Mister Hero. Caan went on to pursue acting again after his recovery. As the actor described in a previous interview with Today, the creators were very open to his suggestions granting him plenty of opportunities to get involved in the creative process. However, while studying at Hofstra University, he became intrigued by acting and was interviewed and accepted at Sanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse. I'm proud that he's grown up so well.". I enjoy working. ", He's most known for his work in "The Godfather," "Thief," "Misery" and "Rollerball.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Caan and Stokes were in the middle of a divorce as of December 2016, according to TMZ. Farewell Jimmy. "Ive done pictures where Id rather do time. Says Adam Driver, Defending Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Set, Damien Chazelle Compared Diego Calva to Al Pacino During 'Babylon' Casting, 22 Great Erotic Thrillers, from Adrian Lyne to Brian De Palma, 45 Great Films That Failed at the Box Office. "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. So happy I got to know him. ", JAMES CAAN, 'GODFATHER' STAR, DEAD AT 82, FAMILY SAYS, James Caan and Barbra Streisand starred in Funny Lady circa 1975. ", According to the Oscar-nominated star, he coached his sons Little League team before turning to acting in "Godfather" director Francis Ford Coppolas 1987 film "Gardens of Stone. The guys nuts.. A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. (CBS via Getty Images), "I had great, great times as a Little League coach," he told Esquire. Following his celebrated turn as a bedridden author tormented by a psychotic Kathy Bates in Misery, Caan returned to Hollywood in the Nineties as a prolific character actor, often playing roles that tapped into the macho bravado he utilized as Sonny decades earlier: He starred as a win-at-all-costs college football coach in The Program, a duplicitous federal agent in the Arnold Schwarzenegger action flick The Eraser, a low-level crime boss in Wes Andersons directorial debut Bottle Rocket and, in a nod to The Godfather, the patriarch of a crime family in the mob comedy Mickey Blue Eyes. Russo, who was help producing the drama, told theNew York Post: "He said, You know, Jimmy would be great in this movie. 22 Great Erotic Thrillers, from Adrian Lyne to Brian De Palma Godfather veteran James Caan, 79, is pushed in a wheelchair by son Jacob, 21 | Daily Mail Online The frail star was pushed in wheelchair by his son Jacob on Tuesday following a recent back. ", He added: "He made mistakes that affected him and me but he's always been there for me no matter what. Copyright 2023 Penske Business Media, LLC. Caan spent the remainder of the Seventies as a leading man, headlining films like Sam Peckinpahs The Killer Elite, Richard Attenboroughs war epic A Bridge Too Far and the adaptation of Neil Simons Chapter Two. Appeared in a PSA for Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV.org). IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Why 'The Godfather' Is Unthinkable Without James Caan, Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in Misery, said in a statement to Deadline Thursday, I was so saddened to hear about Jimmy leaving us. James Caan: The studio thought The Godfather was a piece of garbage, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. However, Caan's previous health . 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! All rights reserved. He starred as a self-destructive gambling addict in the 1974s now-cut classic The Gambler, the foil to Barbra Streisands Fanny Brice in the Funny Girl sequel Funny Lady and as a superstar athlete-turned-revolutionary in the 1974 sci-fi sports film Rollerball. to join the cast of NBC's Las Vegas this fall, playing "a charismatic . The actor recently opened up about the lasting legacy of The Godfather in which he played Vito Corleone's (Marlon Brando) oldest son, Sonny for the beloved crime epic's 50th anniversary. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. All Rights Reserved. Says Adam Driver, Defending Francis Ford Coppola's 'Megalopolis' Set He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in Misery in 1990. A statement read: It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. RELATED GALLERY: Celebrities Who've Died in 2022. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. He is also survived by multiple sons: Scott, Ryan, Alexander James, James Arthur, and Jacob Nicholas. His movies were best of the best.. pic.twitter.com/a0q8rCP1Yl, Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) July 7, 2022. I loved working with him. The Best Picture Race Got a Lot More Confusing This Week, Tom Cruise Made the Rounds This Week, but Other Oscar Nominees Got More Applause Than Top Gun: Maverick, These Oscar Categories Are the Hardest to Predict, Translating the Unconscious Into Images: The Cinematography of Bardo, Poker Face Takes Viewers on a Cross-Country Road Trip Without Leaving New York, Why TR Looks Different from Every Other Movie of 2022, The 50 Best Movies of 2022, According to 165 Critics from Around the World, All 81 Titles Unceremoniously Removed from HBO Max (So Far), 10 Shows Canceled but Not Forgotten in 2022. He was in the Dominican Republic shooting for an upcoming film titled Dangerous Waters. "He was never nice to me from day one. Check out what clicked this week in entertainment. Kathy Bates And James Caan paired up for the chilling Misery flick in 1990, Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines 7/6, death of his younger sister Barbara from leukemia, for a featured role in "The Godfather" as Sonny, Michael B. Jordan apologized to his mom before steamy Calvin Klein underwear ad was released, Kristin Cavallari jokes shes 'heartless' for breaking up with guys over text: 'I know thats horrible', Gisele Bndchen shares tips for when 'life gets challenging': 'Remember that the sun rises everyday', Amy Grant says she leaned on her faith after horrific bike accident: Its helped me not be afraid, Bette Midler confesses to plastic surgery: Time smooths 'everything out', Meghan Markle, Prince Harry 'stunned' by King Charles' 'cruel' Frogmore Cottage eviction, report says. From one Sonny to another God bless you James Caan & Happy Birthday Sonny!, A post shared by Mario Lopez (@mariolopez). Old friend from Sunnyside, collaborator and one of the funniest people Ive ever known., His Funny Lady co-star Barbra Streisand tweeted a picture of the pair together and wrote: Im so sorry to hear about Jimmy. The 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time Caan was previously married four times: first to Dee Jay Mattis, from 1961 to 1966, then to Sheila Ryan in 1976. Alec also said that Jimmy taught him how to swear. James disappeared from Hollywood on several occasions, intermittently working as a children's sports coach. As they traveled to the Vibrato Grill Jazz in Los Angeles for supper, the 79-year-old Godfather actor was spotted enjoying time with his youngest child, who is 21. The award-winning star has been married four times, the first to Dee Jay Mathis with whom he shares a daughter named Tara. So happy I got to know him. He was 82. 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. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time His Legacy: Get to Know Late Actor James Caan's 5 Children John announced his wife's death on Facebook with a heartfelt post in February 2023. Caan died Wednesday night in Los Angeles, his rep Arnold Robinson told The Hollywood Reporter, confirming a post on the actor's Twitter account. RIP to a legend", We were lucky enough to work with James Caan on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. I have more fun when Im working, because I get to know new people, and mostly good people, you know? I cant do a little of anything. The 45-year-old told the news outlet: "To say our relationship wasn't dysfunctional would be a lie. "I really want to work. Sylvester Stallone Pays Tribute to 'Good Friend' James Caan After His Death: 'A Man's Man', James Caan's Cause of Death Revealed as a Combination of Heart Problems, Mario Lopez Reveals Son Named in Honor of James Caan After Actor Died on His Third Birthday, Alec Baldwin Says 'Sweetheart' Friend James Caan's Health Was 'Not Great' Over 'Last Five Years', James Caan Honored by 'Godfather' Costars Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and More: 'Gonna Miss Him', Pierce Brosnan Shares Photos of James Caan from Set of Late Actor's Final Film: 'You Were an Inspiration', Donald Soffer Remembers James Caan as a Longtime 'Loyal' Friend: 'Always a Straight-Up Guy', Kathy Bates Says She 'Can't Believe' 'Misery' Costar James Caan Is 'Gone': 'I'm Bereft', James Caan Remembered by Adam Sandler, Rob Reiner and More: 'Best of the Best', James Caan Once Lived at the Playboy Mansion, Joked It Was to 'Get Over My Divorce', James Caan Once Paused His Hollywood Career to Coach Kids' Baseball After a 'Bad Bout with Cocaine', Raquel Welch's Marriages: Everything She Said About Her Past Relationships, Reese Witherspoon, Christopher Meloni, More Stars React to Raquel Welch's Death: 'She Was Elegant', Scott Caan Recalls Final Conversations with Dad James Caan: 'I'm Lucky for That'. 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