James Edmund Caan, actor, born 26 March 1940; died 6 July 2022, Superb actor whose defining role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather found echoes in his colourful personal life, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, James Caan in bath smoking as Karel Reiszs The Gambler (1974). James Caan: the hard-working star who mixed the rough with the smooth, James Caan: some of The Godfather star's most memorable scenes video, TheGodfather star James Caan dies aged 82, James Caan: The studio thought The Godfather was a piece of garbage. In 1993, a man named Mark Schwartz died when trying to climb up to the balcony of an apartment where the actor was staying. In addition to famous lines like "Leave the gun, take the cannoli," the film (and book) gave new meaning to the word"godfather," a title that did not have sinister connotations before the novel. Although James approached the task at hand with a critical mentality, Las Vegas had a seismic impact on his career. After undergoing serious back surgery in 2020, he was hospitalized for months and has only recently begun to walk again. "If there's anything I can attribute my success to," Caan told Roger Ebert in 1988, "it's that I said 'no.'" 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. Las Vegas had practically reignited the actor's career, and through it, James garnered an armada of new fans. Caan bonded with Brando, Robert Duvall and other cast members and made it a point to get everyone laughing during an otherwise tense production, sometimes dropping his pants and mooning a fellow actor or crew member. In the late 1990s and early 2000s Caan would act as a kind of good luck charm to other young directors, appearing in Christopher McQuarrie's debut "The Way of the Gun" and James Gray's sophomore effort "The Yards," both in 2000. One year ago Vancouver voted to defund a women's shelter. Life on a third straight one-year contract with the mega-talented Astros isnt bad at all. Cinderella Liberty is a 1973 American drama film adapted by Daryl Ponicsan from his 1973 novel of the same title. I have more fun when I'm working, and I have a lot of laughs. I just gave them all the cocaine they wanted. (Fleiss was convicted of Federal Tax Evasion in 1996 and served seven years in prison.). Caan had been a favorite of Francis Ford Coppola since the 1960s, when Coppola cast him for the lead in Rain People. He was primed for a featured role in The Godfather as Sonny, the No. End of tweet. The death was eventually ruled an accident. First among those was "Thief," the 1981 debut feature of writer-director Michael Mann, who would go on to revolutionize the crime drama on television and film with "Miami Vice," "Manhunter," and "Heat," among many others. Years later, Caan would downplay his contributions to the team, joking that his job was "mostly holding bags and being the tackling dummy," but that experience of being a football player and an athlete in general would mark a number of his most famous roles, from real-life Chicago Bear Brian Piccolo in the 1971 docudrama "Brian's Song" to the star player of a dystopian bloodsport in Norman Jewison's "Rollerball." James Caan looks back at 'Thief,' a Chicago classic released 40 years He was 82. Our relationship was always friendship before business. Natalie Daniels-Read more. If Im asked about the best movies ever made in Chicago, the most CHICAGO of Chicago movies . What happened to James Caan back? - Vim Buzz "I've had a wonderful four years, worked with great people and made friends for life working on Las Vegas, but I'm eager to return to where my heart is, which is film, and due to the show's schedule, I missed some great opportunities to do that," James explained in a previous interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "The thing I most cherish, as far as my whole career was the respect I felt from these young kids, really good actors," he said. USA TODAY'sBarbara VanDenburghscopes out the shelves for this weeks hottest new book releases. The second nickname, Killer Caan, came from his skills as a teenage boxer. James Caan looks back at Thief, a Chicago classic released 40 years ago this month, here for behind-the-scene gems from the making of Thief, Tom Sizemore dies at 61; actor known for Saving Private Ryan, Natural Born Killers, History of the World, Part II: Mel Brooks picks up where his jokey 1981 movie left off, Hasan Minhaj hits the sweet spot as Film Independent Spirit Awards host, James Tim Norman of Welcome to Sweetie Pies gets life sentence for murder plot, Jussie Smollett files opening arguments appealing conviction for lying about hate crime, Addictive Daisy Jones & the Six recalls a 70s band thats fictional but totally fascinating, Dear Abby: When my husbands brother marries, I should be in the wedding, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and wife to invest $250 million in new Chicago research lab, Jose Abreu on life with the Astros and leaving the White Sox, who werent a family in 2022, Chicago police officer was shot and killed in front of kids playing at school: They ran as quickly as possible just to get to safety, Dear Abby: With boyfriends fussy father living here, I feel trapped, 2 men stabbed during fight in River North, Matt Eberflus influence essential as Bears GM Ryan Poles begins roster construction, Man found fatally shot inside Rogers Park home, Northwesterns Peter Skoronski could be a sure thing a Bears OL rarity, The Astros Dusty Baker 73 years young is still at it, and hes one Hall of a manager. Caan survived all this to rebuild his career. For more must-readbook recommendations, check out our interview with Jos Olivarez about his new poetry collection, and the March USA TODAY Book Club pick, "Promises of Gold;"the 20 books we were most excited for this winter, including a collaboration betweenColleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher, andRebecca Makkai's"I Have Some Questions for You";ourfavoritebooks of 2022that received perfect four-star reviews;and the juiciest celebrity memoirs released last year from Matthew Perry, Tom Felton, William Shatner, Jennette McCurdy and more. Caan starred in several television series including "Naked City" and "The Untouchables" before landing a film role in "Funny Lady" opposite Barbra Streisand, giving him the chance to showcase his adaptability (via IMDb). When the series debuted, he was a casino surveillance chief dealing with cheaters and competitors of the fictional Montecito Resort and Casino. By the mid-1990s, James Caan was back on top, thanks to a string of hits and notable films like "Misery" and the 1992 romantic comedy "Honeymoon in Vegas." In an interview with Collider published less than three months before his death, he dismissed actors who don't like watching themselves. "I had these little skinny legs[with] this big square top," Caan told Cigar Aficionado in a 2006 interview. The Chicago in Thief is the Chicago of the Green Mill Lounge and Wise Fools Pub, of the alleys behind Wabash Avenue in the Loop, of the intersection of Ashland and Webster, of diners and finished basements and used car lots but its also almost surreal in its beauty, from the consistent use of neon to the sparkling, rain-soaked streets. Caan played. HOLLYWOOD (AP) - The sister of actor James Caan and president-chief operating officer of the actor's film and television production company has died at the age of 38, a spokesman said. What Happened to James Caan on 'Las Vegas'? He Left to Star in Movies James Caan Biography - life, family, children, name, story, wife On another occasion, the FBI intercepted a phone conversation between Fiato and Caan concerning the actor Joe Pesci. In Carol Morleys Out of Blue (2018), an adaptation of Martin Amiss 1997 novel Night Train, he was the intimidating father of a murdered astrophysicist daughter, and his movie work continued up to the time of his death. For much of the 1980s he made no films, telling people he preferred to coach his son Scotts Little League games. Many well-known actors have trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse over the years, including Caan's "Godfather" co-star Robert Duvall and "Elf" co-star Mary Steenburgen. With all due respect to Sonny Corleone, "Thief" is arguably Caan's finest performance. As in The Gambler, in which he brings to life screenwriter James Toback's fantasy/projection of a lit professor who can show up to class after an overstimulated night at the craps tables and. I loved him, gonna miss him. Robert De Niro also wrote that he was, very very sad to hear about Jimmys passing.. ", At age 16 he moved halfway across the country to attend Michigan State University, where he studied Economics and played football. 5 James Caan looked weak and needed a walker before his death Credit: BackGrid 5 The Oscar winning actor was 82 Credit: Getty Images - Getty Legal Statement. The first episode of the crime drama aired on Sept. 22, 2003 and it was an immediate hit. This cool and calculating facet of Caans was exploited by Howard Hawks in two movies, as a daredevil racing driver in Red Line 7000 (1965) and as the laid-back Mississippi, John Waynes gunslinging sidekick in El Dorado (1967). "Caan took pride in his work, telling Bright Lights Film Journal that he especially loved being looked up to by the next generation of actors. That work ethic, whether due to artistic passion or financial need, resulted in a very busy 21st century for the actor. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. I enjoy working. Al Pacino called Caan, A great actor. The completed film, titled "Minkow" at the time, premiered at the Berlin Film Festival that same year but ended up on the shelf until nearly a decade later, when it was released quietly under the name "Con Man." Per the New York Post, their relationship was so strong that when Russo was arrested in 2011, the "Rollerball" actor submitted a letter to the court vouching for him. At times Caan gave the impression he wished to be seen as an artist, not a tough guy. Caan's earliest on-screen roles were in television, where he notched appearances on anthology series like "Route 66" and "Naked City." I dont deal with egos. "Godfather" star James Caan's cause of death has been revealed. These allegations were also largely swept under the rug, both by media and law enforcement. He survived a car crash in 1985. to represent a bullet to the head. James Caan counted a lot of Hollywood celebrities as close friends, including Don Rickles and Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner. Much of that time was spent coaching Little League baseball, an experience Caan cherished. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! James Caan Death at 82: 'The Godfather' To 'Elf', Much More - Decider James Caan, 'Godfather' star, cause of death revealed - FOX 29 News 'Godfather' actor James Caan died on Wednesday, July 7. It's an importantjob, but can she resist the tug pulling her away? James Caan death updates Fans also mourn mobster movie stars Ray But by the early 1980s he began to sour on films, though Michael Manns 1981 neo-noir heist film Thief, in which he played a professional safecracker looking for a way out, is among his most admired films.