James Caan, the actor known for his Oscar-nominated turn as Sonny Corleone in 1972’s “The Godfather,” along with a host of other tough-guy roles starting in the 1960s, died Wednesday. He was 82.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” Caan’s account tweeted Thursday.
The actor’s publicist confirmed his death, saying in a statement to the L.A. Times, “Mr. Caan’s family appreciates the outpouring of condolences from his friends and fans from around the world, and respectfully request privacy in this time of great mourning. No further details will be released at this time.”
As an actor, Caan wasn’t always as tough as many people thought he was. Apart from his role as Corleone, he sang and danced in 1982’s “Kiss Me Goodbye” and in 1975’s “Funny Lady,” where he played Billy Rose to Barbra Streisand’s Fanny Brice. In 1990’s “Misery,” he found himself at the mercy of Kathy Bates’ obsessed Annie Wilkes.
And sure, he was on Santa’s Naughty List as Walter in 2003’s “Elf,” but Will Ferrell’s giddy character Buddy — his long-lost son — eventually fixed that.
James Edmund Caan was born to German immigrant parents on March 26, 1940, in the Bronx, New York. He grew up in Queens with two brothers and later attended Michigan State University and Hofstra University.
His acting career began in the ’60s with roles in TV shows including “Dr. Kildare,” “Ben Casey,” “Death Valley Days” and “The Untouchables.” Caan’s first credited movie role was co-starring with Olivia de Havilland in the 1964 thriller “Lady in a Cage.”
Caan’s turn in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” cemented him as a Hollywood wiseguy in many casting directors’ eyes.
“I just lost a couple of movies,” Caan told the L.A. Times in 2011. “They said we don’t want a tough guy. I said excuse me, I am an actor. That is what I do for a living. You know it’s frustrating. I said to my agent, if I am the last guy on the list they could possibly think for a particular role, those are the ones I want to go after. That’s the fun.“
Caan was married and divorced four times and has five children, including actor Scott Caan.
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