He was born in the Bronx, to Sophie (Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan, Jewish . Once again in demand, Caan starred in For the Boys with Bette Midler in 1991 as part of a song-and-dance team entertaining U.S. soldiers during World War II and the Korean and Vietnam wars. James Caan, the American actor renowned for his role as Sonny Corleone in the mafia epic The Godfather, as well as a string of . His manager Matt DelPiano said he died Wednesday. ", Once he said a line in his low gravelly voice & we said try one with a little more projection, you and Flint will be outside on opposite ends of the backyardSo he said Flint cmere I dont wanna yell and then the rest of the line at the same volume. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.. According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ, Caan died from a heart attack and coronary artery disease. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. He managed a long career despite drug problems, outbursts of temper and minor brushes with the law. His son, Scott Caan, grew up to be an actor as well. Caan also had a role in the successful animation Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and in the fondly-remembered Christmas comedy Elf, as Will Ferrells businessman father. Between 1982 and 1987, he went on what he would later call the Hollywood burnout. Related The thing with Caan is, hes got a great sense of humor, director Jon Favreau told Rolling Stone in 2020. "The Godfather" star James Caan, who died this week, was infamous for his antics and "excess" namely, cocaine benders and feuds with John Wayne that were much-discussed in the media. The tumultuous making of the blockbuster movie is at the center of the Paramount+ limited series The Offer, charting the behind-the-scenes drama that plagued the big-screen adaptation of Mario Puzos novel. Check out what clicked this week in entertainment. 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. A tweet from the actor's official account Thursday read, "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing . more ups and downs than the average rollercoaster and whose selection When Michael [Al Pacino] tells me he is going to take care of the cop and Sollozzo [Al Lettieri], I say, Youll get brains all over your nice Ivy League suit. There was a scene before in the same room that I had with Bobby [Duvall] that was like 10 pages long and Francis cut all of it out! Caan told The Hollywood Reporter in honor of The Godfathers 50th anniversary. "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. An earlier version mistakenly listed Things to Do in Denver When Youre Dead among Caans film credits. Caan didnt take a starring role in a TV series until 2003 but his first effort, Las Vegas, was an immediate hit. (Chris Polk), "When I lost her, I couldnt handle it," Caan admitted. In 2018 he appeared in Carol Morleys Martin Amis adaptation Out of Blue, as the father of murder victim Jennifer Rockwell. Loved him very much, Adam Sandler, who co-starred with Caan in the 1996 action film Bulletproof and the 2012 comedy Thats My Boy, tweeted; Sandlers character in Uncut Gems was likely informed by Caans turn in The Gambler decades earlier. Check out what clicked this week in entertainment. 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. All rights reserved. Absolute king. Matt Mitovich May 9, 2007, 3:47 p.m. PT. Besides being a talented instinctive actor, he was the only Jew I knew who could rope a calf with the best of them. James Caan 's cause of death has been revealed. 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. "It. Las Vegas provided him with an exceptional opportunity to experience an aspect of film production he was more or less unacquainted with before. (Photo by Mark Sullivan/WireImage), "That was when I came back!" Sly captioned the tribute: "I will miss my good friend and great actor, James Caan! Always wanted to be like him. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Caan was nominated for an Emmy for his role, which led to his reuniting with Coppola for The Godfather. He came in, and we made up the whole fight. RIP to a legend", We were lucky enough to work with James Caan on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, The actor has been seen in a wheelchair in more recent years as his health has declined since the incident. 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. James Caan, whose indelible, Oscar-nominated performance as Sonny Corleone, the recklessly hotheaded son of Marlon Brando's Mafia don in "The Godfather," is sure to be remembered as long as . (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Recent hot onscreen roles have included The Yards (2000), City of Ghosts (2002) and Dogville (2003). 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. 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.". He appeared in comedies, such as Honeymoon in Vegas, Bulletproof and Mickey Blue Eyes, Hollywood thrillers, including Flesh and Bone and Eraser, and occasional prestige dramas, including The Yards, a sprawling crime epic directed by James Gray, and Lars von Triers Brechtian parable Dogville. Not me, Caan said. Authorities have not yet revealed the causes of death for both James and Tony. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives). Caan originally auditioned for the role of Michael Corleone that eventually went to Al Pacino, and was favoured by the studio executives, but after Coppola insisted on Pacino, Caan was given another plum role, Corleones older brother Sonny. Given that James fell for so many women, some fans may wonder how many kids the actor fathered. James Caan's son on 'dysfunctional' relationship with dad. Favreau added, We ended up hanging out a lot off-set. pic.twitter.com/a0q8rCP1Yl, Adam Sandler (@AdamSandler) July 7, 2022. I was so saddened to hear about Jimmy leaving us, he wrote in a statement. James struggled with various mental and physical health complications over the years, including depression, severe chest pain, and back problems. However, Caan's previous health . Thats what I loved about my sister: she was just so passionate about whatever she did.". Legal Statement. The guys nuts.. Jimmy was not just a great actor with total commitment and a venturesome spirit, but he had a vitality in the core of his being that drove everything from his art and friendship to athletics and very good times. he added. "My beautiful Smile is pain-free, living in her . 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. 1 enforcer and eldest son of Mafia boss Vito Corleone. The actor's family announced . 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. Caan received Golden Globe Award nominations for his performances in the drama The Gambler (1974), and the musical Funny Lady (1975). Originally intended to be the head of surveillance, Ed was supposed to be the kind of man who spends most of his time staring at the neon glow of television screens, carefully studying CCTV footage to prevent criminal activities. James was a core cast member on the show since the very beginning. His father was a meat dealer and butcher. And I didnt have to wait six months for them to put music to it.". james gandolfini interview; lds church headquarters phone directory; clientline merchant login. James Caan, the Hollywood icon who portrayed Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and starred in films like Brian's Song, Thief, and Misery, has died at the age of 82. Although his character was dispatched early in the saga, Caans volcanic portrayal of Sonny resulted in an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. This was not the first time Caan spoke out about his struggles. Snubbing the King: Why Don't Big Stars Want to Perform at Charles' Coronation? Entertainment, Caan said that he lived with cocaine addiction after turning to the drug when his sister died from leukemia. In 2015, James was rushed to the hospital with extreme chest pain, and despite concerns of a heart attack, medics attributed it to infection. ", 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. The Offer premieres April 28 on the streamer. Legal Statement. Last modified on Wed 10 Aug 2022 07.41 EDT. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. ", He's most known for his work in "The Godfather," "Thief," "Misery" and "Rollerball.". A titan in the film industry, Caan's movie and TV career stretches back over 60 years, with some of his most notable roles being in The Godfather (1972), Misery (1990) and Elf (2003). The actors family announced Caans death Thursday on social media. 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