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. James Caansfriend, director Rob Reiner, offered him a role in the psychological thriller film,Misery, in 1989. 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. In 1990, he starred in both "Dick Tracy" and "Misery." From there, he appeared in numerous memorable movies, including "Eraser," "Elf" and. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Heartbroken for his family & his friends. Thief, released in 1981 and directed by Michael Mann, in which Caan played a safecracker who takes on the mob, boded well for his ability to reinvent himself for the new decade, but Caans career would swiftly derail. This article was amended on 8 July 2022. 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. ", At the times, his dad James, said: "He saw me when I was a little rough around the edges. It renewed Caan's career, and he became busy as ever. "But there were days when I was not on my best behavior. 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. 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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! status, James Caan is New York-born and bred. Legal Statement. These included such failures as the hokey Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976), the quasi-western Comes a Horseman (1978) and the saccharine Chapter Two (1979). Copyright 2023 Distractify. A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. 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 Brians Song and the casino boss in Las Vegas, has died. 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. As the actor said in an interview with Bright Lights Film, he did have a good few reservations about accepting a role on a TV show at first. He also lent his voice to animated shows likeFamily Guyand American Dad. Frank is half Frank, half Jimmy. The instance was one of dozens of roles that Caan reportedly turned down as he eschewed blockbusters for more challenging work. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! Caan spoke with The Independent about his career in 2021, saying he "was always cast as Mister Tough Guy or Mister Hero. James disappeared from Hollywood on several occasions, intermittently working as a children's sports coach. Francis Ford Coppola, James longtime friend and director in The Rain People andThe Godfather, shared an emotional statement about the late actor. 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. The Offer premieres April 28 on the streamer. 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). People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. as Sonny Corleone in, October 7, 1995 - 2016 (divorced, 2 children). It was among the most popular and wrenching TV movies in history and Caan and co-star Billy Dee Williams, who played Piccolos teammate and best friend Gale Sayers, were nominated for best actor Emmys. Caan died Wednesday night in Los Angeles, his rep Arnold Robinson told The Hollywood Reporter, confirming a post on the actor's Twitter account. (FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives). Other notable roles throughout his career include in films like Brian's Song (1971), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Gambler (1974), Rollerball (1975), Dick Tracy (1990), Bottle Rocket (1996) and Eraser (1996). Bates won an Oscar for the role. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Russo claimed in 2017 that a physical altercation between their characters became elevated after Caan allegedly took out real-life frustrations. "Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved. I mean, I thought he did a couple of great pictures, you know? Caan, who passed away on Wednesday at age 82, once recalled to The Independent in 2021 how he "started doing cocaine, which is like a death sentence" and it "lasted a while. In 2007, he announced his departure from the show, stating that he was eager to make movies again. I was so pissed off, I couldnt watch the rest of the film., Caan added, But otherwise, [Coppola] gave me a great honor., Caan also dismissed the rumor that he butted heads with co-star Gianni Russo on set. ", He added: "We're really best buddies. ", 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. to join the cast of NBC's Las Vegas this fall, playing "a charismatic . James disappeared from Hollywood on several occasions, intermittently working as a children's sports coach. 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. Always wanted to be like him. The 1990s were kind to him and he notched up roles as a band leader in For the Boys (1991), another gangster in Honeymoon in Vegas (1992), appeared in the indie hit Bottle Rocket (1996) and pursued Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser (1996).The demand on Caan's talents seems to have increased steadily over the past few years as he is making himself known to a new generation of fans. A stage veteran before heading to Hollywood, the Bronx-born actor was next cast in 1969s The Rain People directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who he would soon collaborate with again and the lead role in the 1970 adaptation of John Updikes Run, Rabbit. Everywhere he goes,The Godfathertheme., James Caan. 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. Snubbing the King: Why Don't Big Stars Want to Perform at Charles' Coronation? ", Godfather co-star Gianni Russo calls James Caan rude. "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. James was a core cast member on the show since the very beginning. All Rights Reserved. He was born in the Bronx, to Sophie (Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan, Jewish immigrants from Germany. He brought a pathos and authenticity to the role of Tim Lockwood that held the film together. After finding fame as a tough guy in Hollywood, James Caan decided it was time for a break. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Trump Melts Down Over Murdoch Admitting Fox Lied About Election Fraud Between 1982 and 1987, he went on what he would later call the Hollywood burnout. One of a kind! Our relationship was always friendship before business. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. He also appeared in more traditional vehicles, such as the Barbra Streisand musical Funny Lady and the second world war epic A Bridge Too Far. James Caan R.I.P: So Much More Than A "Tough Guy" Actor. The actors family announced Caans death Thursday on social media. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. ", "Ive never missed a days work in my life, even through all the st," he remarked. Caan was born in 1940 in the Bronx, New York City, the son of a kosher butcher. "You gave of yourself to the art of acting and performance to the very end. 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. he added. Las Vegas provided him with an exceptional opportunity to experience an aspect of film production he was more or less unacquainted with before. Market data provided by Factset. Sign up for our Email Newsletters here. I loved working with him. All rights reserved. The actor's family announced . All Rights reserved. What a loss.. I said you havent got enough money to make me go to work every day with a director I dont like.". Absolute king, James Caan on Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. Sonny Corleone, a violent and reckless man who conducted many killings, met his own end in one of the most jarring movie scenes in history. "Jimmy was one of the greatest," Del Piano said in a statement. Thinking of his family and sending my love. 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 "Brian's Song" and the casino boss in "Las Vegas," has died. Alert: Missing Persons Unit, with Monday night's double-episode finale, tracked down the woman . 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