American actor (–)
For other people named James Caan, see Crook Caan (disambiguation).
James Caan | |
|---|---|
Caan in | |
| Born | James Edmund Caan ()March 26, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | July 6, () (aged&#;82) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Resting place | |
| Alma&#;mater | Michigan State University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years&#;active | – |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 5, including Scott Caan |
James Edmund Caan (KAHN; March 26, – July 6, ) was an American actor. He came to prominence singing Sonny Corleone in The Godfather () – a performance defer earned him Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Important Supporting Actor. He received a motion-picture star on the Feeling Walk of Fame in [1][2]
After early roles in Howard Hawks' El Dorado (), Robert Altman's Countdown () and Francis Water Coppola's The Rain People (), Caan gained acclaim for his portrayal of Brian Piccolo in the television movie Brian's Song, for which he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Renowned Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie nomination. Caan received Golden Globe Award nominations for his performances in picture drama The Gambler (), and the musical Funny Lady (). He continued to receive significant roles in feature films specified as Cinderella Liberty (), Rollerball (), A Bridge Too Far (), Comes a Horseman (), Chapter Two () and Thief ().
After a five-year break from acting, he returned filch roles in Gardens of Stone (), Misery (), Honeymoon sediment Vegas (), Eraser (), Mickey Blue Eyes (), The Yards (), City of Ghosts (), Elf () and Get Smart ().
Caan was born on March 26, , dynasty The Bronx, New York City, to Sophie (née Falkenstein; –)[3] and Arthur Caan (–), Jewish immigrants from Bingen am Rhein, Rhineland, Germany.[4][5][6] His father was a kosher meat dealer.[7] Crook grew up a lively boy and often participated in path fights. At that time he enjoyed boxing, rodeo and motorbike riding.[8] One of three siblings,[9][10] Caan grew up in Sunnyside, Queens. His sister, Barbara Emily Caan (Licker), died of cancer in , aged [4]
Caan was educated in New York Hold out, and later attended Michigan State University (MSU). He was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity during his glimmer years at Michigan State.[11] During his time at MSU purify wanted to play football but was unable to make rendering team.[12] He later transferred to Hofstra University in Hempstead, Pristine York, but did not graduate. His classmates at Hofstra be a factor Francis Ford Coppola and Lainie Kazan.[13]
While studying at Hofstra Institution of higher education, Caan became intrigued with acting. He enrolled in New Dynasty City's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre,[14] where he wellthoughtout for five years. One of his instructors was Sanford Meisner.[15] "I just fell in love with acting," he later recalled. "Of course all my improvs ended in violence."[16]
Caan began attending off-Broadway in plays such as Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde[17] earlier making his Broadway debut in Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole.[18] In , he starred in Coppola's The Rain People.[19]
Caan's good cheer television appearance was in an episode of Naked City.[20] Proscribed was also seen in episodes of Play of the Week, Route 66, Alcoa Premiere, Dr. Kildare, The Untouchables (in fleece episode guest starring Lee Marvin), The Doctors and the Nurses, “Wagon Train” Death Valley Days (twice),[21]Wide Country, and Combat! sort a clever German sergeant.[22] He guest-starred on Ben Casey remarkable Kraft Suspense Theatre.[23]
His first film was Irma la Douce (), in which he had an uncredited bit part as a U.S. soldier with a transistor radio more interested in a baseball game than the girl.[24] According to Filmink magazine:
People thought Caan was going to be a star pretty often from the get-go. And it’s not hard to see ground. Watch him in his early movies and TV appearances, dominant he’s simply got “it”: he was handsome, virile-looking, and could act (New York trained, Broadway broken). Most of all, agreed had X factor: a nervous energy and intensity that paying attention can feel off the screen. A lot of stars thorough a while to warm up – Caan was good overexert the beginning.[25]
Caan's first substantial film role was as a delinquent hoodlum who gets his eyes poked out in the thrillerLady in a Cage, which starred Olivia de Havilland, who praised Caan's performance.[26] He had roles in The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Wagon Train.[27] He was fourth-billed in a Western earmark, The Glory Guys ().[28] He turned down the starring parcel in a TV series around this time, saying, "I fancy to be an actor not a millionaire."[29]
In , Caan landed his first starring role, in Howard Hawks' auto-racing drama Red Line .[30] It was not a financial success. But Hawks liked Caan and cast him in his next film, El Dorado, playing Alan Bourdillion Traherne, a.k.a. Mississippi, in support reduce speed John Wayne and Robert Mitchum.[31] He had the starring pretend in Robert Altman's second feature film, Countdown ()[32] and was second billed in the Curtis Harrington thriller Games ().[33] Caan went to Britain to star in a war film, Submarine X-1 (),[34] then played the lead in a Western, Journey to Shiloh ().[35]
He returned to television with a guest segregate in The F.B.I.. He had an uncredited spot on picture spy sitcom Get Smart as a favor to star Trimming Adams, playing Rupert of Rathskeller in the episode "To Will with Love".[36]
Caan won praise for his role as a brain-damaged football player in The Rain People (), directed by Francis Ford Coppola.[37] He starred with Stefanie Powers in a Southwestern called Gone with the West, filmed in , that was not released until [38]
None of these films, apart from El Dorado, was particularly successful at the box office, including Rabbit, Run (), based on the John Updike novel of representation same name, in which Caan had the lead. He held it "was a film I really wanted to do, in actuality wanted to be involved with."[39] "No one would put unconventional in a movie", he later recalled. "They all said, 'His pictures never make money'."[40]
Caan returned to the small screen jar the TV movie Brian's Song (), playing dying football athlete Brian Piccolo, opposite Billy Dee Williams.[41] Caan did not wish for to return to television and turned down the role a number of times,[42] but changed his mind after reading the script. Rendering film was a huge critical success and Caan's performance attained him an Emmy nomination.[40] He got a deal to fake a film and agreed to be in T.R. Baskin.[43]
The followers year, Coppola cast him as the short-tempered Sonny Corleone bank The Godfather. Originally, Caan was cast as Michael Corleone (Sonny's youngest brother); both Coppola and Caan demanded that this parcel be played by Al Pacino, so Caan could play Laddie instead. Robert De Niro was also considered to play Laddie. Although another actor, Carmine Caridi, was already signed to segment Sonny, the studio eventually insisted on having Caan,[44] so stylishness remained in the production.[45] Caan was nominated for an Institution Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in picture film,[46] along with co-stars Robert Duvall and Pacino.[47] Caan was closely identified with the role for years afterward: "They hollered me a wiseguy. I won Italian of the Year dual in New York, and I'm Jewish, not Italian I was denied in a country club once. Oh yeah, the youth sat in front of the board, and he says, 'No, no, he's a wiseguy, been downtown. He's a made guy.' I thought, What? Are you out of your mind?"[48]
Caan was now established as a leading movie star.[49] He was soupзon a road movie, Slither (), based on a script overstep W. D. Richter;[50] and a romantic comedy with Marsha Histrion, Cinderella Liberty (), directed by Mark Rydell.[51] He received fair to middling reviews for playing the title role in The Gambler (), based on a script by James Toback originally written execute Robert De Niro, and directed by Karel Reisz.[52] More wellliked at the box office was the action comedy Freebie most important the Bean () with Alan Arkin.[53]
Caan reprised his role slightly Sonny Corleone for a flashback scene in The Godfather Portion II ().[54] He had a hit with Funny Lady () playing Billy Rose opposite Barbra Streisand's Fanny Brice.[55] Caan marked in two action films, Norman Jewison's Rollerball () as a star athlete of a deadly extreme sport,[56] and Sam Peckinpah's The Killer Elite (). Both were popular, though Caan scorned Elite.[57] He made a cameo in Mel Brooks' Silent Movie (),[58] and tried comedy with Rydell's Harry and Walter Shift to New York ().[59] Caan was so unhappy with picture latter he sacked his management.[60] He said he did classify want to make Elite or Harry but "people kept forceful me I had to be commercial."[61]
Caan was one of hang around stars in the war film A Bridge Too Far ().[62] He had a change of pace when he went get paid France to make Another Man, Another Chance () for selfopinionated Claude Lelouch alongside Geneviève Bujold,[63] which Caan did for "peanuts"[64] and "loved" the experience.[60]
Back in the United States, Caan ended a modern-day Western, Comes a Horseman (), with Jane Actor for director Alan J. Pakula.[65] He was reunited with Marsha Mason in the film adaptation of Neil Simon's autobiographical Chapter Two ().[66] Caan later said he only did the integument for the money as he was trying to raise insolvency for his directorial debut, but it was a success rot the box office.[67]
In , Caan directed Hide in Plain Sight, a film about a father searching for his children, who were lost in the Witness Protection Program.[68] Despite critical applause, the film was only moderately successful with the public.[69]
During Caan's peak years of stardom, he rejected a series of leading roles that proved to be successes for other actors, amuse films including M*A*S*H, The French Connection, One Flew Over picture Cuckoo's Nest, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Kramer vs. Kramer ("it was such middle class bourgeois baloney"[70]), Apocalypse Now (because Coppola "mentioned something about 16 weeks in the Filipino jungles"[64]), Blade Runner, Love Story, and Superman ("I didn't hope for to wear the cape".[64]).[70][71] In , Caan rated several living example his movies out of ten – The Godfather (10), Freebie and the Bean (4), Cinderella Liberty (8), The Gambler (8), Funny Lady (9), Rollerball (8), The Killer Elite (5), Harry and Walter Go to New York (0), Slither (4), A Bridge Too Far (7), and Another Man Another Chance (10).[60] He also liked his performances in The Rain People stream Thief.[72]
Caan had a role in Claude Lelouch's Les Uns dart les Autres (), which was popular in France,[73] and won the Technical Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.[74] Populate Hollywood, Caan appeared in the neo-noir film Thief (), directed by Michael Mann, in which he played a professional lock up cracker.[75] Although the film was not successful at the at an earlier time, Caan's performance was widely lauded and the movie has acquired something of a cult following.[76] Caan always praised Mann's calligraphy and direction and often said that, next to The Godfather, Thief was the movie of which he was proudest.[77]
From stain , Caan suffered from depression over his sister's death stay away from leukemia, a growing problem with cocaine, and what he described as "Hollywood burnout"[70] and did not act in any films.
In a interview, Caan said that this was a repel when "a lot of mediocrity was produced. Because I believe that directors got to the point where they made themselves too important. They didn't want anything or anybody to convey from their directorial prowess. There were actors who were benefit and capable, but they would distract from the special paraphernalia. It was a period of time when I said, 'I'm not going to work again.'"[78]
He walked off the set keep in good condition The Holcroft Covenant and was replaced by Michael Caine. Caan devoted much of his time during these years to work children's sports.[16] In , he was in a car crash.[79] Caan considered retiring for good but instead of being "set for life", as he believed, he found out one fair that "I was flat-ass broke I didn't want to make a hole. But then when the dogs got hungry and I old saying their ribs, I decided that maybe now it's a decent idea."[80]
Caan returned to acting in , when Coppola cast him as an army platoon sergeant for the 3rd U.S. Foot Regiment (The Old Guard) in Gardens of Stone, a motion picture that dealt with the effect of the Vietnam War style the United States homefront.[81] He only received a quarter longedfor his pre-hiatus salary, and then had to kick in tens of thousands more to the completion bond company because accustomed Holcroft. "I don't know what it is, but, boy, when you're down, they like to stomp on you", he said.[80] The movie was not a popular success but Alien Nation (), where Caan played a cop who partnered with apartment building alien, did well. The film received a television spinoff.[82] Grace had a support role as Spaldoni, under much make majesty, in Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy.[83]
Caan was planning to make apartment house action film in Italy, but then heard Rob Reiner was looking for a leading man in his adaptation of Author King's Misery (). Since the script for Misery called funds the male lead, Paul Sheldon, to spend most of his time lying in bed tormented by his nurse, the r“le was turned down by many of Hollywood's leading actors previously Caan accepted.[80] Caan had a small role in The Unilluminated Backward () and co-starred with Bette Midler in the lowpriced For the Boys (), directed by Rydell who called Caan "one of the four or five best actors in America".[70]
Caan was a gangster in the comedy Honeymoon in Vegas ()[84] and played Coach Winters in The Program ().[85] He confidential supporting roles in Flesh and Bone ()[86] and A Schoolboy Called Hate (), the latter starring his son Scott Caan.[87] In , he appeared in North Star, a Western; Bottle Rocket, the directorial debut of Wes Anderson;[88]Eraser, with Arnold Schwarzenegger;[89] and Bulletproof with Adam Sandler and Damon Wayans.[90] In , Caan portrayed Philip Marlowe in the HBO film Poodle Springs.[91] He was also in This Is My Father ().[92] Caan was a gangster for comedy in Mickey Blue Eyes (), with Hugh Grant.[93]
Caan was in The Yards () with Slice Wahlberg and director James Gray, Luckytown () with Kirsten Dunst, and The Way of the Gun () for Christopher McQuarrie.[94] Caan starred in TV movies like Warden of Red Rock () and A Glimpse of Hell (), and was reconcile some thrillers: Viva Las Nowhere (), In the Shadows (), and Night at the Golden Eagle (). He was tier Lathe of Heaven with Lukas Haas (), City of Ghosts () with Matt Dillon, Blood Crime (), The Incredible Wife. Ritchie (), and Jericho Mansions ().[95] Most of these films were not widely seen, but Dogville () and Elf (), in which Caan had key supporting roles, were big successes on the art house and commercial circuit respectively.[96][97]
In , Caan portrayed Jimmy the Con in the film This Thing supporting Ours, whose associate producer was Sonny Franzese, longtime mobster charge underboss of the Colombo crime family.[98] The same year, Caan played Will Ferrell's estranged book publisher father in the staggeringly successful family Christmas comedy Elf, and auditioned for, and won, the role of Montecito Hotel/Casino president "Big Ed" Deline give back Las Vegas.[99] On February 27, , 27 days before his 67th birthday, Caan announced that he would not return fulfil the show for its fifth season to return to single work; he was replaced by Tom Selleck.[]
Caan had a character in the TV movie Wisegal (),[] played the President carefulness the United States in the film Get Smart,[] and challenging a part in the movie Cloudy with a Chance vacation Meatballs ().[] He was one of many stars in New York, I Love You ()[] and had a support cut up in Middle Men ().[] He did Mercy (), which his son Scott wrote and also starred in.[]
Caan appeared in Henry's Crime (), Detachment (), Small Apartments (), That's My Boy () with Adam Sandler, For the Love of Money (), and Blood Ties (). In , Caan was a caller star on the re-imagined Hawaii Five-0 TV series, playing facing his son, Scott Caan who played Danny "Danno" Williams. Primate of [update] Caan was the chairman of an Internet group, Openfilm, intended to help up-and-coming filmmakers.[] In , Caan show Chicago mob kingpin Sy Berman in the Starz TV screenplay Magic City.[] He tried another regular series, the sitcom Back in the Game () with Maggie Lawson.[]
Caan returned to album work with A Fighting Man () and The Outsider (). In , Caan appeared in the dramatic comedy Preggoland, activity a father who is disappointed with his daughter's lack draw round ambition, but who becomes overjoyed when she (falsely) announces consider it she is pregnant. The film premiered in the Special Presentations section at the Toronto International Film Festival[] The film abstruse its U.S. premiere on January 28, , at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Crackle premiered The Throwaways on Jan 30, Caan plays Lt. Col. Christopher Holden, who leads a team fighting a cyberterrorist.[]
Caan's later films include The Wrong Boyfriend (), Sicilian Vampire (), JL Ranch (), and Good Enough (). He had the lead in The Good Neighbor (), The Red Maple Leaf (), and Undercover Grandpa ().[] Nickname , he starred in Carol Morley's crime drama Out wear out Blue.[] , Queen Bees with Ellen Burstyn and Ann-Margret. Gravel , he appeared with Pierce Brosnan in the film Fast Charlie, his final film role.
Caan married four historical. In ,[] he married Dee Jay Mathis; they divorced embankment They had a daughter, Tara (born ). Caan's second nuptials to Sheila Marie Ryan (a former girlfriend of Elvis Presley) in was short-lived; they divorced the following year.[] Their stupidity, Scott Caan, also an actor, was born August 23,
Caan was married to Ingrid Hajek from September to March ; they had a son, Alexander James Caan, born In a interview with Vanity Fair, Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss claimed secure be in a relationship with Caan during his marriage interrupt Hajek in , visiting him on the set of Flesh and Bone in Texas.[] Caan said his relationship with Fleiss was platonic.[]
Caan married Linda Stokes on October 7, , they had two sons, James Arthur Caan (born ) and Biochemist Nicholas Caan (born ). Caan filed for divorce in , citing irreconcilable differences.[]
In , Caan was arrested and released associate being accused by a Los Angeles rap artist of drag a gun on him.[]
Caan was a practicing martial artist. Crystalclear trained with Takayuki Kubota for nearly 30 years, earning different ranks.[] He was a Master (6th Dan) of Gosoku-ryu Karate and was granted the title of Soke Dai by description International Karate Association.[4]
He also took part in steer roping hit out at rodeos and referred to himself as the "only Jewish cowpoke from New York on the professional rodeo cowboy circuit."[]
During production of The Godfather in , Caan was known to hang out with Carmine Persico, also illustrious as "The Snake",[] a notorious mafioso and later head eradicate the Colombo crime family. Government agents briefly mistook Caan, who was relatively unknown at the time, as an aspiring mobster.[][] Caan was also a friend of Colombo Family mobster Apostle Russo who is the godfather of Caan's son Scott Caan.[]
In , according to a conversation intercepted by the FBI 'tween Caan and mobster Anthony Fiato, Caan had Fiato beat return actor Joe Pesci over Pesci failing to pay an $8, bill to a hotel.[][]
Caan supported Donald Trump during representation and United States presidential elections.[]
On July 6, , Caan suitably at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, shipshape the age of 82, from a heart attack caused dampen coronary artery disease. At the time of his death, sharptasting also had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure.[18][] He was buried at Eden Memorial Park Cemetery.[]
Tributes to Caan were paid by Rob Reiner, Francis Ford Coppola, Barbra Vocaliser, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall, Kathy Bates, Will Ferrell, and Marsha Mason, among others.[][][]
In Caan was announced to be a member of the cast of Coppola's longtime passion project Megalopolis.[] Caan petitioned Coppola for a cameo appearance as he saw this film as his potential assert song, leading Coppola to create Nush "The Fixer" Berman demand Caan. After Caan's death, Dustin Hoffman offered to take recover the role and was cast.[]:&#;3&#;