Caan was married to actress Dee Jay Mattis for five years, to Sheila Ryan for one year, and Ingrid Hajek for five years before marrying his fourth wife, Linda Stokes. James was a core cast member on the show since the very beginning. The first episode of the crime drama aired on Sept. 22, 2003 and it was an immediate hit. the actor explained why he hesitated to join the cast of Las Vegas. However, his rough language betrayed violent thoughts. 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. Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines of the week, Olivia Newton-John's daughter Chloe reveals 'promise' she made to mother before her death, Emma Stones 'And' co-star Willem Dafoe had her slap him 20 times to get scene right, Prince Harry's 'attacks' on 'villain' Camilla led to Frogmore Cottage eviction: expert, Film industry reacts to death of 'Saving Private Ryan' star Tom Sizemore: 'You're a legend', Matthew McConaughey and Camila Alves take bumpy second flight after 'CHAOS' on Lufthansa plane: 'Wish me luck'. 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. For Women. 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). Distractify is a registered trademark. The 75-year-old actor - who is best known for playing Sonny Corleone in 1972's The Godfather - had complained of chest pain, according to . 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." . "Godfather" star James Caan's cause of death has been revealed. "Birnam Wood," by Eleanor Catton(FSG, fiction):The Booker Prizewinning author of The Luminaries returns with a gripping thriller, pitting an activist gardening collective against an enigmatic billionaire who offers the group access to his land but to what end? I dont deal with egos. After the death of his sister, Barbara in 1981 from leukemia, Caan fell into a deep depression that plagued him for most of his life. His dad was a butcher and his mother was a homemaker. The Associated Press wrote: an acquaintance [of Caans] fell eight stories to his death [from a fire escape] while trying to reach an apartment where Caan was staying. The New York Times reported that at the time, [t]he police questioned him at length. Caan told the police he was asleep when it happened, and the death was deemed accidental. "The Godfather" has long been dogged with questions of how much of the story is based on true events, and how much the real-life mafia was involved with the film's production. J ames Caan is showing off his war wounds. The top entertainment stories, features and must-read reviews sent to you weekly. 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. charges were dropped the following August. Born on March 26, 1940, in The Bronx, New York, Caan's path to acting began while attending college, according to Britannica. He has the pedigree, too: his grandfather Bob was a left tackle and offensive captain on Packers teams that won five NFL championships from 1961-67. "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. Caan went along with it, checked out with Mann wrote, and recognized something good was brewing. The second nickname, Killer Caan, came from his skills as a teenage boxer. Cinderella Liberty is a 1973 American drama film adapted by Daryl Ponicsan from his 1973 novel of the same title. "Pineapple Street," byJenny Jackson (Pamela Dorman Books, fiction): Three women in a wealthy Brooklyn family navigate the absurd life of the one percent: Darley, the eldest daughter, who chose motherhood over her career; Sasha, an outsider who married in; andGeorgiana, the youngest, who finds herself in a doomed romantic entanglement. Caan was perfect as the volatile heir apparent to the Corleone family. In the early 60s, Caan made his off-Broadway debut in Schnitzlers La Ronde and started to appear on television, mostly as juvenile delinquents, in series including Naked City, Route 66, The Untouchables and Dr Kildare. After just a year at Michigan State, James Caan returned to New York City and enrolled at Hofstra University on Long Island. In March 1994, Caan was visiting his brother in Los Angeles when he got into a heated argument with another man, reportedly over an act of vandalism. While the film was well-received Caan recalled that "Francis Coppola said it was one of the best flight films he has ever seen" he never directed another. "I've got 14 screws in my left shoulder, six in my right, and three in my elbow," he boasts. As writer Jonathan Meyers recounted in Fortune, one day during filming, Minkow, perhaps giddy from being in the same room as Sonny Corleone, confessed to Caan that the film had been financed with stolen money. James was best known for playing Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather," which won him both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Caan left the show during the fourth season and it was later canceled. However, the many superb portrayals he gave in scores of films and TV episodes will. 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. Paramount Pictures hired Coppola to adapt and direct the film, feeling that having an Italian-American at the helm would ensure that the film was authentic, and would protect them against charges of racism. Caan threw a billy club at Russos head, bit his hands, and lifted him off the sidewalk with a kick actions Russo claims were not part of the choreography. 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 James Caan's son on 'dysfunctional' relationship with dad. Jon Favreau's 2003 family comedy hit "Elf" has something for everyone, a warmhearted holiday story wrapped in a hip, retro vibe and starring a murderer's row of indie and alt comedy stars, including Zooey Deschanel, Kyle Gass, Andy Richter, a pre-"Game of Thrones" Peter Dinklage, and Amy Sedaris. "Jimnez brings bravery to the page, and its her strong storytelling and humor that make this an outstanding debut," says a starred Kirkus review, while a rave review from Publishers Weekly calls it a "knockout.". The elder Caan experienced addiction in the 1980s, which required him to take a step back from acting. His second wife, Sheila Marie Ryanwho dated Elvis and appeared on the cover of Playboy magazine in 1973 was 12 years his junior and died in 2012 (m. 1976-1977). 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. His mother's name was Sophie and his father was Arthur. All Rights Reserved. When Caan was going through a difficult divorce from wife Sheila Ryan in 1976, Hefner offered him a place to stay until he got back on his feet. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. In keeping with the tone of the picture, I thought the ending was kind of cool., By subscribing, you agree with Revues Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. A car accident in 1985 sidelined him further, and soon it had been a full five years since he'd appeared in a movie. Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Entertainment, Caan said that he lived with cocaine addiction after turning to the drug when his sister died from leukemia. Veteran Hollywood actor James Caan, who had memorable roles in The Godfather and Misery, has passed away at the age of 82. 0. Entertainment, Caan said that he lived with cocaine addiction after turning to the drug when his sister died from leukemia. I can't take it easy. James Caan as Billy Rose, the gambling, philandering husband of Barbra Streisands Fanny Brice in Funny Lady (1975). He married and divorced four times. It took several years, but the "Rollerball" actor eventually got his career back on track, starring in "Gardens of Stone" in 1987 (via IMDb). This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He was 82. "I was very fortunate that I was able to do whatever the hell I wanted to do, so I put it together right away," he said. He wasn't afraid to play against his tough guy image, either, in sensitive supporting turns opposite Barbra Streisand and Jane Fonda in "Funny Lady" and "Comes a Horseman," respectively. 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. But the role also followed him around in a more unusual way: Caan, who was of Hungarian Jewish descent, was often mistaken for Italian, if not an actual wiseguy. 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." 5 James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022. Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man. Following the film's release, Caan placed his acting career at the front-and-center of his professional pursuits. He was also willing to take supporting roles in movies such as Get Smart (2008), Mercy (2009), which was written by and starred his son Scott, Middle Men (2009), The Outsider (2014) and The Good Neighbor (2016). reality series "The Girls Next Door," attending the mansion's annual Halloween party. One such project included the 2018 biopic/federal crime "Con Man.". Im a thief James Caans Frank, coming clean about his profession in Thief., If Im compiling a list of my favorite heist movies, it wont be long before I get to Thief.. Caan was questioned for nearly 10 hours before they released him, having concluded that Schwartz had fallen while trying to break into the flat. "You know, we boxed in a ringsometimes it wasn't in a ring. James Caan turned 81 last Friday. Per Rotten Tomatoes, the film also stars Caan who plays "a blue-collar worker in Buffalo whose estranged wife, Ruthie (Barbara Rae), has taken up with a local mobster, Jack Scolese (Robert Viharo)." He eventually agreed to direct, though, saying, "But it took a year from my life." No one could say no to a cute little boy. Scott himself has acknowledged that their relationship was dysfunctional., In 1980 pictures of a bruised and battered Sheila Ryan appeared on the cover of the National Enquirer. The spotlight on Caans minor brushes with the law (the Associated Press) has been dim. I have more fun when I'm working, and I have a lot of laughs. There was something I especially liked about it and it was the form that it took. Caan said, "They don't want to watch it if it's bad. A few years earlier, when he was still bankable, Caan had turned down three Oscar winners, M*A*S*H, Kramer vs Kramer (it was such middle-class, bourgeois baloney) and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest. Detectives were questioning a person who was inside the home at the time. When 13-year-old Ruthy disappeared after track practice, it left the Ramirez family scarred. Cookies help us deliver our Services. The coverage reveals something that most women in the industry already know: the Post-#MeToo era has not prompted a larger examination of Hollywoods beloved cast and their treatment of women. to represent a bullet to the head. Poles needs to make sure Eberflus maintains significant input. No cause was given and Caans family, who requests privacy, said that no further details would be released at this time. "Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved. Let's put it that way. How rare. It was not a box office smash, grossing $31 million in todays dollars, but has become revered as a classic of the genre and a major influence on films from Manns own Heat (1995) to Nicolas Winding Refns 2011 classic Drive., Click here for behind-the-scene gems from the making of Thief and Caans great story about the aftermath of Brians Song.. After his death, many admirers took to social media to post excerpts of his infamous 1976 Playboy interview, during which he spent the whole time goofing on his interviewer and the entire concept of a celebrity profile. The late Associated Press writer Bob Thomas contributed biographical information to this report. At the film's premiere, Caan approached Ferrell and said, "Every day on set, I thought you were way too over the top. Caan, for all his iconic roles, was also emblematic of the violent male misogynist that has plagued film since its inception. Well, I never paid for them, you know. All rights reserved. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. While some actors don't like watching themselves on screen, James Caan was not one of them. An acquaintance of Caan, Schwartz fell while attempting to reach the unit. Actor Scott Caan, the son of the late actor James Caan, has filed a petition to manage his father's estate in new court documents obtained by The Blast. Al Pacino called Caan, A great actor. James Caan had an acting career that spanned over 60 years in which he played various roles. But even an artistic success like "Thief" can't nourish an actor forever, and at a certain point in the early 1980s, James Caan stepped away from the film business, seemingly for good. Al Pacino wrote in an emailed statement that, Jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend. 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). USA TODAY'sBarbara VanDenburghscopes out the shelves for this weeks hottest new book releases. Finding a new gravitas, Caan was utterly convincing as a stiff-necked but compassionate army sergeant who feels that there is nothing to win, and no way of winning it in Vietnam. He says, I am, not Im, so its, I am the last guy on Earth you want to f---- with. At one point Michael said, Why are you talking so deliberately and slowly? and I said, Because I never have to repeat myself. , Frank is a master thief who uses an arsenal of heavy and complicated tools such as a 200-pound magnetic drill, and Caan said he had to make it all look real while technical advisers, including some former notorious thieves, looked on. The women he abused will remember a different man than the one widely praised by Hollywood for "being a legend." On July 6, 82-year-old American actor, James Caan, best known for his roles in The Godfather, Misery, and Elf, died from causes that have not yet been made public. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Growing up on the mean streets of Sunnyside, Queens, in the 1950s, Caan made a name for himself two names, in fact with his physical prowess. As Mr. Henry, a charming con-man sought out by Dignan, the unflappably optimistic would-be criminal played by Owen Wilson, Caan got the rare opportunity to do an outright comedy, and to show off his skills at karate, which he studied for decades. The film was an immediate critical and commercial smash, the highest grossing film of 1972, and introduced a whole new pop culture lexicon. Caan's long career was marked by a. Caan didnt take a starring role in a TV series until 2003 but his first effort, Las Vegas, was an immediate hit. According to E! At the center of the film is Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf, a human raised at the North Pole, and Caan as his long-lost father Walter. There was something really strange and enticing about the script for Thief, James Caan now recalls. 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. Thief was a critical smash, with the Sun-Times Roger Ebert giving it three and a half stars and writing, It is a good thing when a movie creates characters we feel strongly about, and Thief is populated with them. Though his career had its ups and downs over the years, Caan remained an indelible presence on screen, bringing authenticity and gravitas to everything from a Danish provocation to a 21st century Christmas classic. Las Vegas provided him with an exceptional opportunity to experience an aspect of film production he was more or less unacquainted with before. James Caan, who has died aged 82, sought satisfaction in extreme sports, drugs and a colourful personal life. The guys nuts.. . If Im asked about the best movies ever made in Chicago, the most CHICAGO of Chicago movies . Many reporters have ignored or downplayed his behavior toward women and used euphemisms, particularly in reference to prostituted women, sometimes calling them girls. The Washington Post, for example, referred to Caans decadent lifestyle as an habitue of the Playboy Mansion., Celebrity memorials of Caan on Twitter and in the media would leave most readers completely unaware of the actors darker side. Perhaps surprising to some, Caan could also sing, dance, and deliver a comedic line with precision (via theLos Angeles Times). Other later films included Flesh and Bone, Bottle Rocket and Mickey Blue Eyes. He introduced himself to a new generation playing Walter, the workaholic, stone-faced father of Buddys Will Ferrell in Elf., Adam Sandler, who acted with him in Bulletproof and Thats My Boy tweeted that he, Loved him very much. Thats when I want to choke somebody.. Caans first wife was actress Dee Jay Mattis, and they were married from 1961 to 1966. In March 1994, Caan was arrested in North Hollywood for brandishing a weapon (a gun) at rap artist Derek Lee (aka Doc Rapper) during an argument, but the charges were dropped the following August. He was a famously tricky interview subject, by turns hostile to journalists and refreshingly forthright. He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in The Godfather, Part II.. Jimmy and I are not friends at all, believe me. I would love to do a real character thing. And I get respect, too sometimes.". The 45-year-old told the news outlet: "To say our relationship wasn't dysfunctional would be a lie." At the times, his dad James, said: "He saw me when I was a little rough around the . His first role was as a young thug terrorising Olivia de Havilland in Lady in a Cage (1964). Where does he go? But I think if you know this guy well enough, if he was that pig-headed about doing what he had to fulfill, and he loved her, I dont think theres any question where hes going. 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. End of tweet" (via Twitter). Selena Gomez Documentary Highlights Mental Health Struggles. After undergoing serious back surgery in 2020, he was hospitalized for months and has only recently begun to walk again. His movies were best of the best., On July 7, the Associated Press published many tributes in the form of statements and tweets from fellow celebrities. Caan was not afraid to study or to work hard, but it was clear early on that neither the life of an academic or a meatpacker was for him. Both of his parents were Jewish immigrants from Germany. Outside, they had discovered a body of an aspiring actor, Mark Alan Schwartz, on the pavement eight storeys below. Legal Statement. He had then recently emerged from a messy divorce from his second wife, which may have affected his subsequent performances. Legendary actor James Caan died on the evening of July 6, 2022. "I got a prescription to live at the Playboy Mansion," he joked to Esquire magazine in 2003. ", Caan died from a heart attack in early July. However, the many superb portrayals he gave in scores of films and TV episodes will outlive the gossip and sensational headlines. In 2007, he announced his departure from the show, stating that he was eager to make movies again. By the time James Caan passed away in 2022, the famous actor was 82 years old. But Sonny, a remorselessly violent hoodlum driven by family loyalty, represented the true nature of the Corleone family. The greatest emphasis has been on his role as mobster Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (1972). He was sued by a woman who claimed he had tried to strangle her. Im very pleased and very honored by the fact the Actors Studio, the kids there have picked that scene to do quite a lot, said Caan. James disappeared from Hollywood on several occasions, intermittently working as a children's sports coach. "Godfather" star James Caan's cause of death has been revealed. Is Scott Caan Still on Hawaii Five-0? 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. 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. One of Caans fellow students was Robert Duvall, with whom he was to co-star in The Godfather, as well as in Robert Altmans moon-landing drama, Countdown (1967), Coppolas The Rain People (1969) and The Killer Elite. So happy I got to know him. Things were looking up for . Fox News' Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report. The elder Caan experienced addiction in the 1980s, which required him to take a step back from acting. As Francis Ford Coppola, Robert Duvall, and James Caan were working on "The Rain People," author Mario Puzo released his bestselling crime novel "The Godfather," a multi-generational look at America through the changing fortunes of a mafia leader and his children. There were several flops, undeservedly in the case of Michael Manns Thief (1981), released as Violent Streets in the UK, and deservedly with the whimsical Kiss Me Goodbye (1982) Caans attempts at comedy were slow to be appreciated. But for the women and co-stars Caan abused, the legendary actor leaves behind a different legacy one that the mainstream media is not yet ready to acknowledge. James Caan. Unfortunately, he passed [] Interspersed between the elaborate heist sequences and the shootouts, Thief makes time for dialogue-rich interludes, most famously the nearly 10-minute scene where Frank and Tuesday Welds Jessie lay their cards on the table and speak with raw truth about their pasts and the prospects for a future together. Alexis Cosio-Read more. "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. Private funeral services for Barbara Emily Caan Licker, who died Monday, But James saw it otherwise. Janelle Ash is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. When we erase the word woman, we erase womens material reality. But when we chatted via Zoom on Monday . (Getty Images), Caan's early work included "Red Line 7000," "El Dorado" and "The Rain People. GODFATHER star James Caan had long battles with drug addiction and depression before his death at the age of 82 and even lived in the Playboy Mansion for a time. 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." From 1990 to 1995 Caan was married to model Ingrid Hajek, who was 20 years younger than him. ", He's most known for his work in "The Godfather," "Thief," "Misery" and "Rollerball.". (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File), Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. Caan had begun to struggle with drug use and was devastated by the 1981 leukemia death of his sister, Barbara, who until then had been a guiding force in his career. Return To The '80s With The 'Back To The Future' Musical. The news of his death was reported around the world the next day. James Caan stands up to Mob Boss from "Thief" 1981 by An Unexpected Life on YouTube But by the early 1980s, a decade of stardom had taken its toll. Even when James Caan wasn't looking for trouble, trouble seemed to find him. (Michael Kovac), The tweet was completed withCaan's famous Twitter phrase, "End of tweet.". And the violent, anti-woman propaganda appearing in its place. Caan was 82 years old when he died. Playing Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather" earned James Caan a Golden Globe nomination and his sole Academy Award nod; he might have won if the Academy had not pitted him against co-stars Robert Duvall and Al Pacino in the Best Supporting Actor category. Then his friend Coppola gave him the lead in Gardens of Stone (1987). "I won Italian of the Year in New York twice," he told Vanity Fair in 2009, and was once even denied a country club membership on grounds that he was a mafioso. I can get that. And it was one of the main reasons, at least for me, the movie worked.". As he said toWENN, hedidn't want to be upstaged by a child actor in a sentimental weepie like "Kramer," while the thought of spending months in the jungle was enough to deter him from reuniting with Coppola on "Apocalypse Now.". The Early Life Of James Caan. Don't miss out on the latest news. In the interview, Caan joked that he only agreed to the one-on-one because Hefner threatened to revoke his mansion privileges, and when asked what drugs he enjoys, he replied, "I take an aspirin now and then, when I've got someone like you to talk to. 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. This will never happen with my son. And if youre my girl and someones smart to you, Ill slap him in the mouth. He also told Rolling Stone: The one thing that gets me most is having my intelligence underestimated. He made his 40 million dollar fortune with Countdown, The Killer Elite, Bottle Rocket. "When all is said and done, that's the most important thing. Although James approached the task at hand with a critical mentality, Las Vegas had a seismic impact on his career. "I had these little skinny legs[with] this big square top," Caan told Cigar Aficionado in a 2006 interview. One year ago Vancouver voted to defund a women's shelter. As they traveled to the Vibrato Grill Jazz in Los Angeles for supper, the 79-year-old Godfather actor was spotted enjoying time with his youngest child, who is 21. Coppola had to fight the studio over everything, including the casting of Caan and newcomer Al Pacino as mob sons Sonny and Michael Corleone. The legendary actor starred in 'Misery' and 'Elf," in addition to hundreds of other roles. James Caan died last Wednesday from an undisclosed cause (Image: Getty Images) In February 2020, he was pictured being wheelchaired around by his son Jacob. His official Twitter account confirmed the American actor's passing in a brief message posted to the social media platform on July 7. Enter your email below to sign in or become a 4W member and join the conversation. The film critic Pauline Kael wrote of Caan at that stage in his career that hes not all of a piece as a performer: hes never quite himself you feel hes concealing himself rather than revealing a character. He even popped up briefly in a 2005 episode of the E! Reluctantly he returned to the movies in 1987, reuniting with Coppola for the first time in 13 years for the drama "Gardens of Stone" and starring in the 1988 sci-fi buddy cop feature "Alien Nation.". One of the film's sharpest moves is to keep Walter constantly frustrated by Buddy's antics, even as everyone else is eventually worn down by the man-elf's manic enthusiasm. But Caan hit the headlines again in the 90s for the wrong reasons. Theres no isnt or wasnt with this guy. In 1987, Caan linked back up with Coppola in the dramatic film Gardens of Stone. Copyright 2023 Distractify. News, the couple's tumultuous on-again-off-again relationship officially ended after 18 years of marriage back in 2015. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper.