The women he abused will remember a different man than the one widely praised by Hollywood for "being a legend.". Willie Nelson plays a crime mentor visited by Frank (James Caan). And it was one of the main reasons, at least for me, the movie worked.". We had a scene where he goes to Malibu [to be with his family] at the end, but Michael decided against it, said Caan. ". James Caan. Then came the morning when he woke up in a friends flat to find 10 Los Angeles policemen standing over him with guns drawn. Share. 'Godfather' actor James Caan died on Wednesday, July 7. I looked guilty.. 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). A few, but not all, of these allegations have received some attention in last weeks articles venerating Caan and his reputation as a mans man, tough guy, and bad boy. James Caan looks back at Thief, a Chicago classic released 40 years ago this month, here for behind-the-scene gems from the making of Thief, Tom Sizemore dies at 61; actor known for Saving Private Ryan, Natural Born Killers, History of the World, Part II: Mel Brooks picks up where his jokey 1981 movie left off, Hasan Minhaj hits the sweet spot as Film Independent Spirit Awards host, James Tim Norman of Welcome to Sweetie Pies gets life sentence for murder plot, Jussie Smollett files opening arguments appealing conviction for lying about hate crime, Addictive Daisy Jones & the Six recalls a 70s band thats fictional but totally fascinating, Dear Abby: When my husbands brother marries, I should be in the wedding, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and wife to invest $250 million in new Chicago research lab, Jose Abreu on life with the Astros and leaving the White Sox, who werent a family in 2022, Chicago police officer was shot and killed in front of kids playing at school: They ran as quickly as possible just to get to safety, Dear Abby: With boyfriends fussy father living here, I feel trapped, 2 men stabbed during fight in River North, Matt Eberflus influence essential as Bears GM Ryan Poles begins roster construction, Man found fatally shot inside Rogers Park home, Northwesterns Peter Skoronski could be a sure thing a Bears OL rarity, The Astros Dusty Baker 73 years young is still at it, and hes one Hall of a manager. He survived a car crash in 1985. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. James Caans comeback became entrenched with his role in Rob Reiners Misery (1990), in which he spends most of the movie bedridden and kept captive by his No 1 fan, played by Kathy Bates. As a storyteller, Mann's aesthetic of crooks and cops driving rain-soaked urban streets, pulsing to the beat of dreamy synths (courtesy of Tangerine Dream here) is already fully formed and on display. Hip hop artist Derek Lee, who went by the stage name Doc Rapper, intervened, at which point, according to Lee, Caan pointed a pistol at Lee. James Edmund Caan, actor, born 26 March 1940; died 6 July 2022, Superb actor whose defining role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather found echoes in his colourful personal life, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, James Caan in bath smoking as Karel Reiszs The Gambler (1974). Things were looking up for . As in The Gambler, in which he brings to life screenwriter James Toback's fantasy/projection of a lit professor who can show up to class after an overstimulated night at the craps tables and. 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." In The Rain People, the first of the three films Caan made with Coppola, a certain vulnerability and warmth surfaced as he played a soft-hearted drifter. The fun of it was taken away, he told an interviewer in 1981. "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. ", He's most known for his work in "The Godfather," "Thief," "Misery" and "Rollerball.". 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. 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. ", "I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years. James was a core cast member on the show since the very beginning. 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. The Godfather star James Caan dies aged 82 Actor who played Sonny Corleone in the groundbreaking 1972 epic engineered a comeback after his career went off the rails in the early 1980s A life in. The next year Caan told Rolling Stone: It is impossible to tell you the whole story without getting into a whole lot of smut, without degrading my ex-wife If I were to say to you that someone threw a phone at me I put up my hands an accidental slap a backhand. In this interview his sister Barbara is quoted as saying, Yes, he shoved her. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The actor's rep told The Hollywood Reporter that Caan died Wednesday night at 82, confirming a Twitter post from his family. His official Twitter account confirmed the American actor's passing in a brief message posted to the social media platform on July 7. Caan embraced his role as the hotheaded Sonny, turning to his friend, insult comic extraordinaire Don Rickles, for inspiration. Caan studied and performed at the acting school for five years, working closely with famed acting teacher Sanford Meisner, whose technique revolved reaction rather than calculated performance. 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. The late Associated Press writer Bob Thomas contributed biographical information to this report. James Caan appears at a Miami red-carpet event in 2015. The spotlight on Caans minor brushes with the law (the Associated Press) has been dim. Caan didnt take a starring role in a TV series until 2003 but his first effort, Las Vegas, was an immediate hit. Los Angeles benefit at Paramount Studios on April 22, 2017 in Hollywood, California. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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. The film tells the story of a sailor who falls in love with a prostitute and becomes a surrogate father for her 10-year-old mixed race son. I am self-employed, says Frank. 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). 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. Actor James Caan passed away on Wednesday, July 6, but fans did not learn the details until several weeks later. He was a famously tricky interview subject, by turns hostile to journalists and refreshingly forthright. Caan was already a star on television, breaking through in the 1971 TV movie Brians Song, an emotional drama about Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo, who had died of cancer the year before at age 26. I'm frustrated. 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. But Caan hit the headlines again in the 90s for the wrong reasons. Fourth Wave. Skoronski is productive: in three seasons as Northwesterns starting left tackle, he allowed just five sacks in 2,364 snaps. James Caan had an acting career that spanned over 60 years in which he played various roles. He married and divorced four times. Market data provided by Factset. Enter your email below to sign in or become a 4W member and join the conversation. There was something really strange and enticing about the script for Thief, James Caan now recalls. I am doing fine. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). film world was stunned by the death of actor and filmmaker James Caan, his immortal turn as Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather. Speaking with Turner Classic Movies host Ben Mankiewicz on "Sunday Morning," Caan revealed he wanted at least "one more great role" before he died. charges were dropped the following August. A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. Unfortunately, he passed [] Caan, who was nominated for an Oscar, was perfect as the hedonistic and volatile heir apparent to the Corleone family, whose bloody ways end in his own death. In a 2013 interview with the AV Club, Caan took credit for discovering Mann, recounting how the fledgling filmmaker waited to talk to him on the set of the Neil Simon adaptation "Chapter Two." One member of that new generation was a young, unknown Texas filmmaker named Wes Anderson who, along with brothers Luke and Owen Wilson, was preparing his first feature, a low-budget crime comedy called "Bottle Rocket." Fox News' Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report. Caans mistreatment of women, including those whom he is acccused of beating and sexually abusing, only fueled his image in the media. 5 I mean, I couldn't stand it. 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. Fans of a certain age will no doubt know James Caan best from "The Godfather," but their children and grandchildren might have a different experience of the actor not as a violent mid-century mobster but as a grumpy dad who needs to learn the true meaning of Christmas. The actor is currently single, his starsign is Aries and he is now 82 years of age. End of tweet" (via Twitter). Cinderella Liberty is a 1973 American drama film adapted by Daryl Ponicsan from his 1973 novel of the same title. Throughout his career, Caan faced a parade of allegations of other instances of assault. Caan went along with it, checked out with Mann wrote, and recognized something good was brewing. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez' and other must-read new books, For more must-readbook recommendations, check out, 20 books we were most excited for this winter, What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez' and other must-read new books, Justin Timberlake posts sweet birthday message for 'dream of a partner' Jessica Biel, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works'. Many actors become associated with one particular role, and this was certainly true for Caan, especially in his later years; many of his roles in the 1990s and 2000s like "Mickey Blue Eyes" and "The Way of the Gun" played on the audience's familiarity with Sonny Corleone. 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. 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. When [Mann] came to me with the script [for Thief], I bought three tomatoes, I didnt know what the hell he was selling, cracked Caan. Caan may have been a great actor and his roles may be long-remembered. 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. If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. "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.". But James saw it otherwise. Caan played. Las Vegas provided him with an exceptional opportunity to experience an aspect of film production he was more or less unacquainted with before. Many well-known actors have trained at the Neighborhood Playhouse over the years, including Caan's "Godfather" co-star Robert Duvall and "Elf" co-star Mary Steenburgen. "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. "You know, we boxed in a ringsometimes it wasn't in a ring. Caan was asleep when this happened, and though the police initially questioned him as a person of interest, he was eventually cleared of all suspicion. He returned to full-fledged stardom opposite Kathy Bates in Misery in 1990. He didn't feature in any movies in 1994, and he went on another break between 1996 and 1998. ", allegedly pulled a gun on a man during an argument. FILE - James Caan attends the 2016 Summer TCA "Hallmark Event" on July 27, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Caan, whose roles included "The Godfather," "Brian's Song" and "Misery," died Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at age 82. . A car accident in 1985 sidelined him further, and soon it had been a full five years since he'd appeared in a movie. News. All rights reserved. Caan never admitted to hurting his co-star, claiming that he worked with a stunt double . Despite Coppolas fears he had made a flop, the 1972 release was an enormous critical and commercial success and brought supporting actor Oscar nominations for Caan, Duvall and Pacino. At the film's premiere, Caan approached Ferrell and said, "Every day on set, I thought you were way too over the top. Jimmy and I are not friends at all, believe me. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. At the time, 27-year-old Heidi Fleiss was accused of being Hollywoods top madam. Scott Caan's injury was written into the script by the show's creators and blamed on his partner, O'Loughlin. "The thing I most cherish, as far as my whole career was the respect I felt from these young kids, really good actors," he said. During Jame's lengthy life, he walked down the aisle four different times. Although Caan had all the right Italian gestures as Sonny, he was the son of Jewish parents, Sophie (nee Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan, who were refugees from Nazi Germany. I just want the opportunity, while I'm still walking, to do something that will have you calling me and saying, 'Jimmy, that was really good,'" he toldThe Independent. For Women. The latter title chimed with Caan, who was once dubbed the Jewish cowboy because of his earlier participation in rodeos and his ownership of a stable of horses. All Rights Reserved. After attending various schools, he entered two universities, Michigan State University, at which he was a football hero, and Hofstra University, Long Island, but failed to graduate from either. 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. James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022. "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. According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ, Caan died from a heart attack and coronary artery disease. In 2017, Godfather co-star Gianni Russo told EW that during the shooting of a fight scene between Caans character, Sonny, and Russos Carlo, Caan became aggressive and improvised actions that left Russo injured. 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. The generous support of our readers allows 4W to pay our all-female staff and over 50 writers across the globe for original articles and reporting you cant find anywhere else. ", 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. He also made a brief appearance in a flashback sequence in The Godfather, Part II.. FILE - James Caan attends the 2016 Summer TCA "Hallmark Event" on July 27, 2016, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Caan, whose roles included "The Godfather," "Brians Song" and "Misery," died Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at age 82. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. While some actors don't like watching themselves on screen, James Caan was not one of them. Francis Ford Coppola said in a statement: his films and the many great roles he played will never be forgotten. Talia Shire, who also starred in The Godfather, called him a wildly gifted man. Arnold Schwarzenegger tweeted that Caan was an icon a legend. British director Edgar Wright called him a genuine megawatt movie star.. James was best known for playing Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather," which won him both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. But now I see what you were doing. The following year he played a tongue-in-cheek version of Sonny Corleone in the comedy Honeymoon in Vegas, tricking Nicolas Cage into betting his girlfriend, Sarah Jessica Parker, in a high-stakes poker game so he can spirit her away and try to persuade her to marry him. 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. No cause was given and Caans family, who requests privacy, said that no further details would be released at this time. J ames Caan is showing off his war wounds. His next move: Manhattan'sthe Neighborhood Playhouse. On July 6, 2022, the film world was stunned by the death of actor and filmmaker James Caan. 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. He was 82. Al Pacino wrote in an emailed statement that, Jimmy was my fictional brother and my lifelong friend. I spend most of my time upstairs in my bedroom, wearing out one spot on the bed where I sit when Im making phone calls. When he had not appeared in a film for four years, people in Hollywood were beginning to ask, What ever happened to ?. He was 82. The elder Caan experienced addiction in the 1980s, which required him to take a step back from acting. Those legal run-ins did little to slow James Caan's career momentum, as he settled into serving as an elder statesman for a new generation of actors and audiences who grew up watching him in his 1970s heyday. But it sure looked really bad. Legal Statement. I said you havent got enough money to make me go to work every day with a director I dont like.. Three years later luck would strike again when Caan's old Hofstra classmate Francis Ford Coppola cast him as a former football player in the road trip drama "The Rain People" opposite Shirley Knight and Robert Duvall. In 1993, a man named Mark Schwartz died when trying to climb up to the balcony of an apartment where the actor was staying. 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. 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. James was best known for playing Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather," which won him both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Above all, as seen in the many tributes that have been published since his death, he was a generous artist and professional whose work continues to inspire. 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. Outside, they had discovered a body of an aspiring actor, Mark Alan Schwartz, on the pavement eight storeys below. "One in my wrist, two in the other wrist, and one in each. 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. Russo told EW: With this being my first film, I didnt want to complain he chipped my elbow with the garbage pail cover, and he broke two ribs. No cause of death was revealed. Despite the #MeToo reckoning, which promised to re-examine the treatment of women in media, many of Hollywoods beloved bad boys are still given a pass. Try refreshing the page!). It is doubtful a female celebrity with a comparable past would be portrayed as favorably in the media or receive the near universal praise Caan has basked in posthumously this week. Theres no isnt or wasnt with this guy. The "Godfather" star continued to act in recent years, with IMDb listing an upcoming project of his, titled "Fast Charlie," as being in post-production ahead of a 2023 release. I enjoy working. Our relationship was always friendship before business. 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. This will never happen with my son. Make sure to sign up for our books newsletter to have the latest books news delivered straight to your inbox. (The matter was settled out of court.) His work should be remembered, and his flaws do not mean his movies will hold any less relevance to fans. As for himself, though, Caan said he was fine seeing himself on screen. or redistributed. Based on the supposed true account of a former safecracker, Caan plays Frank, a stoic, principled thief (cash and diamonds only) who dreams of a straight life and a family with his girlfriend (Tuesday Weld). Unfortunately, he passed [] Detectives were questioning a person who was inside the home at the time. His first role was as a young thug terrorising Olivia de Havilland in Lady in a Cage (1964). 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. I can get that. 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. Racing to find his sisters husband, Corleone stops at a toll booth that he discovers is unnervingly empty of customers. 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. James stayed on the show for four years, only leaving before the shooting of Season 5. reality series "The Girls Next Door," attending the mansion's annual Halloween party. the actor explained why he hesitated to join the cast of Las Vegas. His passion for acting never ceased, even at the age of 80. According to the death certificate obtained by TMZ, Caan died from a heart attack and coronary artery disease. But the women he abused, his victims, will remember a different man a man who, even in death, the media and Hollywood elites are too afraid to criticize. Even when James Caan wasn't looking for trouble, trouble seemed to find him. As screenwriter William Goldman wrote in his 2000 memoir, "That pent-up energy you saw on screen was very real. I was doing this thing with Marsha Mason [Note: Chapter Two] and some guy was sitting there on a little wooden chair and he had this script and asked me to read it. Life on a third straight one-year contract with the mega-talented Astros isnt bad at all. According to Yahoo! For much of the 1980s he made no films, telling people he preferred to coach his son Scotts Little League games. Always wanted to be like him. Caan said, "They don't want to watch it if it's bad. Would you go down there and do two, three days for me?'". And I get respect, too sometimes.". You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! With all due respect to Sonny Corleone, "Thief" is arguably Caan's finest performance. When Ronnie Lorenzo, an LA mobster, was arrested for drug trafficking, kidnap and extortion, Caan offered his home as collateral toward the $2m bail and appeared as a character witness for his best friend. 0. 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 Before he can escape he is cut down by a seemingly endless fusillade of machine-gun fire. 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)." I got into the whole lifestyle of girls and drugs and partying you really do get caught up in it, and its very destructive, the Times reports Caan told Entertainment Weekly. Private funeral services for Barbara Emily Caan Licker, who died Monday, 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. Her 2019 short story collection "Staten Island Stories" was a finalist for the International Latino Book Awards. 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.". He was most known for playing the "tough guy" character, with notable examples in films like "Mickey Blue Eyes," where he starred alongsideHugh Grant, and "Honeymoon in Vegas," where he appeared oppositeSarah Jessica Parker. If Im ranking the best James Caan movies, of course Ill start with The Godfather and Ill include Brians Song and The Gambler and Misery but Thief makes the Top 5. According to The New York Times, Rowland claimed Caan picked her up by the neck, choked her and threw her into a hallway after an argument. A 2015 article in HuffPost mentions the broken nose, black eye, and constant intimidation [Rowland] suffered at the hands of Hollywood actor and her then boyfriend James Caan. Rowlands IMDb profile mentions a pictorial in Celebrity Sleuth from 1995 entitled James Caan Tried to Kill Me! In 1999, The Guardian reported that the physical battery suit against Caan was dismissed without trial. He was sued by a woman who claimed he had tried to strangle her. Caan asked his friend to take care of Pesci after learning about an unpaid $8,000 bill from Pescis stay at a friends Miami hotel. Broadway Shows Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. But when we chatted via Zoom on Monday, helooked strong and healthy, was brimming with good spirit and was hurling enough expletives to make Sonny Corleone blush. James Caan, the curly-haired tough guy known to movie fans as the hotheaded Sonny Corleone of "The Godfather" and to television . But then he has to get rid of all the s--- he got in B so he can go back to A, you see what Im saying? "When all is said and done, that's the most important thing. For decades after, he once said, strangers would approach him on the street and jokingly warn him to stay clear of toll roads. These allegations were also largely swept under the rug, both by media and law enforcement. In 1993, Caan was questioned in relation to 25-year-old Mark Alan Schwartz death in Los Angeles.