Actor James Caan, known for his roles in “The Godfather” and other films over a long career, has died at the age of 82, his family confirmed on Thursday.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of Jimmy’s passing on the evening of July 6,” says a statement posted on the deceased actor’s Twitter page. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and the deepest condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
It is with great sadness that we inform you of Jimmy’s passing on the afternoon of July 6th.
The family appreciates the desire for love and the deepest condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.
End of tweet
– James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022
Born in 1940 in Queens, New York, Caan worked in Hollywood for over 60 years. He began at age 20 after a move from Michigan State University to Hofstra University, when he began booking guest roles in television dramas such as “The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.”
When he was 26, Caan appeared in the 1966 western “El Dorado,” alongside legends John Wayne and Robert Mitchum. The role launched his career, leading to additional projects such as “Brian’s Song”, a television film about a terminally ill football player.
Caan finally got the role of his life: Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 film “The Godfather.” His performance earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The performance of “The Godfather” 08:54
After the success of “The Godfather”, Caan starred in films such as “The Gambler”, “Rollerball”, “Thief” and “Misery”. He also reprized his role as Sonny in a flashback scene to “The Godfather II.”
In the 1980s, Caan said he fell into depression and drug addiction while dealing with the loss of his sister from leukemia.
“I had a bad fight with cocaine for a while,” she told CBS “Sunday Morning” in a 2021 interview. “I lost my sister when it happened. And she was like, I don’t know, when the I lost, I couldn’t, I couldn’t stand it, I didn’t know what to do. “
Actor James Caan arrives at the 50th anniversary premiere of “The Godfather” at the Paramount Theater in Hollywood, California, on February 22, 2022. CHRIS DELMAS / AFP via Getty Images
Caan won a new generation of fans when he starred in the 2003 Christmas film “Elf,” as Walter Hobbs, the biological father of Buddy the Elf who must learn the true meaning of Christmas and family. He said he initially said no to Will Ferrell’s request to be in the film, but that he eventually changed his mind.
He also won praise for his portrayal of a casino boss on the television series “Las Vegas.”
“I’ve always struggled to never be the same person,” Caan told CBS’s “Sunday Morning.” “I mean, the fun of being an actor is being someone else for three months, you know?”
Direct talk by James Caan 08:22
He had no intention of slowing down and was still invested in continuing his work in Hollywood, including, hopefully, playing a “real character.”
“I can’t take it easy,” he said. “I like to work. I love working with good people. I have more fun when I work, because I meet new people, and especially good people, you know? Very well, always in some, you know, some. Things, there’s a couple of people you know, and there are a lot of them; I have a lot of laughs and I also have respect, sometimes. ”
The celebrities who starred alongside Caan shared tributes to the star on Thursday.
“Jimmy was my fictitious brother and my lifelong friend,” Al Pacino, who starred in “The Godfather,” said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. “It’s hard to believe he won’t be in the world anymore, because he was so lively and daring. A great actor, a brilliant director and my dear friend. I loved him, I’ll miss him.”
Robert De Niro, who starred in “The Godfather: Part II,” said he was “very very sad to know Jimmy’s death” in a statement.
“Teammates and friends to the end. RIP Jimmy,” Billy Dee Williams of “Brian’s Song.”
Companions and friends to the end. RIP Jimmy 💔 # jamescaan pic.twitter.com/s7lfMzMlh3
– Billy Dee Williams (@realbdw) July 7, 2022
Andy Richter, who appeared in “Elf,” said he was “surprised” by Caan’s death.
“He was lucky, after a lifetime of loving his job, to work with him and I loved him even more as a person,” he tweeted. “Funny, warm, self-critical and effortlessly talented. They say you never know your heroes, but it proved that that was very wrong.”
Caan’s co-star in “Funny Lady,” Barbra Streisand, tweeted that she had “so much talent.”
I am very sorry to know how to talk about Jimmy. He was so talented. #JamesCaan pic.twitter.com/5CB1NKTYa9
– Barbra Streisand (@BarbraStreisand) July 7, 2022
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