James Caan: Oscar-nominated actor and Godfather star dies at 82

[Barbara Fan]

RIP James Caan, Loved him in Misery

James Caan: Oscar-nominated actor and Godfather star dies at 82

The US actor rose to fame for his portrayal of Sonny Corleone in the mafia film.

www.bbc.co.uk

US actor James Caan, who rose to fame for his portrayal of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, has died aged 82.
A leading man in Hollywood throughout the 1970s whose career spanned decades; he was nominated for an Oscar, an Emmy and four Golden Globes.
Caan's family thanked fans on Thursday for an "outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences".
The New Yorker, known for his partying lifestyle, was married four times and leaves behind five children.
Born to a butcher in the Bronx, he initially planned on pursuing a career as an American Football player.
But he took to acting when he began studying at Hofstra University, where he met Francis Ford Coppola - his director of The Godfather.

• James Caan: 10 memorable roles

After a string of minor TV and film appearances, Caan finally got his big break in 1965, when he starred in two Howard Hawks films: Red Line 7000 and El Dorado.
But it was 1972's mob drama epic The Godfather that saw him become a household name.

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[Angela Channing]

This is really sad. He was such a versatile actor. I too loved his performance in Misery but I think my favourite film of his was Elf which showed he could play comedy just as well as he could do drama.

 

[Rove]

Don't hate me but I'm one of those yet to see The Godfather movies. I did watch Misery and really enjoyed it.

R.I.P.

 

[ClassyCo]

Don't hate me but I'm one of those yet to see The Godfather movies

Outside of clips here and there, I've never watched THE GODFATHER movies either. So you're not alone in the camp.

Other than that, I enjoyed James Caan in MISERY (with the equally versatile Kathy Bates) and LADY IN A CAGE (the Olivia DeHavilland vehicle that marked his film debut).

 

[DallasFanForever]

Such sad news!
One of my favorite actors growing up. So many great roles over the years but to me he will always be Santino Corleone in The Godfather, the hot headed, fiery tempered son of mob boss Don Vito Corleone. I know The Godfather movies aren’t everyone’s cup of tea but trust me when I tell you that James Caan’s performance in the first movie was nothing short of brilliant!

 

[darkshadows38]

as i always say when someone passes away i've loved since i was a kid it breaks my heart he died even though he was 82 years old it still hurts. he did look 20 years older than his actual age but still. i think it's from all the drugs and booze he drunk when he was younger

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Although I have (of course) seen The Godfather and Misery and thought he was great in both, the first film that sprang to mind when I read his name was For The Boys.

Probably because I have a couple of his tracks from that film in my music library:

 

[darkshadows38]

i'm a big Bette Midler fan my favorite album of hers for me is (1979)'s Thighs and Whispers that one flopped i believe when it came out but i love it.
anyone who wants a really damn good live album check out (1977)'s Live at Last easily one of the best ever made. no Rose on that either that was written later the stuff i love of her most of it isn't her hits to be honest check out Breaking up somebody's home i think it's called from her (1973) album Bette Midler it's a hell of a rocker that she really needed to do more of. anyways as for James Caan i think the 1st film i ever saw him in was Alien Nation in (1988) i want to say Misery was (1990) was the next i saw with him in it and it's a f.. masterpiece as well

 

[Jock Ewing Fan]

My goodness, He was such a superb actor, who played many memorable roles.

I always thought his portrayal of Sonny Corleone was the most compelling performance in "The Godfather"
Not sure, but I think he was chosen over Burt Reynolds for the role.

He was also a skilled martial artist.

We have lost one of the greats.

We celebrate your life, James Caan!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Marlon Brando thought James Caan was hysterically funny. (Both were Sun in Aries/Scorpio Rising, by the way, with different Moon signs).

 

[Barbara Fan]

Don't hate me but I'm one of those yet to see The Godfather movies. I did watch Misery and really enjoyed it.

R.I.P.

I must be one of the few who didn't actually like the Godfather movies!!!

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

I must be one of the few who didn't actually like the Godfather movies!!!

I find them compelling to a point, but I don't love them.

 

[darkshadows38]

Brando was Notorious for being a huge pain in the ass to everyone on the set but when he made The Godfather (1972) that one, that one he really had fun on and in pics you can tell he's having fun cause there's one pic where he's laughing i dunno about other movies he did though but that one he had the time of his life

 

[Monzo]

Did anyone watch his tv shows Las Vegas and Back in the Game? I did. I was amazed that James Caan would be willing to star in a show as dull as Las Vegas and then he got fired and replaced by Tom Selleck (who got a new role).

 

[darkshadows38]

actually i enjoyed Las Vegas i'm not saying it's my favorite #1 show of all time it's clearly not but it's still a show i really enjoy. he wasn't the only one that got fired either if i recall other cast members did too.

 

[Snarky Oracle!]

Supposedly, Caan threatened to walk out of THE GODFATHER if Coppola hired "that faggot" Sal Mineo for the role of Fredo. But that might just be a rumor.