James Caan death: The Godfather, Misery and Elf actor dies, aged 82
07.07.2022 - 23:31
/ msn.com
James Caan has died, aged 82. The news was announced by his family via the New York-born star’s official Twitter page. “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet read.
“The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time. End of tweet. ”Caan’s credits include The Godfather (1972), Stephen King adaptation Misery (1990) and Christmas film Elf (2003).
His Hollywood career began in the 1960s, following roles in films from directors Howard Hawks (El Dorado, 1966), Robert Altman (Countdown, 1967) and Francis Ford Coppola (The Rain People, 1969). In the 1970s, Coppola cast him as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, which led to an Oscar nomination. Caan returned for a brief appearance in the 1974 sequel.
While the actor was initially cast as Michael Corleone, he had his heart set on Sonny and successfully suggested that Al Pacino play the role of Michael instead. He eventually faced his co-star alongside another Godfather actor, Robert Duvall, in the Best Supporting Actor category at the 1973 Oscars; all three lost to Joel Grey, who won for Cabaret. Caan told The Independent in January 2021: “I really do wish I had an Academy Award.
But listen, here’s what you gotta know. Number one: anybody who gets cancer [in a movie] automatically wins the Academy Award that year. Number two: I sound like I’m bitter, and I am!”In 1971, Caan appeared in TV movie Brian’s Song, a biopic in which he played the dying footballer Brian Piccolo.