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James Caan in The Godfather
James Caan inThe Godfather(1972).CBS via Getty
Born in New York City on March 26, 1940, to Sophie and Arthur Caan, Jewish immigrants from Germany, James Caan went to Michigan State University on an athletic scholarship before turning to Off-Broadway, according to a 1975 PEOPLE profile.
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James Caan in Brian’s Song
ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
“Overnight I was a genius,” Caan told PEOPLE in 1975 of his early string of hits. “But it was out-and-out luck.”
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James Caan in The Gambler
Paramount/Getty
Caan’s role of Axel Freed in 1974’sThe Gambler —here with Lauren Hutton — earned him his third of four Golden Globe Award nominations.
04of 10James Caan in RollerballSilver Screen Collection/Getty"You notice the angry face — that’s what they pay me for, the angry face,“Caan jokingly recalledin 2013 of the 1975 sci-fi filmRollerball,about a violent worldwide game in a futuristic society (set in … 2018!).
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James Caan in Rollerball
Silver Screen Collection/Getty
“You notice the angry face — that’s what they pay me for, the angry face,“Caan jokingly recalledin 2013 of the 1975 sci-fi filmRollerball,about a violent worldwide game in a futuristic society (set in … 2018!).
05of 10James Caan in MiseryColumbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett CollectionAfter taking a brief break from the spotlight — and struggling with various legal issues, depression and drugs — Caan returned in pal Rob Reiner’s terrifyingMiseryin 1990.In an interview withEW25 years after the film’s release, Caan recalled sitting in the theater with Reiner and Stephen King, who penned the story, at the premiere. “He really never came to any of his movies. He didn’t like his movies,” he said of King. “[But] he got so into that.”
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James Caan in Misery
Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
After taking a brief break from the spotlight — and struggling with various legal issues, depression and drugs — Caan returned in pal Rob Reiner’s terrifyingMiseryin 1990.
In an interview withEW25 years after the film’s release, Caan recalled sitting in the theater with Reiner and Stephen King, who penned the story, at the premiere. “He really never came to any of his movies. He didn’t like his movies,” he said of King. “[But] he got so into that.”
06of 10James Caan in Bottle RocketColumbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett CollectionCaan appeared in Wes Anderson’s very first feature film in 1996 as Mr. Henry, a bad guy with a wild streak. TheNew York Timescalled his presence “a lunatic bonhomie that lights a welcome spark.”
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James Caan in Bottle Rocket
Caan appeared in Wes Anderson’s very first feature film in 1996 as Mr. Henry, a bad guy with a wild streak. TheNew York Timescalled his presence “a lunatic bonhomie that lights a welcome spark.”
07of 10James Caan in EraserWarner Bros./courtesy Everett CollectionThe 1996 action filmEraserpaired Caan with Arnold Schwarzenegger, allowing him to once again spread his bad guy wings as villain DeGuerin.
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James Caan in Eraser
Warner Bros./courtesy Everett Collection
The 1996 action filmEraserpaired Caan with Arnold Schwarzenegger, allowing him to once again spread his bad guy wings as villain DeGuerin.
08of 10James Caan in ElfNew Line/courtesy Everett CollectionCaan met a new generation of fans when he played the straight-and-narrow biological father to Will Ferrell’s Buddy in 2003’sElf.In a 2020Rolling Stoneinterview, director Jon Favreau recalled Caan’s “great sense of humor” on set.“If you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears,” Favreau said. “We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing. He was a lot of fun.“At the end of filming, Favreau said, Ferrell gave his costar a wrap gift.“He wrote a note that said, ‘Great working with you. The first one is a little bit slow, but the second two are really good.’ It wasThe Godfathertrilogy.”
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James Caan in Elf
New Line/courtesy Everett Collection
Caan met a new generation of fans when he played the straight-and-narrow biological father to Will Ferrell’s Buddy in 2003’sElf.
In a 2020Rolling Stoneinterview, director Jon Favreau recalled Caan’s “great sense of humor” on set.
“If you could make him laugh, all the tension disappears,” Favreau said. “We kept him laughing, and he kept us laughing. He was a lot of fun.”
At the end of filming, Favreau said, Ferrell gave his costar a wrap gift.
“He wrote a note that said, ‘Great working with you. The first one is a little bit slow, but the second two are really good.’ It wasThe Godfathertrilogy.”
09of 10James Caan on Las VegasByron J. Cohen/NBC/Courtesy Everett CollectionCaan told CBSin 2021 that he didn’t love television, in part because “I fought always never to be the same person. I mean, the fun of being an actor is being somebody else for three months, you know?” However, he had some fun alongside Molly Sims and Josh Duhamel onLas Vegas,starring as casino bigwig Ed Deline from 2003 to 2007.
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James Caan on Las Vegas
Byron J. Cohen/NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
Caan told CBSin 2021 that he didn’t love television, in part because “I fought always never to be the same person. I mean, the fun of being an actor is being somebody else for three months, you know?” However, he had some fun alongside Molly Sims and Josh Duhamel onLas Vegas,starring as casino bigwig Ed Deline from 2003 to 2007.
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James Caan on Hawaii Five-0
Norman Shaprio/CBS via Getty
In 2012, Caan joined son Scott on an episode ofHawaii Five-0,playing a retired NYPD bomb expert who becomes a private investigator in Oahu.
“He saw me when I was a little rough around the edges,” James told PEOPLE at the time. “Now, we’re really best buddies. I’m proud that he’s grown up so well.”
source: people.com
