James Caan

James Caan

Known For

The Godfather

Biography

James Edmund Caan (March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor who was nominated for several awards, including four Golden Globes, an Emmy, and an Oscar. Caan was awarded a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.

After early roles in Howard Hawks's El Dorado (1966), Robert Altman's Countdown (1967) and Francis Ford Coppola's The Rain People (1969), he came to prominence for playing his signature role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (1972), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor. He reprised the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather Part II (1974) with a cameo appearance at the end.

Caan had significant roles in films such as Brian's Song (1971), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Gambler (1974), Rollerball (1975), A Bridge Too Far (1977), and Alan J. Pakula's Comes a Horseman (1978). He had sporadically worked in film since the 1980s, with his notable performances including roles in Thief (1981), Gardens of Stone (1987), Misery (1990), Dick Tracy (1990), Bottle Rocket (1996), The Yards (2000), Dogville (2003), and Elf (2003).

Movies Featuring James Caan

Out of Blue

Out of Blue (2019)

as Col. Tom Rockwell
Con Man

Con Man (2018)

as Agent Gamble
Good Enough

Good Enough (2017)

as Roger Flynn
The Red Maple Leaf

The Red Maple Leaf (2017)

as Senator George Lawrence Secord
Sicilian Vampire

Sicilian Vampire (2015)

as Professor Bernard Issaacs
The Throwaways

The Throwaways (2015)

as Lt. Col. Christopher Holden
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire

Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire (2014)

as Self - Actor (archive footage)
A Fighting Man

A Fighting Man (2014)

as Mike 'Brother' Albright
That's My Boy

That's My Boy (2012)

as Father McNally
Detachment

Detachment (2011)

as Mr. Charles Seaboldt
Mercy

Mercy (2009)

as Gerry Ryan
Middle Men

Middle Men (2009)

as Jerry Haggerty
New York, I Love You

New York, I Love You (2008)

as Mr. Riccoli, the Pharmacist
Get Smart

Get Smart (2008)

as The President
Wisegal

Wisegal (2008)

as Salvatore Palmeri
The Godfather and the Mob

The Godfather and the Mob (2006)

as Self (archive footage)
Santa's Slay

Santa's Slay (2005)

as Darren Mason
Elf

Elf (2003)

as Walter
Dogville

Dogville (2003)

as The Big Man
Blood Crime

Blood Crime (2002)

as Sheriff Morgan McKenna
Lathe of Heaven

Lathe of Heaven (2002)

as Dr. William Haber
A Glimpse of Hell

A Glimpse of Hell (2001)

as Capt. Fred Moosally
Luckytown

Luckytown (2000)

as Charlie Doyles
The Yards

The Yards (2000)

as Frank Olchin
Poodle Springs

Poodle Springs (1998)

as Philip Marlowe
Bulletproof

Bulletproof (1996)

as Frank Colton
Eraser

Eraser (1996)

as U.S. Marshal Robert Deguerin
Bottle Rocket

Bottle Rocket (1996)

as Mr. Abe Henry
North Star

North Star (1996)

as Sean McLennon
The Program

The Program (1993)

as Sam Winters
For the Boys

For the Boys (1991)

as Eddie Sparks
Misery

Misery (1990)

as Paul Sheldon
The Godfather Family: A Look Inside

The Godfather Family: A Look Inside (1990)

as Self / Sonny Corleone / Michael Corleone
Alien Nation

Alien Nation (1988)

as Matthew Sykes
Gardens of Stone

Gardens of Stone (1987)

as Sgt. Clell Hazard
Bolero

Bolero (1981)

as Jack Glenn / Jason Glenn
Hide in Plain Sight

Hide in Plain Sight (1980)

as Thomas Hacklin, Jr.
Chapter Two

Chapter Two (1979)

as George Schneider
1941

1941 (1979)

as Sailor in Fight (uncredited)
Comes a Horseman

Comes a Horseman (1978)

as Frank 'Buck' Athearn
A Bridge Too Far

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

as SSgt. Eddie Dohun
Rollerball

Rollerball (1975)

as Jonathan E.
The Godfather Part II

The Godfather Part II (1974)

as Sonny Corleone (uncredited)
Slither

Slither (1973)

as Dick Kanipsia
The Godfather

The Godfather (1972)

as Sonny Corleone
Brian's Song

Brian's Song (1971)

as Brian Piccolo
T.R. Baskin

T.R. Baskin (1971)

as Larry Moore
Rabbit, Run

Rabbit, Run (1970)

as Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom
The Rain People

The Rain People (1969)

as Jimmy Kilgannon
Filmmaker

Filmmaker (1968)

as Self (uncredited)
Submarine X-1

Submarine X-1 (1968)

as Cmdr. Richard Bolton, RNVR
Games

Games (1967)

as Paul Montgomery
Countdown

Countdown (1967)

as Lee Stegler
El Dorado

El Dorado (1966)

as Mississippi
The Glory Guys

The Glory Guys (1965)

as Pvt. Anthony Dugan
Lady in a Cage

Lady in a Cage (1964)

as Randall Simpson O'Connell
Irma la Douce

Irma la Douce (1963)

as Soldier with Radio (uncredited)