Actor James Caan, best known for his role as the temperamental gangster Sonny Corleone in the legendary mafia filmThe Godfather, has been confirmed to have passed away at 82 years old on July 6.
It was announced that Caan had died via his personal social media account. The details surrounding his death have not been disclosed as of now, but the actor’s passing comes after having been involved in Hollywood for over half a century, with memorable rolesoutside ofThe Godfathersaga.
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“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” Caan’s Twitter account reads. “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 tweets always ended with the phrase “End of Tweet,” so it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary that Caan’s Twitter would end the tweet confirming his passing the exact same way.
Caan started acting in movies in the 1960s but came to prominence as a movie star throughout the 1970s. He secured his big break and most well-known role in Hollywood as Sonny Corleone in what has been hailed as arguably the greatest film ever made,The Godfather.Caan was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Corleone. Caan returned to play Sonny inThe Godfather Part IIin a very brief cameo. He is also best known for his other prominent roles in movies such asBrian’s Song,Rollerball,Misery,Elf,Thief,El Dorado,andHide in Plain Sight.
After being a well-known movie star throughout the 1970s known for playing athletes among other prominent roles, Caan took a hiatus from acting in the 1980s following a myriad of personal issues, including depression over his sister’s tragic death from leukemia. It wasn’t until he starred in the film version of the Stephen King novelMiseryalongside Kathy Batesin 1990 that he re-established himself as a movie star. In that film, Caan played a famed author being held captive by his psychotically obsessed fan. From there on out, Caan got more movie roles through the 1990s and 2000s.
Because of his reputation as Sonny Corleone, and because of his upbringing in the Bronx, Caan was usually known as the tough guy around Hollywood at the height of his career. Caan also definitely spoke his mind when being interviewed and did not hold anything back when he talked to reporters. That’s what made his role asWalter Hobbs inElfsuch a change of pace for viewers seeing how mostly well-tempered Hobbs was as a character. Caan will go down as one of the acting greats who knew how to pull off strong characters and he will be missed dearly.
