James Caan
Known for
James Caan burned his way into film history as Sonny Corleone, the hot-tempered heir of 'The Godfather' (1972), earning an Oscar nomination for a performance of pure combustible energy. Born in the Bronx in 1940, he had already broken hearts as the dying footballer of the TV film 'Brian's Song' (1971). He was Michael Mann's existential safecracker in 'Thief' (1981), the tormented novelist held captive in 'Misery' (1990) and, in a beloved late turn, the gruff father in 'Elf' (2003). Streetwise toughness with sudden tenderness underneath defined him. He died in 2022 at 82.
James Caan
90 Movies
19 Series
James Caan burned his way into film history as Sonny Corleone, the hot-tempered heir of 'The Godfather' (1972), earning an Oscar nomination for a performance of pure combustible energy. Born in the Bronx in 1940, he had already broken hearts as the dying footballer of the TV film 'Brian's Song' (1971). He was Michael Mann's existential safecracker in 'Thief' (1981), the tormented novelist held captive in 'Misery' (1990) and, in a beloved late turn, the gruff father in 'Elf' (2003). Streetwise toughness with sudden tenderness underneath defined him. He died in 2022 at 82.
Movies
Plays Sonny Corleone
The Godfather
1972
Plays Walter
Elf
2003
Plays Tim Lockwood (voice)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
2009
Plays Stan Mullen
Fast Charlie
2023
Plays Father McNally
That's My Boy
2012
Plays Paul Sheldon
Misery
1990
Plays The President
Get Smart
2008
Plays Tim Lockwood (voice)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
2013
Plays Spaldoni
Dick Tracy
1990
Plays U.S. Marshal Robert Deguerin
Eraser
1996
Plays Mr. Riccoli, the Pharmacist
New York, I Love You
2008
Plays SSgt. Eddie Dohun
A Bridge Too Far
1977
Plays Mr. Charles Seaboldt
Detachment
2011
Plays Mississippi
El Dorado
1966
Plays The Big Man
Dogville
2003
Plays Frank Olchin
The Yards
2000
Plays Frank
Thief
1981
Plays James Caan
Silent Movie
1976
Plays Jerry Haggerty
Middle Men
2009
Plays Mr. Abe Henry
Bottle Rocket
1996
Plays Leon
Blood Ties
2013
Plays Joe Sarno
The Way of the Gun
2000
Plays Harold Grainey
The Good Neighbor
2016
Plays Billy Rose
Funny Lady
1975
Plays Jonathan E.
Rollerball
1975
Plays Sonny Corleone
The Godfather Trilogy: 1901-1980
1992
Plays Frank Vitale
Mickey Blue Eyes
1999
Plays Dick Kanipsia
Slither
1973
Plays Axel
The Gambler
1974
Plays Professor Bernard Issaacs
Sicilian Vampire
2015
Plays Santino "Sonny" Corleone
The Godfather: The Complete Epic 1901–1959
2016
Plays Max Saltzman
Henry's Crime
2010
Plays Roy Sweeney
Flesh and Bone
1993
Plays Frank Colton
Bulletproof
1996
Plays Jimmy Kilgannon
The Rain People
1969
Plays Mike 'Brother' Albright
A Fighting Man
2014
Plays Sam Winters
The Program
1993
Plays Tommy Korman
Honeymoon in Vegas
1992
Plays Mr. Allspice
Small Apartments
2012
Plays Agent Gamble
Con Man
2018
Plays Grandpa
Undercover Grandpa
2017
Plays Matthew Sykes
Alien Nation
1988
Plays Walter
Preggoland
2014
Plays Dan
Queen Bees
2021
Plays Mike Locken
The Killer Elite
1975
Plays Sgt. Clell Hazard
Gardens of Stone
1987
Plays Jolly
Kiss Me Goodbye
1982
Plays Jack Glenn / Jason Glenn
Bolero
1981
Plays Darren Mason
Santa's Slay
2005
Plays Tap
J.L. Family Ranch
2016
TV Shows
Plays Ed Deline
Las Vegas
2003
Plays Buddie Simpson
The Wide Country
1962
Plays Terry 'The Cannon' Gannon, Sr.
Back in the Game
2013
Plays Self
The American West
2016
Plays Santino "Sonny" Corleone
Mario Puzo's The Godfather: The Complete Novel for Television
1977
Plays James Caan (voice)
The Simpsons
1989
Plays James Caan (voice)
Family Guy
1999
Plays Rick Peterson
Kraft Suspense Theatre
1963
Plays Eugene David Holt
The F.B.I.
1965
Plays Ed Deline
Crossing Jordan
2001
Plays Marty Feketi
Naked City
1958
Plays Sgt. Beckman
Combat!
1962
Plays Charley Johnson
Dr. Kildare
1961
Plays Tony Archer
Hawaii Five-0
2010
Plays Keir Brannon
The Untouchables
1959
Plays Jay Shaw / Phil Beldone
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
1962
Plays Jalapeño
Annoying Orange
2009
Latest Trailers
Watch Trailer
Fast Charlie
Full Filmography
Fast Charlie
Stan Mullen
2023
Film
Queen Bees
Dan
2021
Film
Out of Blue
Col. Tom Rockwell
2019
Film
Holy Lands
Harry
2019
Film
Con Man
Agent Gamble
2018
Film
Good Enough
Roger Flynn
2017
Film
Undercover Grandpa
Grandpa
2017
Film
The Red Maple Leaf
Senator George Lawrence Secord
2017
Film
The American West
Self · 8 episodes
2016
TV
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is James Caan still alive?
James Caan passed away on July 6, 2022 at age 82.
What are the most famous roles of James Caan?
James Caan is best known for roles in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.
How many movies has James Caan been in?
Over a 59-year career (since 1963), James Caan has appeared in 90 movies and 18 TV shows.
What was James Caan's first movie?
The career of James Caan began with Irma la Douce (1963).
What is James Caan's most recent movie or series?
James Caan's most recent release is Chuck Zito: An American Story, which premiered on May 1, 2024.
What TV shows has James Caan appeared in?
On television, James Caan has appeared in The Simpsons, Family Guy, Hawaii Five-0, Get Smart.
James Caan
1940-03-26 · The Bronx, New York, USA
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).