James Caan, veteran 'Godfather' and 'Elf' actor, dies at 82

[Chicago1980]

Source: NBC News

James Caan, veteran 'Godfather' and 'Elf' actor, dies at 82

Caan was also well known for roles in "Brian's Song," "Misery," and NBC's "Las Vegas."


July 7, 2022, 5:28 PM UTC
By David K. Li
Movie tough guy James Caan, best known for his work in such big-screen classics as "The Godfather" and "Elf," died on Wednesday, his family said.

He was 82.

"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6," according to a family statement posted to Twitter.

"The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."

In recent years, Caan was active on Twitter, often posting pictures of he and his friends from classic movies.

He almost always ended his online missives with, “End of tweet,” and Thursday’s announcement did so as well.



Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/james-caan-veteran-godfather-elf-actor-dies-82-rcna37148

[YoshidaYui]

1. safe journeys to the next world

Sayonara Caan sensei...

[The Grand Illuminist]

2. Thief was an awesome flick.

nt

[The Wizard]

16. Robert Prosky and Tuesday Weld co stars

Great acting.

[The Grand Illuminist]

18. And Willie Nelson

nt

[PoliticAverse]

3. Also a DU thread in General Discussion...

here: https://democraticunderground.com/100216898941

[Paladin]

4. Aw, hell. One of my favorites, for years. God bless. (nt)

[Bayard]

5. Brian's Song

First movie I ever saw him in. Cried like a baby.

[aggiesal]

11. Woke up every 2 hours and cried, did ya? ...

I say that every time anyone mentions "... cried like a baby ..."
Pretty much what really happens.

[Docreed2003]

6. Fair winds and following seas Mr Caan!

[sdfernando]

7. RIP Sir. You did some great acting!

One of my favorites is Slither from 1973. James Caan, Sally Kellerman, Peter Boyle, Louise Lasser, Richard Shull, Allen Garfield.

[Botany]

8. Santino Corleone

[DinahMoeHum]

9. Oh hell.

Too many words to say about his New Yawker bare-knuckle style of acting.

Rest In Peace, Mr. Caan. Loved your movies.

[aggiesal]

10. Brian Piccolo in Brian's Song n/t

[Turbineguy]

12. Harry and Walter Go to New York

[Aristus]

13. His performance as Jonathan E in "Rollerball" is one for the ages.

"Rollerball" is an astonishing, criminally underrated film about a corporate-dominated dystopian future. The title refers to the extreme blood sport that the corporations use to keep the masses docile, subservient, and good corporate workers. The bloody, murderous game is intended to demonstrate the futility of individual effort (instead of corporate effort). The film hints strongly (and the short story it is adapted from says it more explicitly) that the game is used to eliminate men with physical strength and leadership potential before they become a threat to the power of the corporations that run the world.

If the film had been made in the Eighties, it would no doubt have starred Arnold Schwarzenegger or Bruce Willis, who would have played Jonathan as either a grunting, monosyllabic dolt, or a snide, breezy wisecracker. It would have ruined the film. Caan played Jonathan (when off the blood-soaked sports track) as quiet, thoughtful, empathetic, and yearning abstractly for a world not oppressed and regimented by soulless corporations.

I definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it yet. The film was considered very controversial in its time (1975) for its bone-jarring violence. Although the film is quite violent in its depiction of the three games of Rollerball played during the narrative, the action seems almost tame compared to the levels of violence considered acceptable in movies nowadays.

[LunaSea]

14. Yes

One of those films worth reviewing from time to time.
It did suffer a remake in the early 2000s.
That version is best avoided.

[Marcuse]

15. An all time favorite. It compares (very roughly) to the NFL's Tom Brady and Deflategate...

…including the supermodel wife. The NFL only suspended Brady for four games. The Rollerball League tried to kill Jonathan in the playoff games against Madrid and Tokyo. The championship game against New York was as if the NFL had legalized roughing the passer for the Super Bowl.

[Strelnikov_]

17. One of my favorites . . . Norman Jewison

Along with 'In the heat of the night'

[yardwork]

20. I think of that film often. It was ahead of it's time.

[Paladin]

21. I recall reading the original "Rollerball" short story in Esquire magazine.

I was in college at the time, and it thoroughly blew me away. School friends had the same reaction.

Norman Jewison's original movie did full justice to the story, and James Caan's portrayal of Jonathan E was outstanding, the best work he ever did, in my opinion. Looking forward to seeing it again.

[BumRushDaShow]

19. Have been trying to get into this thread to say

what a loss! I had heard this on the radio late Wed. night and had almost posted the clip of the infamous scene in "The Godfather" where he got shot up at a toll.

R.I.P. and thank you for some iconic roles that will seal your legacy.

[Tom Kitten]

23. When I was a kid

My folks would take me and my little sis along to the drive-in to see movies.
Now when I was 8 "The Carpetbaggers" was playing at the drive-in and my Dad liked the book and was a George Peppers fan. So off we went.
The opening feature was this film starring Olivia de Havilland called "Lady In a Cage" with James Caan in his first starring role as the leader of a group of sadistic thrillseekers terrorizing a trapped older lady. Man o man! Talk about traumatizing! What a brutal and violent movie, and for 1964 quite explicitly gory in depicting Caan's deserved fate. The memories of that film have stuck with me all my life.
Funny thing is I had no idea he was that guy in that movie until many years later after I had seen the Godfather and Rollerball and other films he was in. The Gambler was a good movie, plus of course Brian's Song. I didn't find him going mano a mano with Arnold in Eraser very believable though. RIP Mr. Caan