James Caan, The Godfather and Misery star, dies at 82
James Caan, the legendary actor best known for his Oscar-nominated role in The Godfather, has died. He was 82.
Caan's death was confirmed Thursday on his official Twitter account. "The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time," a statement said. A cause of death was not disclosed.
Caan was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 1973 for his performance as Sonny Corleone, eldest son of Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone, in The Godfather, and he briefly returned for The Godfather Part II. Some of his other most memorable films include Misery, Brian's Song, Rollerball, and Elf, and on the television side, he starred on the NBC dramedy Las Vegas. He continued to act in recent years, including in 2021's Queen Bees
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Caan reflected on his career in an appearance on CBS This Morning in 2021, saying he was "frustrated" he wasn't getting better roles anymore and wanted to continue working. "I'd love to do a real character thing," he said, adding, "I can't take it easy! To me, I enjoy working. I love to work with good people. I have more fun when I'm working, and I have a lot of laughs. And I get respect, too, sometimes."
Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in Misery, said he "loved working" with the actor, while Adam Sandler said he was "so happy" he got to know him. "Never ever stopped laughing when I was around that man," Sandler added.
-
8 incredible destinations to visit in 2026The Week Recommends Now is the time to explore Botswana, Mongolia and Sardinia
-
Wave of cancellations prompt Kennedy Center turmoilIN THE SPOTLIGHT Accusations and allegations fly as artists begin backing off their regularly scheduled appearances
-
The dark side of how kids are using AIUnder the Radar Chatbots have become places where children ‘talk about violence, explore romantic or sexual roleplay, and seek advice when no adult is watching’
-
Son arrested over killing of Rob and Michele ReinerSpeed Read Nick, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, has been booked for the murder of his parents
-
Rob Reiner, wife dead in ‘apparent homicide’speed read The Reiners, found in their Los Angeles home, ‘had injuries consistent with being stabbed’
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literatureSpeed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
