At least he avoided the tollbooth.
Very good actor & very good career.
I hadn’t realized he was that old.
I knew him from The Godfather and Thief and Elf and the TV movie Brian’s Song, among other films. But he was also in several science fiction epics – probably most famously in Alien Nation but also the 1960s film Countdown and the made-for-TV second adaptation of Lathe of Heaven
Not to mention Misery and of course Rollerball. But he will always first and foremost be Sonny Corleone to me.
As well as he will always be Brian Piccalo from the movie Brian’s Song to me, one if the first movies I recall watching on my own. And the guy who made the line Bada Bing Bada Boom famous.
Look how they massacred my boy!
I liked him as Rupert of Rathskeller on Get Smart (two-part parody of Prisoner of Zenda) and in little else…although he was certainly good on the sell in his Godfather death scene.
I remember him and Robert Duvall as astronauts in “Countdown” (1968)
Sad to hear.
He was great in that TV series
“Las Vegas” as Ed Deline.
Yes he is Brian Piccolo to me. He had a great career. Rest In Peace.
A relatively narrow range as an actor, I’d say, but he certainly did well in some memorable roles (I’m thinking of The Godfather, Rollerball, Misery and Elf, in particular).
May he rest in peace.
One of my favorite Caan roles is as ex-con Dick Kanipsia in the slightly obscure, off-beat chase movie Slither with Peter Boyle and Sally Kellerman. The most memorable part of the movie is where the chase vehicle, an ominous-looking black RecTrans Discoverer 25R gets destroyed in an RV jump stunt.
I liked him in Bottle Rocket, too.
I read a “Random Roles” article with him on the A.V. Club website and it seems like he didn’t have a very high opinion of a lot of his previous films.
*plays The Hands of Time in Jimmy’s memory.
“When you dedicate a game to someone, you are then supposed to go out and win it, idiot! You know, Pat O’Brien never said, ‘Let’s blow one for the Gipper.’”
Alien Nation was certainly not his greatest work, but I thought it was a really good movie. He reportedly hated it, and would refuse to discuss it if ever brought up. While it had its problems, it was chock full of really good ideas that they really weren’t able to fully explore in a 91 minute film.
I’ll always remember him as Mississippi in El Dorado.
Mississippi: [examining J.P.'s leg after he’s been shot] I gotta cut this pant leg.
Sheriff J. P. Harrah: Well, go ahead and cut it! Have you got a kni…
[Mississippi pulls out his huge Bowie knife from its hiding place on his back]
Sheriff J. P. Harrah: A knife? Uh, I suppose I’ve asked this before, but just who…?
[looks at Cole instead]
Sheriff J. P. Harrah: Who is he?
Cole: Tell him your name, Mississippi.
Mississippi: [sighs and looks up] Alan Bourdillion Trehearne.
Sheriff J. P. Harrah: Well, no wonder he carries a knife.
RIP, James.
Surprised not to see any love for The Gambler. Saw that one a few years back when the Mark Wahlberg remake was in theaters; the original was added to Netflix at the same time. A really great mid-Seventies drama.
When I think of James Caan, the ending of Rollerball always comes to mind, and the crowd chanting “Jon-a-than! Jon-a-than!”, proving that the corporations hadn’t succeeded in destroying an individual hero.
Rest in peace, Mr. Caan.