# James Caan passes away at 82 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** celebrity-death\ **Created:** [July 7, 2022, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568 "2022-07-07T17:10:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/1 "2022-07-07T17:10:08Z")
> ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/2 "2022-07-07T17:12:16Z")
At least he avoided the tollbooth. Very good actor & very good career. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/3 "2022-07-07T17:15:00Z")
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** ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/4 "2022-07-07T17:25:51Z")
Not to mention _Misery_ and of course _Rollerball_. But he will always first and foremost be Sonny Corleone to me. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/5 "2022-07-07T17:30:45Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/6 "2022-07-07T17:31:33Z")
Look how they massacred my boy! ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/7 "2022-07-07T17:34:55Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/8 "2022-07-07T17:44:13Z")
I remember him and Robert Duvall as astronauts in “Countdown” (1968) ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/9 "2022-07-07T17:49:10Z")
Sad to hear. He was great in that TV series “Las Vegas” as Ed Deline. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/10 "2022-07-07T17:54:29Z")
Yes he is Brian Piccolo to me. He had a great career. Rest In Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/11 "2022-07-07T17:55:28Z")
☹ [![](https://i.imgur.com/Q6mMxO0.png) ](https://i.imgur.com/Q6mMxO0.png) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/12 "2022-07-07T18:19:16Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/13 "2022-07-07T18:43:04Z")
One of my favorite Caan roles is as ex-con Dick Kanipsia in the slightly obscure, off-beat chase movie [Slither](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069282/) 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](https://youtu.be/9WGaqqtYDmg?t=155). ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/14 "2022-07-07T18:43:30Z")
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. > **[James Caan on The Godfather, John Wayne, and all the roles he’s done as favors](https://www.avclub.com/james-caan-on-the-godfather-john-wayne-and-all-the-ro-1798238997)** > > Welcome to Random Roles, wherein we talk to actors about the characters who defined their careers. The catch: They don’t know beforehand what roles we’ll ask them to talk about. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/15 "2022-07-07T19:05:18Z")
\*plays _The Hands of Time_ in Jimmy’s memory. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/16 "2022-07-07T19:15:38Z")
“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.’” ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/17 "2022-07-07T19:20:44Z")
_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. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/18 "2022-07-07T19:26:55Z")
I’ll always remember him as Mississippi in **El Dorado**. _[Mississippi](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001001/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): [examining J.P.'s leg after he’s been shot] I gotta cut this pant leg._ _[Sheriff J. P. Harrah](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000053/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): 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](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000053/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): A knife? Uh, I suppose I’ve asked this before, but just who…?_ _[looks at Cole instead]_ _[Sheriff J. P. Harrah](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000053/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): Who is he?_ _[Cole](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000078/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): Tell him your name, Mississippi._ _[Mississippi](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001001/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): [sighs and looks up] Alan Bourdillion Trehearne._ _[Sheriff J. P. Harrah](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000053/?ref_=tt_trv_qu): Well, no wonder he carries a knife._ RIP, James. ---
**Author:** ![SwissMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@SwissMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwissMan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/19 "2022-07-07T19:28:15Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568/20 "2022-07-07T19:40:20Z")
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. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/james-caan-passes-away-at-82/967568.md?page=2)