James Edmund Caan (/kɑːn/ KAHN; 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).
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Known For
Misery
(1990)
Paul Sheldon
The Godfather
(1972)
Sonny Corleone
The Godfather Part II
(1974)
Sonny Corleone (uncredited)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
(2013)
Tim Lockwood (voice)
Eraser
(1996)
U.S. Marshal Robert Deguerin
Get Smart
(2008)
The President
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
(2009)
Tim Lockwood (voice)
Fast Charlie
(2023)
Stan Mullen
Detachment
(2011)
Mr. Charles Seaboldt
That's My Boy
(2012)
Father McNally
Dick Tracy
(1990)
Spaldoni
Elf
(2003)
Walter
The Yards
(2000)
Frank Olchin
A Bridge Too Far
(1977)
SSgt. Eddie Dohun
Rollerball
(1975)
Jonathan E.
Queen Bees
(2021)
Dan
Full Filmography
Acting
Irma la Douce
(1963)
Soldier with Radio (uncredited)
Lady in a Cage
(1964)
Randall Simpson O'Connell
The Glory Guys
(1965)
Pvt. Anthony Dugan
Red Line 7000
(1965)
Mike
El Dorado
(1966)
Mississippi
Countdown
(1967)
Lee Stegler
Games
(1967)
Paul Montgomery
Submarine X-1
(1968)
Cmdr. Richard Bolton, RNVR
Journey to Shiloh
(1968)
Buck Burnett
Filmmaker
(1968)
Self (uncredited)
The Rain People
(1969)
Jimmy Kilgannon
Rabbit, Run
(1970)
Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom
Brian's Song
(1971)
Brian Piccolo
T.R. Baskin
(1971)
Larry Moore
The Godfather: Behind the Scenes
(1971)
Self
The Godfather
(1972)
Sonny Corleone
Cinderella Liberty
(1973)
John Baggs Jr.
Slither
(1973)
Dick Kanipsia
The Godfather Part II
(1974)
Sonny Corleone (uncredited)
Freebie and the Bean
(1974)
Freebie
The Gambler
(1974)
Axel Freed
Rollerball
(1975)
Jonathan E.
The Killer Elite
(1975)
Mike Locken
Funny Lady
(1975)
Billy Rose
Gone with the West
(1975)
Jud McGraw
Funny Girl to Funny Lady
(1975)
Self
From Rome to Rollerball: The Full Circle
(1975)
Rickles
(1975)
Silent Movie
(1976)
Self
Harry and Walter Go to New York
(1976)
Harry Digby
A Bridge Too Far
(1977)
SSgt. Eddie Dohun
Another Man, Another Chance
(1977)
David Williams
Comes a Horseman
(1978)
Frank 'Buck' Athearn
Chapter Two
(1979)
George Schneider
Playboy's Roller Disco & Pajama Party
(1979)
1941
(1979)
Sailor in Fight (uncredited)
Playboy's 25th Anniversary Celebration
(1979)
Hide in Plain Sight
(1980)
Thomas Hacklin, Jr.
Thief
(1981)
Frank
Bolero: Dance of Life
(1981)
Jack Glenn / Jason Glenn
The Godfather Epic: 1901-1959
(1981)
Sonny Corleone
The Godfather 1901–1959: The Complete Epic
(1981)
Santino "Sonny" Corleone
Kiss Me Goodbye
(1982)
Jolly
Night of 100 Stars
(1982)
Self
Dorothy Stratten: The Untold Story
(1985)
Gardens of Stone
(1987)
Sgt. Clell Hazard
Alien Nation
(1988)
Det. Sgt. Matthew Sykes
Misery
(1990)
Paul Sheldon
The Godfather Family: A Look Inside
(1990)
Self / Sonny Corleone / Michael Corleone
Dick Tracy
(1990)
Spaldoni
For the Boys
(1991)
Eddie Sparks
The Dark Backward
(1991)
Dr. Scurvy
Honeymoon in Vegas
(1992)
Tommy Korman
Earth and the American Dream
(1992)
Reader (voice)
The Please Watch the Jon Lovitz Special, Live!
(1992)
Self (uncredited)
The Program
(1993)
Sam Winters
Flesh and Bone
(1993)
Roy Sweeney
Harley-Davidson: The American Motorcycle
(1993)
Bulletproof
(1996)
Frank Colton
Eraser
(1996)
U.S. Marshal Robert Deguerin
Bottle Rocket
(1996)
Mr. Abe Henry
North Star
(1996)
Sean McLennon
A Boy Called Hate
(1996)
Jim
Howard Hawks: American Artist
(1997)
Self
Poodle Springs
(1998)
Philip Marlowe
Mickey Blue Eyes
(1999)
Frank Vitale
This Is My Father
(1999)
Kieran Johnson
The Making of a Mobster: 'Mickey Blue Eyes'
(1999)
Self
The Way of the Gun
(2000)
Joe Sarno
Luckytown
(2000)
Charlie Doyles
The Yards
(2000)
Frank Olchin
A Glimpse of Hell
(2001)
Capt. Fred Moosally
Dead Simple
(2001)
Roy Baker
In the Shadows
(2001)
Lance Huston
Warden of Red Rock
(2001)
John Flinders
Playboy Mansion Parties Uncensored
(2001)
Self
Blood Crime
(2002)
Sheriff Morgan McKenna
Night at the Golden Eagle
(2002)
Prison Warden
City of Ghosts
(2002)
Marvin
Lathe of Heaven
(2002)
Dr. William Haber
The Kid Stays in the Picture
(2002)
Self (archive footage)
Dogville
(2003)
The Big Man
Elf
(2003)
Walter
Jericho Mansions
(2003)
Leonard Grey
Misery Loves Company
(2003)
Self
The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie
(2004)
Mr. Harry Dewitt
Willie Nelson & Friends: Outlaws & Angels
(2004)
Santa's Slay
(2005)
Darren Mason
Gangland: Bullets over Hollywood
(2005)
This Thing of Ours
(2005)
Jimmy
The Godfather and the Mob
(2006)
Self (archive footage)
Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project
(2007)
Self
Get Smart
(2008)
The President
Wisegal
(2008)
Salvatore Palmeri
The Making of 'Bottle Rocket'
(2008)
Self
Hollywood Gangster
(2008)
Self
New York, I Love You
(2008)
Mr. Riccoli, the Pharmacist
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
(2009)
Tim Lockwood (voice)
Middle Men
(2009)
Jerry Haggerty
Mercy
(2009)
Gerry Ryan
Family Guy Presents: Something, Something, Something, Dark Side
(2009)
Self (voice)
Henry's Crime
(2010)
Max Saltzman
Detachment
(2011)
Mr. Charles Seaboldt
His Way
(2011)
Self
D'un film à l'autre
(2011)
Self (archive footage)
Small Apartments
(2012)
Mr. Allspice
That's My Boy
(2012)
Father McNally
For the Love of Money
(2012)
Micky
The Godfather Legacy
(2012)
Self
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2
(2013)
Tim Lockwood (voice)
Blood Ties
(2013)
Leon
Seduced and Abandoned
(2013)
Self
The Outsider
(2014)
Schuuster
Preggoland
(2014)
Walter
Altman
(2014)
Self
A Fighting Man
(2014)
Mike 'Brother' Albright
And the Oscar Goes To...
(2014)
Self (archive footage)
Marlon Brando: An Actor Named Desire
(2014)
Self - Actor (archive footage)
The Throwaways
(2015)
Lt. Col. Christopher Holden
Wuthering High
(2015)
Earnshaw
Sicilian Vampire
(2015)
Professor Bernard Issaacs
JL Family Ranch
(2016)
Tap
The Good Neighbor
(2016)
Harold Grainey
Undercover Grandpa
(2017)
Grandpa
The Red Maple Leaf
(2017)
Senator George Lawrence Secord
Good Enough
(2017)
Roger Flynn
Con Man
(2018)
Agent Gamble
Out of Blue
(2019)
Col. Tom Rockwell
Holy Lands
(2019)
Harry
It Takes a Lunatic
(2019)
Self
JL Family Ranch: The Wedding Gift
(2020)
Tap
Queen Bees
(2021)
Dan
Fast Charlie
(2023)
Stan Mullen
King on Screen
(2023)
Self
Robert De Niro: Hiding in the Spotlight
(2023)
Self (archive footage)
Crew
Directing