Legendary actor James Caan dead at 82
James Caan, the longtime Hollywood fixture and star of several classic films like "The Godfather," "Misery" and "Brian's Song" is dead at 82 years old.
His death was announced by his family via his official Twitter page on Thursday, in a statement that read:
"It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."
The announcement was verified by Caan's manager, Matt DelPiano, who released a statement to the Associated Press.
"Jimmy was one of the greatest. Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved," DelPiano said. "Our relationship was always friendship before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years."
A cause of death was not immediately known.
Born in 1940 in the Bronx, Caan attended Hofstra University where he met famed director Francis Ford Coppola. He began acting shortly after appearing in several small productions, including Coppola's fifth film, "The Rain People," in 1969.
He followed up with notable performances in both "Brian's Song" and "El Dorado," before hitting his stride as Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather."
The "tough guy" role skyrocketed his career, and in more than five decades of acting he's appeared in nearly 140 different movies and television shows, including "Misery," "The Gambler," "The Outsiders," "Dick Tracy," "Thief," "Elf," "Bottle Rocket" and "Bulletproof."
Over the course of his lengthy career, Caan was nominated for a Primetime Emmy, an Academy Award and four Golden Globes. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.
Caan is survived by five children, including his son Scott, who followed in his footsteps as an actor.
Hollywood began to react after the news broke with names like Rob Reiner, Adam Sandler, Barbra Streisand, Billy Dee Williams and Antonio Banderas taking to social media to pay their respects to Caan.
