James Caan

James Caan (born March 26, 1939, The Bronx, New York) is an American actor. Caan's parents were Jewish refugees from Germany. He currently stars as "Big Ed Deline" on the NBC hit series, Las Vegas.

Stardom

From 1973 to 1982, Caan appeared in many Hollywood films. He played a wide variety of roles and refused to be typecast as a mobster. His many films include Cinderella Liberty, Freebie and The Bean, The Gambler, The Killer Elite, Rollerball, Harry And Walter Go To New York, A Bridge Too Far, Comes A Horseman and Chapter Two (a play screenplay conversion by Neil Simon).

Related Topics:
1973 - 1982 - Hollywood - Cinderella Liberty - Freebie and The Bean - The Gambler - The Killer Elite - Rollerball - Harry And Walter Go To New York - A Bridge Too Far - Comes A Horseman - Chapter Two - Neil Simon

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In 1980, Caan directed Hide In Plain Sight a film about a father searching for his children lost in the Witness Protection Program. Despite critical praise, the film was not a hit.

Related Topics:
1980 - Hide In Plain Sight - Witness Protection Program

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The following year, Caan appeared in Thief, directed by Michael Mann, where he played a professional safe cracker. This film is today regarded as a film noir classic and Caan has often said it is the role he is proudest of next to The Godfather.

Related Topics:
Thief - Michael Mann - Film noir

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From 1982 to 1987, Caan did not act in any films. He was suffering from depression over his sister's death, a growing problem with cocaine, and what he described as Hollywood burnout. He made a return to film in 1987 when his old friend Francis Ford Coppola cast him as an Army Sergeant in Gardens Of Stone, a film that dealt with the effect of the Vietnam War on the homefront.

Related Topics:
1982 - 1987 - Depression - Cocaine - Gardens Of Stone - Vietnam War

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In 1988 and 1990, Caan starred in the popular films Alien Nation, Dick Tracy and Misery (co-star Kathy Bates won a Best Actress Oscar).

Related Topics:
1988 - 1990 - Alien Nation - Dick Tracy - Misery - Kathy Bates - Best Actress Oscar

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In 1992, Caan made the hit Honeymoon in Vegas. He co-starred with Sarah Jessica Parker and Nicolas Cage and hilariously spoofed his "Sonny Corleone" character from The Godfather.

Related Topics:
1992 - Honeymoon in Vegas - Sarah Jessica Parker - Nicolas Cage - Spoofed

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In 1996 he appeared in the indie hit Bottle Rocket and pursued Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser.

Related Topics:
1996 - Bottle Rocket - Arnold Schwarzenegger - Eraser

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In 1999, Caan joined the ranks of Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum and Powers Boothe when he portrayed Philip Marlowe in the HBO film Poodle Springs.

Related Topics:
1999 - Humphrey Bogart - Robert Mitchum - Powers Boothe - Philip Marlowe - HBO - Poodle Springs

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Some of his most recent appearances have been in The Yards (2000), City of Ghosts (2002), Dogville (2003) and Elf (2003).

Related Topics:
The Yards - 2000 - City of Ghosts - 2002 - Dogville - 2003

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Caan has been married four times. In 1960 he married Dee Jay Mathis; they divorced in 1966 and had one child. His second marriage with Sheila Ryan (1976) was short lived, and they divorced the next year. His son Scott was born in 1976. Between September 1990 and March 1995 Caan was married to Ingrid Hajek; they also had one child. He married Linda Stokes in October 1995, but got recently divorced from her in April 2005. They have two children.

Related Topics:
Married - 1960 - 1966 - 1976 - Scott - September - March - 1995 - October - April 2005

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James Caan was a Turnberry Island regular. He was friendly with marijuana smugglers Joey Ippolito and Ben Kramer. In 1994, Caan offered his home as collateral toward the $2-million bail and appeared as a character witness for his ?dear friend?, Joey Ippolito, who was on trial for cocaine distribution.

Related Topics:
Turnberry Island - Marijuana - Joey Ippolito

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As a result of his excellent portrayal of Sonny Corleone, Caan is often mistaken for being of Italian ancestry, and has even received recognition from a few Italian-American organizations. However, Caan is of German Jewish descent.

Related Topics:
Italian - German - Jewish

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