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James Cagney

Acting 86 (deceased) years old New York City, New York, USA ★ 0.7
Born: July 17, 1899
Died: March 30, 1986

Biography

James Francis Cagney, Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of roles, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys". In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time.

In his first performing role, Cagney danced dressed as a woman in the chorus line of the 1919 revue Every Sailor. He spent several years in vaudeville as a hoofer and comedian until his first major acting role in 1925. He secured several other roles, receiving good reviews before landing the lead in the 1929 play Penny Arcade. After rave reviews for his acting, Warners signed him for an initial $500 a week, three-week contract to reprise his role; this was quickly extended to a seven year contract. Cagney's seventh film, The Public Enemy, became one of the most influential gangster movies of the period. Notable for its famous grapefruit scene, the film thrust Cagney into the spotlight, making him one of Warners' and Hollywood's biggest stars.

In 1938, he received his first Academy Award Best Actor nomination for Angels with Dirty Faces, before winning in 1942 for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. He was nominated a third time in 1955 for Love Me or Leave Me. Cagney retired for 20 years in 1961, spending time on his farm before returning for a part in Ragtime mainly to aid his recovery from a stroke.

Cagney walked out on Warners several times over his career, each time coming back on improved personal and artistic terms. In 1935, he sued Warners for breach of contract and won; this marked one of the first times an actor had beaten a studio over a contract issue. He worked for an independent film company for a year while the suit was settled, and also established his own production company, Cagney Productions, in 1942 before returning to Warners again four years later. Jack Warner called him "The Professional Againster", in reference to Cagney’s refusal to be pushed around. Cagney also made numerous morale-boosting troop tours before and during World War II, and was President of the Screen Actors Guild for two years.

External Links

🎬 IMDb

Known For

The Public Enemy
The Public Enemy Tom Powers 1931
Footlight Parade
Footlight Parade Chester Kent 1933
Mister Roberts
Mister Roberts Captain Morton 1955
Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty (uncredited) 1935
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (in "White Heat") (archive footage) 1982

Filmography

Acting Credits (138)

Becoming Marilyn
Becoming Marilyn 2022
Parkinson at 50
Parkinson at 50 Self (archive footage) 2021
This Is Bob Hope...
This Is Bob Hope... Self (archive footage) 2017
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year Self (archive footage) 2009
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression Self (archive footage) 2009
Warner at War
Warner at War (archive footage) 2008
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film Self (archive footage) 2008
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story Self (archive footage) 2008
Legends
Legends Martin Snyder (archive footage) (uncredited) 2006
Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public Self (archive footage) 2005
White Heat: Top of the World
White Heat: Top of the World Self (archive footage) 2005
Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say? Self (archive footage) 2005
Remembering Ragtime
Remembering Ragtime NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo (archive footage) 2004
Los Angeles Plays Itself
Los Angeles Plays Itself Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage) 2004
Tupac: Resurrection
Tupac: Resurrection Self (archival) 2003
Complicated Women
Complicated Women Self (archive footage) 2003
Doris Day: It's Magic
Doris Day: It's Magic Self 1998
Vaudeville
Vaudeville Self (archive footage) 1997
Bogart: The Untold Story
Bogart: The Untold Story Self (archive footage) 1997
James Cagney: Top of the World
James Cagney: Top of the World Self (Archive footage) 1992
Movie Tough Guys
Movie Tough Guys Self (archive footage) 1991
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1988
That's Dancing!
That's Dancing! From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (archive footage) 1985
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers Self (archive footage) 1985
Terrible Joe Moran
Terrible Joe Moran Joe Moran 1984
Going Hollywood: The '30s
Going Hollywood: The '30s (archive footage) 1984
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1983
Showbiz Goes to War
Showbiz Goes to War (archive footage) 1982
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (in "White Heat") (archive footage) 1982
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Showbiz Ballyhoo Self (archive footage) 1982
Night of 100 Stars
Night of 100 Stars Self 1982
James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy
James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy 1981
Ragtime
Ragtime New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo 1981
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years Self 1979
The Kennedy Center Honors
The Kennedy Center Honors Self 1978
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Bob Hope's World of Comedy Self (archive footage) 1976
That's Entertainment, Part II
That's Entertainment, Part II (archive footage) 1976
It's Showtime
It's Showtime Self (archive footage) 1976
Hooray for Hollywood
Hooray for Hollywood Self (archive footage) 1976
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television (archive footage) 1975
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Self (archive footage) 1975
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
The American Film Institute Salute to ... Self 1973
Dynamite Chicken
Dynamite Chicken Self (archive footage) 1971
Arizona Bushwhackers
Arizona Bushwhackers Narrator 1968
Ballad of Smokey the Bear
Ballad of Smokey the Bear Narrator (voice) 1966
The Day of the Oath
The Day of the Oath Narrator 1965
The Road to the Wall
The Road to the Wall Narrator 1962
One, Two, Three
One, Two, Three C.R. MacNamara 1961
The Mike Douglas Show
The Mike Douglas Show Self 1961
The Gallant Hours
The Gallant Hours Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey 1960
Shake Hands with the Devil
Shake Hands with the Devil Sean Lenihan 1959
Never Steal Anything Small
Never Steal Anything Small Jake MacIllaney 1959
Short Cut to Hell
Short Cut to Hell Himself (prologue) 1957
Man of a Thousand Faces
Man of a Thousand Faces Lon Chaney 1957
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
The Bob Hope Chevy Show Himself 1956
These Wilder Years
These Wilder Years Steve Bradford 1956
Tribute to a Bad Man
Tribute to a Bad Man Jeremy Rodack 1956
The Seven Little Foys
The Seven Little Foys George M. Cohan 1955
MGM Parade
MGM Parade self 1955
Mister Roberts
Mister Roberts Captain Morton 1955
Love Me or Leave Me
Love Me or Leave Me Martin Snyder 1955
Run for Cover
Run for Cover Matt Dow 1955
A Lion Is in the Streets
A Lion Is in the Streets Hank Martin 1953
The Oscars
The Oscars Self 1953
What Price Glory
What Price Glory Captain Flagg 1952
Starlift
Starlift James Cagney 1951
Come Fill the Cup
Come Fill the Cup Lew Marsh 1951
The West Point Story
The West Point Story Elwin Bixby 1950
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye Ralph Cotter 1950
What's My Line?
What's My Line? Self - Mystery Guest 1950
Robert Montgomery Presents
Robert Montgomery Presents George Bridgeman 1950
White Heat
White Heat Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett 1949
The Time of Your Life
The Time of Your Life Joseph 1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show Self 1948
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show Self (uncredited) 1948
Blow-Ups of 1947
Blow-Ups of 1947 Self 1947
13 Rue Madeleine
13 Rue Madeleine Robert Emmett 'Bob' Sharkey 1947
Okay for Sound
Okay for Sound Tommy Powers (archive footage) 1946
Blood on the Sun
Blood on the Sun Nick Condon 1945
The Voice That Thrilled the World
The Voice That Thrilled the World Self (segment 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') (archive footage) 1943
Johnny Come Lately
Johnny Come Lately Tom Richards 1943
Show-Business at War
Show-Business at War Self 1943
You, John Jones!
You, John Jones! John Jones 1943
Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle Dandy George M. Cohan 1942
Captains of the Clouds
Captains of the Clouds Brian MacLean 1942
Calling All Girls
Calling All Girls Himself (archive footage) 1942
Breakdowns of 1941
Breakdowns of 1941 Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1941
The Bride Came C.O.D.
The Bride Came C.O.D. Steve Collins 1941
The Strawberry Blonde
The Strawberry Blonde Biff Grimes 1941
Breakdowns of 1940
Breakdowns of 1940 Self 1940
City for Conquest
City for Conquest Danny Kenny 1940
Torrid Zone
Torrid Zone Nick Butler 1940
The Fighting 69th
The Fighting 69th Jerry Plunkett 1940
Breakdowns of 1939
Breakdowns of 1939 Self 1939
The Roaring Twenties
The Roaring Twenties Eddie Bartlett 1939
Each Dawn I Die
Each Dawn I Die Frank Ross 1939
Hollywood Hobbies
Hollywood Hobbies Self (uncredited) 1939
The Oklahoma Kid
The Oklahoma Kid Jim Kincaid 1939
Angels with Dirty Faces
Angels with Dirty Faces Rocky Sullivan 1938
Boy Meets Girl
Boy Meets Girl Robert Law 1938
Something to Sing About
Something to Sing About Terrence 'Terry' Rooney 1937
Breakdowns of 1936
Breakdowns of 1936 Self 1936
Great Guy
Great Guy Johnny 'Red' Cave 1936
Ceiling Zero
Ceiling Zero Dizzy Davies 1936
A Dream Comes True
A Dream Comes True Himself (uncredited) 1935
Things You Never See on the Screen
Things You Never See on the Screen Self 1935
Frisco Kid
Frisco Kid Bat Morgan 1935
Mutiny on the Bounty
Mutiny on the Bounty (uncredited) 1935
A Midsummer Night's Dream
A Midsummer Night's Dream Bottom 1935
The Irish in Us
The Irish in Us Danny O'Hara 1935
'G' Men
'G' Men ‘Brick' Davis 1935
Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8
Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8 1935
Devil Dogs of the Air
Devil Dogs of the Air Tommy O'Toole 1935
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio Himself (uncredited) 1935
The St. Louis Kid
The St. Louis Kid Eddie Kennedy 1934
The Hollywood Gad-About
The Hollywood Gad-About Self (uncredited) 1934
Here Comes the Navy
Here Comes the Navy Chesty O'Conner 1934
He Was Her Man
He Was Her Man Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen 1934
Jimmy the Gent
Jimmy the Gent Jimmy Corrigan 1934
Screen Snapshots No. 11
Screen Snapshots No. 11 Himself 1934
Lady Killer
Lady Killer Dan 1933
Footlight Parade
Footlight Parade Chester Kent 1933
The Mayor of Hell
The Mayor of Hell Richard 'Patsy' Gargan 1933
Picture Snatcher
Picture Snatcher Daniel Patrick "Danny" Kean 1933
Hard to Handle
Hard to Handle Lefty Merrill 1933
Winner Take All
Winner Take All Jim 'Jimmy' Kane 1932
The Crowd Roars
The Crowd Roars Joe Greer 1932
Taxi!
Taxi! Matt Nolan 1932
Intimate Interviews: James Cagney
Intimate Interviews: James Cagney Himself 1931
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots'
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots' Himself 1931
Blonde Crazy
Blonde Crazy Albert 'Bert' Harris 1931
Smart Money
Smart Money Jack 1931
The Millionaire
The Millionaire Schofield 1931
The Public Enemy
The Public Enemy Tom Powers 1931
Other Men's Women
Other Men's Women Ed 'Eddie' Bailey 1931
The Doorway to Hell
The Doorway to Hell Steve Mileaway 1930
Sinners' Holiday
Sinners' Holiday Harry Delano 1930
The Singing Fool
The Singing Fool Handsy Patron at Blackie Joe's (uncredited) 1928

Directing Credits (1)

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