James Cagney
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
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.
Description above from the Wikipedia article James Cagney, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Acted in
Sly
2023
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Parkinson at 50
2021
as Self (archive footage)
This Is Bob Hope...
2017
as Self (archive footage)
And the Oscar Goes To...
2014
as Self (archive footage)
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
as Self (archive footage)
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
2008
as Self (archive footage)
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008
as Self (archive footage)
Legends
2006
as Martin Snyder (archive footage) (uncredited)
Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
2005
as Self (archive footage)
White Heat: Top of the World
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
2005
as Self (archive footage)
Remembering Ragtime
2004
as NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo (archive footage)
Los Angeles Plays Itself
2004
as Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage)
Complicated Women
2003
as Self (archive footage)
The Kid Stays in the Picture
2002
as Self (archive footage)
Doris Day: It's Magic
1998
as Self
Bogart: The Untold Story
1997
as Self (archive footage)
Harlow: The Blonde Bombshell
1993
as Self (archive footage)
James Cagney: Top of the World
1992
as Self (Archive footage)
Movie Tough Guys
1991
as Self (archive footage)
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
as Self (archive footage)
That's Dancing!
1985
as From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (archive footage)
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
as Self (archive footage)
Terrible Joe Moran
1984
as Joe Moran
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984
as (archive footage)
Zelig
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
Showbiz Goes to War
1982
as (archive footage)
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982
as (in "White Heat") (archive footage)
Night of 100 Stars
1982
as Self
James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy
1981
Ragtime
1981
as New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979
as Self
The Kennedy Center Honors
1978
as Self
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976
as (archive footage)
It's Showtime
1976
as Self (archive footage)
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
as Self (archive footage)
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
1973
as Self
Arizona Bushwhackers
1968
as Narrator
Ballad of Smokey the Bear
1966
as Narrator (voice)
Hollywood and the Stars
1964
as (archive footage)
The Road to the Wall
1962
as Narrator
One, Two, Three
1961
as C.R. MacNamara
The Gallant Hours
1960
as Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey
Shake Hands with the Devil
1959
as Sean Lenihan
Never Steal Anything Small
1959
as Jake MacIllaney
Short Cut to Hell
1957
as Himself (prologue)
Man of a Thousand Faces
1957
as Lon Chaney
These Wilder Years
1956
as Steve Bradford
Tribute to a Bad Man
1956
as Jeremy Rodack
The Seven Little Foys
1955
as George M. Cohan
Mister Roberts
1955
as The Captain
Love Me or Leave Me
1955
as Martin Snyder
Run for Cover
1955
as Matt Dow
A Lion Is in the Streets
1953
as Hank Martin
The Oscars
1953
as Self
What Price Glory
1952
as Captain Flagg
Starlift
1951
as James Cagney
Come Fill the Cup
1951
as Lew Marsh
The West Point Story
1950
as Elwin Bixby
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950
as Ralph Cotter
What's My Line?
1950
as Self - Mystery Guest
Robert Montgomery Presents
1950
as George Bridgeman
White Heat
1949
as Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett
The Time of Your Life
1948
as Joseph
Blow-Ups of 1947
1947
as Self
13 Rue Madeleine
1947
as Robert Emmett 'Bob' Sharkey
Okay for Sound
1946
as Tommy Powers (archive footage)
Blood on the Sun
1945
as Nick Condon
The Voice That Thrilled the World
1943
as Self (segment 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') (archive footage)
Johnny Come Lately
1943
as Tom Richards
Show-Business at War
1943
as Self
You, John Jones!
1943
as John Jones
Yankee Doodle Dandy
1942
as George M. Cohan
Captains of the Clouds
1942
as Brian MacLean (bush pilot)
Calling All Girls
1942
as Himself (archive footage)
Breakdowns of 1941
1941
as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
The Bride Came C.O.D.
1941
as Steve Collins
The Strawberry Blonde
1941
as Biff Grimes
Breakdowns of 1940
1940
as Self
City for Conquest
1940
as Danny Kenny
Torrid Zone
1940
as Nick Butler
The Fighting 69th
1940
as Jerry Plunkett
Breakdowns of 1939
1939
as Self
The Roaring Twenties
1939
as Eddie Bartlett
Each Dawn I Die
1939
as Frank Ross
Hollywood Hobbies
1939
as Himself (uncredited)
The Oklahoma Kid
1939
as Jim Kincaid
Angels with Dirty Faces
1938
as Rocky Sullivan
Boy Meets Girl
1938
as Robert Law
Something to Sing About
1937
as Terrence 'Terry' Rooney
Breakdowns of 1936
1936
as Self
Great Guy
1936
as Johnny 'Red' Cave
Ceiling Zero
1936
as Dizzy Davies
A Dream Comes True
1935
as Himself (uncredited)
Things You Never See on the Screen
1935
as Self
Frisco Kid
1935
as Bat Morgan
Mutiny on the Bounty
1935
as (uncredited)
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935
as Bottom
The Irish in Us
1935
as Danny O'Hara
'G' Men
1935
as ‘Brick' Davis
Devil Dogs of the Air
1935
as Tommy O'Toole
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1935
as Himself (uncredited)
The St. Louis Kid
1934
as Eddie Kennedy
The Hollywood Gad-About
1934
as Self (uncredited)
Here Comes the Navy
1934
as Chesty O'Conner
He Was Her Man
1934
as Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen
Jimmy the Gent
1934
as Jimmy Corrigan
Screen Snapshots No. 11
1934
as Himself
Lady Killer
1933
as Dan Quigley
Footlight Parade
1933
as Chester Kent
The Mayor of Hell
1933
as Richard 'Patsy' Gargan
Picture Snatcher
1933
as Daniel Patrick "Danny" Kean
Hard to Handle
1933
as Lefty Merrill
Winner Take All
1932
as Jim 'Jimmy' Kane
The Crowd Roars
1932
as Joe Greer
Taxi!
1931
as Matt Nolan
Intimate Interviews: James Cagney
1931
as Himself
Blonde Crazy
1931
as Albert 'Bert' Harris
Smart Money
1931
as Jack
The Millionaire
1931
as Schofield
The Public Enemy
1931
as Tom Powers
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots'
1931
as Himself
Other Men's Women
1931
as Ed 'Eddie' Bailey
The Doorway to Hell
1930
as Steve Mileaway
Sinners' Holiday
1930
as Harry Delano
The Singing Fool
1928
as Handsy Patron at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)