
James Cagney
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.
Acting (118 movies)

One, Two, Three
1961

Movie Tough Guys
1991

Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985

Yankee Doodle Dandy
1942

Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
2005

Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
2005

White Heat: Top of the World
2005

City for Conquest
1940

Other Men's Women
1931

Ragtime
1981

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982

The Seven Little Foys
1955

Captains of the Clouds
1942

The Doorway to Hell
1930

'G' Men
1935

Angels with Dirty Faces
1938

Footlight Parade
1933

Love Me or Leave Me
1955

Each Dawn I Die
1939

Mutiny on the Bounty
1935

The Bride Came C.O.D.
1941

Blonde Crazy
1931

Man of a Thousand Faces
1957

Lady Killer
1933

The Roaring Twenties
1939

Mister Roberts
1955

White Heat
1949

These Wilder Years
1956

Great Guy
1936

Smart Money
1931

The Public Enemy
1931

Picture Snatcher
1933

The Oklahoma Kid
1939

13 Rue Madeleine
1947

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950

A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935

Short Cut to Hell
1957

Breakdowns of 1941
1941

Showbiz Goes to War
1982

Los Angeles Plays Itself
2004

Jimmy the Gent
1934

The West Point Story
1950

Taxi!
1931

Winner Take All
1932

Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983

What Price Glory
1952

The Fighting 69th
1940

Tribute to a Bad Man
1956

Here Comes the Navy
1934

Ceiling Zero
1936

Blood on the Sun
1945

Something to Sing About
1937

The Strawberry Blonde
1941

The Time of Your Life
1948

Torrid Zone
1940

Run for Cover
1955

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975

The Mayor of Hell
1933

The Gallant Hours
1960

The Crowd Roars
1932

A Lion Is in the Streets
1953

Come Fill the Cup
1951

Boy Meets Girl
1938

Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988

Johnny Come Lately
1943

Doris Day: It's Magic
1998

Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
2008

Frisco Kid
1935

Hard to Handle
1933

Remembering Ragtime
2004

Sinners' Holiday
1930

Parkinson at 50
2021

Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979

He Was Her Man
1934

Starlift
1951

The St. Louis Kid
1934

The Irish in Us
1935

The Millionaire
1931

You, John Jones!
1943

Never Steal Anything Small
1959

The Road to the Wall
1962

Hollywood Hobbies
1939

Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984

Shake Hands with the Devil
1959

The Singing Fool
1928

Devil Dogs of the Air
1935

Terrible Joe Moran
1984

James Cagney: Top of the World
1992

Breakdowns of 1936
1936

How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots'
1931

Blow-Ups of 1947
1947

You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008

A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1935

Ballad of Smokey the Bear
1966

The Hollywood Gad-About
1934

Things You Never See on the Screen
1935

A Dream Comes True
1935

Breakdowns of 1940
1940

Breakdowns of 1939
1939

Show-Business at War
1943
Directing (1 movie)
| Title | Year | Job |
|---|---|---|
| The Gallant Hours | 1960 | Producer |