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 |