James Cagney

James Cagney

American actor and dancer (1899–1986)
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James Cagney
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James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances. He is remembered for playing multifaceted tough guys in films such as The Public Enemy (1931), Taxi! (1932), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), The Roaring Twenties (1939), City for Conquest (1940) and White Heat (1949), finding himself typecast or limited by this reputation earlier in his career. He was able to negotiate dancing opportunities in his films and ended up winning the Academy Award for his role in the musical Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked him eighth among its list of greatest male stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Orson Welles described Cagney as "maybe the greatest actor who ever appeared in front of a camera".

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James Cagney was born on Monday, 17 July 1899 in Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA. His full name at birth was James Francis Cagney Jr.. He was best known as an actor. Cagney's country of citizenship (nationality) was American. He died on Sunday, 30 March 1986 in Stanford, New York, USA at the age of 86. He is buried at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York, USA. James attended high school at Stuyvesant High School, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States (1918). For university, he studied at Columbia College. His religion is listed as Roman Catholic. He was 5' 4¾" (164 cm) tall and weighed 150 lbs (68 kg) with an average build. He had blue eyes and red hair (color). His net worth was reported to be $20,000,000 US dollars. His zodiac star sign was Cancer.

You can find people similar to James Cagney by visiting our lists Members of The Lambs Club and Male actors of Irish descent.

Full name at birth
James Francis Cagney Jr.
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Claim to fame
his roles as Matt Doyle in the 1931 all-talking pre-Code gangster film The Public Enemy, George M. Cohan in the 1942 biographical musical film Yankee Doodle Dandy, and Cody Jarrett in the 1949 film noir White Heat
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Date of birth
17 July 1899
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Place of birth
Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
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Date of death
30 March 1986
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Age
86 (age at death)
Place of death
Stanford, New York, USA
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Cause of death
Heart Attack
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Resting place
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York, USA
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Occupation
Actor, Dancer, Producer
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Occupation category
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Nationality
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PERSONAL DETAILS

Height
5' 4¾" (164 cm)
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Weight
150 lbs (68 kg)
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Build
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Hair color
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Eye color
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Gender
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Ethnicity
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Sexuality
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Religion
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Zodiac sign
Distinctive feature
  • His red hair
  • A thick New York accent
  • Short stature
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ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Net worth
$20,000,000 USD
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High school
Stuyvesant High School, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States (1918)
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University
Columbia College
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You know, the period of World War I and the Roaring Twenties were really just about the same as today. You worked, and you made a living if you could, and you tired to make the best of things. For an actor or a dancer, it was no different then than today. It was a struggle.
  • On February 8, 1960, James Cagney received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
  • His best friends were Pat O’Brien and Frank McHugh and they were collectively and lovingly known as the “Irish Mafia”.
  • James Cagney portrayed the character of George M. Cohan in the 1942 biographical musical film Yankee Doodle Dandy and this role won him the Academy Award as well as the New York Film Critics Circle Award for “Best Actor”.
  • He had one older and 5 younger siblings, 2 of whom died as infants.
  • Cagney was of Irish-Norwegian origin.

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