James Cagney
Photo: Warner Bros. Studio (work for hire) / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
Birth Date
July 17, 1899
Died
March 30, 1986
Nationality
United States
Sun Sign
Cancer
Natural hair color
Red
Eye color
Brown
Height
5 ft 5 in | 165 cm
Weight
51 kg | 112 pounds
Shoe size
Not available
Early acting career First movie Breakthrough
James Francis Cagney Jr. was born in Lower East Side, New York, United States, on July 17, 1899, was an American actor.
Young James Cagney first started performing as a comedian and vaudeville dancer.
He began his professional acting career as a dancer in chorus line of revue "Every Sailor" in 1919.
He landed his big break with a play " Penny Arcade" in 1929.
He made his big screen debut in crime drama movie Sinners' Holiday (1930) in role as Harry Delano.
Cagney's breakthrough role came as Tom Powers in pre-Code drama crime movie The Public Enemy (1931) opposite Jean Harlow.
Best Movies
He was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Actor for his performances in movies:
Me or Leave Me (1955) biographical romantic musical drama in role as Martin Snyder
Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) drama crime in role as William "Rocky" Sullivan
He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as George M. Cohan in biographical musical film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942).
White Heat (1949) drama crime with Virginia Mayo and Edmond O'Brien
Mister Roberts (1955) comedy drama opposite Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon and William Powell
The Roaring Twenties (1939) crime thriller with Humphrey Bogart, Priscilla Lane and Gladys George
Ragtime (1981) drama opposite Elizabeth McGovern and Mary Steenburgen
One Two Three (1961) comedy with Pamela Tiffin and Horst Buchholz
Footlight Parade (1933) pre-Code musical with Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Busby Berkeley
A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935) romance fantasy opposite Olivia de Havilland and Mickey Rooney
The Strawberry Blonde (1941) romantic comedy with Rita Hayworth and Olivia de Havilland
Taxi! (1932) pre-Code gangster opposite Loretta Young
Facts
Graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City (1918).
Attended Columbia College.
He was the second of seven children.
He started tap dancing as a boy.
He is best known for playing gangsters in films.
He received the Academy Lifetime Achievement award in 1974.
Orson Welles and Stanley Kubrick considered him to be one of best actors of all time.
He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard in 1960.
Received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1980.
Was best friends with actors Pat O'Brien and Frank McHugh.
He holds a Black Belt in Judo.
James died on March 30, 1986, Stanfordville, New York, U.S., at the age of 86.
Spouse
He was married to Frances Willard "Billie" Vernon (1922–1986), they had two adopted children.