James Cagney
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
The Mike Douglas Show
Self
1961
Series
What's My Line?
Self - Mystery Guest
1950
Series
Robert Montgomery Presents
George Bridgeman
1950
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self
1948
Series
The Ed Sullivan Show
Self (uncredited)
1948
Series
The Kennedy Center Honors
Self
1978
Series
MGM Parade
self
1955
Series
Legends
Martin Snyder (archive footage) (uncredited)
2006
Film
White Heat
Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett
1949
Series
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self
1973
Film
One, Two, Three
C.R. MacNamara
1961
Film
Angels with Dirty Faces
Rocky Sullivan
1938
Film
Mutiny on the Bounty
(uncredited)
1935
Film
Footlight Parade
Chester Kent
1933
Film
The Public Enemy
Tom Powers
1931
Film
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
(in "White Heat") (archive footage)
1982
Film
Yankee Doodle Dandy
George M. Cohan
1942
Film
Ragtime
New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
1981
Film
The Roaring Twenties
Eddie Bartlett
1939
Film
The Millionaire
Schofield
1931
Film
Mister Roberts
Captain Morton
1955
Film
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Bottom
1935
Film
Blonde Crazy
Albert 'Bert' Harris
1931
Film
'G' Men
‘Brick' Davis
1935
Film
Man of a Thousand Faces
Lon Chaney
1957
Film
Love Me or Leave Me
Martin Snyder
1955
Film
Vaudeville
Self (archive footage)
1997
Film
That's Entertainment, Part II
(archive footage)
1976
Film
The Gallant Hours
Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey
1960
Film
Breakdowns of 1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1941
Film
Complicated Women
Self (archive footage)
2003
Film
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Self (archive footage)
1975
Film
Terrible Joe Moran
Joe Moran
1984
Film
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
Ralph Cotter
1950
Film
Run for Cover
Matt Dow
1955
Film
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1983
Film
That's Dancing!
From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (archive footage)
1985
Film
The Oklahoma Kid
Jim Kincaid
1939
Film
Shake Hands with the Devil
Sean Lenihan
1959
Film
Night of 100 Stars
Self
1982
Film
City for Conquest
Danny Kenny
1940
Film
Tribute to a Bad Man
Jeremy Rodack
1956
Film
Jimmy the Gent
Jimmy Corrigan
1934
Film
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
Self (archive footage)
2008
Film
Each Dawn I Die
Frank Ross
1939
Film
It's Showtime
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
Lady Killer
Dan
1933
White Heat: Top of the World
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
The Bride Came C.O.D.
Steve Collins
1941
Film
Picture Snatcher
Daniel Patrick "Danny" Kean
1933
Film
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
Self (archive footage)
1985
Film
Smart Money
Jack
1931
Film
Blood on the Sun
Nick Condon
1945
Film
The Fighting 69th
Jerry Plunkett
1940
Film
Breakdowns of 1936
Self
1936
Film
The Strawberry Blonde
Biff Grimes
1941
Film
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
Self (archive footage) (voice)
2006
Film
What Price Glory
Captain Flagg
1952
Film
Torrid Zone
Nick Butler
1940
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
Becoming Marilyn
(archive footage)
2022
Film
The Mayor of Hell
Richard 'Patsy' Gargan
1933
Film
Short Cut to Hell
Himself (prologue)
1957
Film
This Is Bob Hope...
Self (archive footage)
2017
Film
Tupac: Resurrection
Self (archival)
2003
Film
James Cagney: Top of the World
Self (Archive footage)
1992
Film
Dynamite Chicken
Self (archive footage)
1971
James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy
1981
Film
Other Men's Women
Ed 'Eddie' Bailey
1931
Film
A Lion Is in the Streets
Hank Martin
1953
Film
Frisco Kid
Bat Morgan
1935
Film
Showbiz Goes to War
(archive footage)
1982
Film
Parkinson at 50
Self (archive footage)
2021
Film
Hard to Handle
Lefty Merrill
1933
Film
Warner at War
(archive footage)
2008
Film
Things You Never See on the Screen
Self
1935
Film
The Hollywood Gad-About
Self (uncredited)
1934
Film
13 Rue Madeleine
Robert Emmett 'Bob' Sharkey
1947
Film
A Dream Comes True
Himself (uncredited)
1935
Film
Ballad of Smokey the Bear
Narrator (voice)
1966
Film
Come Fill the Cup
Lew Marsh
1951
Film
Devil Dogs of the Air
Tommy O'Toole
1935
Film
These Wilder Years
Steve Bradford
1956
Film
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
Self (archive footage)
2009
Film
Going Hollywood: The '30s
(archive footage)
1984
Film
Breakdowns of 1939
Self
1939
Film
He Was Her Man
Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen
1934
Film
Here Comes the Navy
Chesty O'Conner
1934
Film
I Don't Even Like Apple Pie...
Self (Archive Footage)
1989
Film
Taxi!
Matt Nolan
1932
Film
Doris Day: It's Magic
Self
1998
Film
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Self
1979
Film
Never Steal Anything Small
Jake MacIllaney
1959
Film
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
Self (archive footage)
2008
Film
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1988
Film
Great Guy
Johnny 'Red' Cave
1936
Film
The Doorway to Hell
Steve Mileaway
1930
Film
Something to Sing About
Terry Rooney
1937
Film
Hooray for Hollywood
Self (archive footage)
1976
Film
Okay for Sound
Tommy Powers (archive footage)
1946
Film
Arizona Bushwhackers
Narrator
1968
Film
The Time of Your Life
Joseph
1948
Film
Ceiling Zero
Dizzy Davies
1936
Film
Captains of the Clouds
Brian MacLean
1942
Film
Show-Business at War
Self
1943
Film
Starlift
James Cagney
1951
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
(archive footage)
1975
Film
The West Point Story
Elwin Bixby
1950
Film
Hollywood Hobbies
Self (uncredited)
1939
Film
Boy Meets Girl
Robert Law
1938
Film
You, John Jones!
John Jones
1943
Film
The Seven Little Foys
George M. Cohan
1955
Film
Bogart: The Untold Story
Self (archive footage)
1997
Film
The Voice That Thrilled the World
Self (segment 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') (archive footage)
1943
Film
Winner Take All
Jim 'Jimmy' Kane
1932
Film
The St. Louis Kid
Eddie Kennedy
1934
Film
The Irish in Us
Danny O'Hara
1935
Film
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
Himself (uncredited)
1935
Film
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots'
Himself
1931
Film
The Crowd Roars
Joe Greer
1932
Film
Breakdowns of 1940
Self
1940
Film
Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
Sinners' Holiday
Harry Delano
1930
Film
Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
Self (archive footage)
2005
Film
Remembering Ragtime
NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo (archive footage)
2004
Film
Showbiz Ballyhoo
Self (archive footage)
1982
Film
Blow-Ups of 1947
Self
1947
Intimate Interviews: James Cagney
Himself
1931
Film
The Singing Fool
Handsy Patron at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)
1928
Film
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
Himself
1956
Film
Johnny Come Lately
Tom Richards
1943
Film
The Road to the Wall
Narrator
1962
Film
Screen Snapshots No. 11
Himself
1934
Film
Movie Tough Guys
Self (archive footage)
1991
Film
The Day of the Oath
Narrator
1965
Calling All Girls
Himself (archive footage)
1942
Film
Routine Pleasures
Ed "Eddie" Bailey (archive footage)
1986
Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8
1935