James Cagney
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.
Known for
Acting139
movieBecoming Marilyn
2022
(archive footage)
movieParkinson at 50
2021
Self (archive footage)
movieThis Is Bob Hope...
2017
Self (archive footage)
movie1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieHollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009
Self (archive footage)
movieWarner at War
2008
(archive footage)
moviePublic Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
2008
Self (archive footage)
movieYou Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008
Self (archive footage)
tvLegends
2006
Martin Snyder (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieStardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006
Self (archive footage) (voice)
movieAngels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
2005
Self (archive footage)
movieBeer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
2005
Self (archive footage)
White Heat: Top of the World
2005
Self (archive footage)
movieRemembering Ragtime
2004
NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo (archive footage)
movieTupac: Resurrection
2003
Self (archival)
movieComplicated Women
2003
Self (archive footage)
movieVaudeville
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieBogart: The Untold Story
1997
Self (archive footage)
movieJames Cagney: Top of the World
1992
Self (Archive footage)
movieMovie Tough Guys
1991
Self (archive footage)
movieI Don't Even Like Apple Pie...
1989
Self (Archive Footage)
movieHappy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieRoutine Pleasures
1986
Ed "Eddie" Bailey (archive footage)
movieThat's Dancing!
1985
From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (archive footage)
movieHollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985
Self (archive footage)
movieTerrible Joe Moran
1984
Joe Moran
movieGoing Hollywood: The '30s
1984
(archive footage)
movieHollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieShowbiz Goes to War
1982
(archive footage)
movieDead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982
(in "White Heat") (archive footage)
movieShowbiz Ballyhoo
1982
Self (archive footage)
movieRagtime
1981
New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976
Self (archive footage)
movieThat's Entertainment, Part II
1976
(archive footage)
movieIt's Showtime
1976
Self (archive footage)
movieHooray for Hollywood
1976
Self (archive footage)
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
1975
(archive footage)
movieBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975
Self (archive footage)
movieDynamite Chicken
1971
Self (archive footage)
movieArizona Bushwhackers
1968
Narrator
movieBallad of Smokey the Bear
1966
Narrator (voice)
movieThe Day of the Oath
1965
Narrator
movieThe Road to the Wall
1962
Narrator
movieOne, Two, Three
1961
C.R. MacNamara
movieThe Gallant Hours
1960
Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey
movieShake Hands with the Devil
1959
Sean Lenihan
movieNever Steal Anything Small
1959
Jake MacIllaney
movieShort Cut to Hell
1957
Himself (prologue)
movieMan of a Thousand Faces
1957
Lon Chaney
movieThese Wilder Years
1956
Steve Bradford
movieTribute to a Bad Man
1956
Jeremy Rodack
movieThe Seven Little Foys
1955
George M. Cohan
tvMGM Parade
1955
self
movieMister Roberts
1955
Captain Morton
movieLove Me or Leave Me
1955
Martin Snyder
movieRun for Cover
1955
Matt Dow
movieA Lion Is in the Streets
1953
Hank Martin
tvThe Oscars
1953
Self
movieWhat Price Glory
1952
Captain Flagg
movieStarlift
1951
James Cagney
movieCome Fill the Cup
1951
Lew Marsh
movieThe West Point Story
1950
Elwin Bixby
movieKiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950
Ralph Cotter
tvWhat's My Line?
1950
Self - Mystery Guest
tvRobert Montgomery Presents
1950
George Bridgeman
movieWhite Heat
1949
Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett
tvThe Ed Sullivan Show
1948
Self / Self (uncredited)
movie13 Rue Madeleine
1947
Robert Emmett 'Bob' Sharkey
movieOkay for Sound
1946
Tommy Powers (archive footage)
movieBlood on the Sun
1945
Nick Condon
movieThe Voice That Thrilled the World
1943
Self (segment 'Yankee Doodle Dandy') (archive footage)
movieJohnny Come Lately
1943
Tom Richards
movieYou, John Jones!
1943
John Jones
movieYankee Doodle Dandy
1942
George M. Cohan
movieCaptains of the Clouds
1942
Brian MacLean
Calling All Girls
1942
Himself (archive footage)
movieBreakdowns of 1941
1941
Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
movieThe Bride Came C.O.D.
1941
Steve Collins
movieThe Strawberry Blonde
1941
Biff Grimes
movieCity for Conquest
1940
Danny Kenny
movieTorrid Zone
1940
Nick Butler
movieThe Fighting 69th
1940
Jerry Plunkett
movieThe Roaring Twenties
1939
Eddie Bartlett
movieEach Dawn I Die
1939
Frank Ross
movieHollywood Hobbies
1939
Self (uncredited)
movieThe Oklahoma Kid
1939
Jim Kincaid
movieAngels with Dirty Faces
1938
Rocky Sullivan
movieBoy Meets Girl
1938
Robert Law
movieSomething to Sing About
1937
Terry Rooney
movieGreat Guy
1936
Johnny 'Red' Cave
movieCeiling Zero
1936
Dizzy Davies
movieA Dream Comes True
1935
Himself (uncredited)
movieFrisco Kid
1935
Bat Morgan
movieMutiny on the Bounty
1935
(uncredited)
movieThe Irish in Us
1935
Danny O'Hara
movie'G' Men
1935
‘Brick' Davis
movieDevil Dogs of the Air
1935
Tommy O'Toole
movieA Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1935
Himself (uncredited)
movieThe St. Louis Kid
1934
Eddie Kennedy
movieThe Hollywood Gad-About
1934
Self (uncredited)
movieHere Comes the Navy
1934
Chesty O'Conner
movieHe Was Her Man
1934
Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen
movieJimmy the Gent
1934
Jimmy Corrigan
movieFootlight Parade
1933
Chester Kent
movieThe Mayor of Hell
1933
Richard 'Patsy' Gargan
moviePicture Snatcher
1933
Daniel Patrick "Danny" Kean
movieHard to Handle
1933
Lefty Merrill
movieWinner Take All
1932
Jim 'Jimmy' Kane
movieThe Crowd Roars
1932
Joe Greer
movieTaxi!
1932
Matt Nolan
movieBlonde Crazy
1931
Albert 'Bert' Harris
movieThe Millionaire
1931
Schofield
movieThe Public Enemy
1931
Tom Powers
movieOther Men's Women
1931
Ed 'Eddie' Bailey
movieThe Doorway to Hell
1930
Steve Mileaway
movieSinners' Holiday
1930
Harry Delano
movieThe Singing Fool
1928
Handsy Patron at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)
Directing1
movieShort Cut to Hell
1957
Director
Production1
movieThe Gallant Hours
1960
Producer