James Caan, The Godfather ’s Sonny Corleone, Dies at 82

James Caan, the Academy Award-nominated and self-described “ultra conservative” actor best known for his roles in The Godfather, Misery, and Elf has died, according to a statement on his official Twitter account. He was 82.

“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the statement read. It did not note a cause of death.

The Bronx-born actor appeared in dozens of films — including Brian’s Song, El Dorado, and A Bridge Too Far — during his career, which began in the early 1960s. But Caan’s career-defining role came when he played Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 film The Godfather. Caan was nominated for both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the eldest Corleone brother.

Caan grew up in New York, and attended both Michigan State University and Hofstra University. It was at Hofstra that he first became interested in acting. He started his acting career in off-Broadway plays. By the mid-60s he started appearing on television and in films.

In 1969, Caan played the role of a brain-damaged football player in Coppola’s The Rain People. Three years later he broke through with his role in The Godfather. Caan continued working regularly into the 2010s. He most recently appeared in the 2019 crime drama Out of the Blue.

Politically, Caan described himself in 2016 as “an ultra conservative,” who only watches Fox News. “I’m not a G** damn Hollywood liberal, I’m not,” Caan told Fox News that year, according to an online report, adding that he didn’t think it was the role of Hollywood actors to comment regularly on politics. He supported Donald Trump for president in 2016.

Caan, who lived in Los Angeles, was married four times, and has five children.

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