(WFLA) — Actor James Caan, famous for his roles in The Godfather, Misery, El Dorado, Elf and others, died Wednesday, according to a tweet from family members.
“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6,” the tweet read. “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
No cause of death was immediately announced.
According to his IMDB biography, Caan was born in 1940 in the Bronx to two Jewish immigrants from Germany. His big-screen debut came when he played a sailor in the 1963 film Irma la Douce.
After several strong performances under his belt, he was cast by Francis Ford Coppola as the hot-headed gangster Santino “Sonny” Corleone in the 1972 mafia film The Godfather and its sequel, The Godfather: Part II.
