James Cagney
Biography
James Cagney was an American actor and dancer born in Manhattan in 1899, who died in 1986. He started in vaudeville as a dancer and comedian, made his debut in 1919, and took his first major acting role in 1925. After Al Jolson bought the rights to Penny Arcade to secure Cagney's part in the Warner Bros. adaptation, he signed with the studio. His fifth film, The Public Enemy (1931), was a landmark gangster movie that made him a leading star. He was known for multifaceted tough guys in films such as Taxi! (1932), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), The Roaring Twenties (1939), City for Conquest (1940), and White Heat (1949). He earned an Academy Award nomination for Angels with Dirty Faces and won for Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). He retired in 1961, but returned for Ragtime (1981).
86years old at death
- Born Manhattan
- Died Stanford
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- James Francis Cagney (birth name)Also credited as Jimmy Cagney and James Francis Cagney, Jr.
Movie Career
- Films
- 48
- Career span
- 74 years1930 to 2004
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First role
In 1919, while working at Wanamaker's Department Store, Cagney learned from a colleague about a part in Every Sailor, a wartime play whose chorus consisted of servicemen in women's clothing. He tried out for the chorus even though he knew just one step, the Peabody.
Own stunts
For Blood on the Sun, Cagney did his own stunts and trained in judo with expert Ken Kuniyuki and Jack Halloran, a former policeman. His real judo throws and holds in the movie are noted as Western film's first eastern martial arts.
James Cagney movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Michael Curtiz directed five of these films, Raoul Walsh four and William Keighley four. Frank McHugh appears in eight of them, more than any other actor. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Frank McHugh's page
Ward Bond's page
Humphrey Bogart's page
Joan Blondell's page
George Tobias's page
Robert Barrat's page
Michael CurtizDirector, 5 films, 1933 to 1942
All films by Michael Curtiz
All films by Raoul Walsh
William KeighleyDirector, 4 films, 1935 to 1941
All films by William Keighley
Also four films together4 more actors
- Guy KibbeeFootlight Parade (1933), Taxi! (1932), The Crowd Roars (1932) and Blonde Crazy (1931)
- Pat O'BrienRagtime (1981), The Fighting 69th (1940), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) and Here Comes the Navy (1934)
- Jeanne CagneyMan of a Thousand Faces (1957), A Lion Is in the Streets (1953), The Time of Your Life (1948) and Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
- Edward PawleyEach Dawn I Die (1939), The Oklahoma Kid (1939), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) and 'G' Men (1935)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What James Cagney's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$68.8 million
11 of the 48 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 48 films: 11 worldwide figure; 8 us gross only; 29 figure not found.
- 11Worldwide figure
- 8US gross only
- 29Figure not found
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 96% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$25M36.3% of the total
- 2$18M26.4% of the total
- 3$7.8M11.3% of the total
- 4$4.0M5.8% of the total
- 5$3.5M5.1% of the total
- 6$3.4M5.0% of the total
- 7$2.4M3.5% of the total
- 8$1.7M2.5% of the total
$2.8 millionfrom the other 3 films with a worldwide figure, 4% of the total
Awards
Six awards and honors from 1943 to 1984, two of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academy Awards | |||
| 1943 | Best Actor | Yankee Doodle Dandy | Won |
| SAG Awards | |||
| Life Achievement Award | Won | ||
| Other honors | |||
| 1984 | Presidential Medal of Freedom | Won | |
| 1974 | AFI Life Achievement Award | Won | |
| Kennedy Center Honors | Won | ||
| Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame | Honored | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.