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James Cagney

James Cagney

Known For Acting
Birthday Jul 17, 1899
Died Mar 30, 1986 (86)
Birthplace New York City, New York, USA
Popularity 0.7 (history)
Updated May 21, 2025 (Update)
Entry Date Apr 13, 2024
Links TMDb IMDb
Biography

​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article James Cagney, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Known For

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Filmography

Remembering Ragtime

Remembering Ragtime

2004

as NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo (archive footage)

Los Angeles Plays Itself

Los Angeles Plays Itself

2004

as Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (archive footage)

That's Dancing!

That's Dancing!

1985

as From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (archive footage)

Terrible Joe Moran

Terrible Joe Moran

1984

as Joe Moran

Going Hollywood: The '30s

Going Hollywood: The '30s

1984

as (archive footage)

Showbiz Goes to War

Showbiz Goes to War

1982

as (archive footage)

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid

1982

as (in "White Heat") (archive footage)

Ragtime

Ragtime

1981

as New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo

That's Entertainment, Part II

That's Entertainment, Part II

1976

as (archive footage)

Arizona Bushwhackers

Arizona Bushwhackers

1968

as Narrator

The Ballad of Smokey the Bear

The Ballad of Smokey the Bear

1966

as Narrator (voice)

The Road to the Wall

The Road to the Wall

1962

as Narrator

One, Two, Three

One, Two, Three

1961

as C.R. MacNamara

The Gallant Hours

The Gallant Hours

1960

as Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey

Shake Hands with the Devil

Shake Hands with the Devil

1959

as Sean Lenihan

Never Steal Anything Small

Never Steal Anything Small

1959

as Jake MacIllaney

Man of a Thousand Faces

Man of a Thousand Faces

1957

as Lon Chaney

Tribute to a Bad Man

Tribute to a Bad Man

1956

as Jeremy Rodack

These Wilder Years

These Wilder Years

1956

as Steve Bradford

Run for Cover

Run for Cover

1955

as Matt Dow

Mister Roberts

Mister Roberts

1955

as Captain Morton

Love Me or Leave Me

Love Me or Leave Me

1955

as Martin Snyder

The Seven Little Foys

The Seven Little Foys

1955

as George M. Cohan

A Lion Is in the Streets

A Lion Is in the Streets

1953

as Hank Martin

What Price Glory

What Price Glory

1952

as Captain Flagg

Come Fill the Cup

Come Fill the Cup

1951

as Lew Marsh

Starlift

Starlift

1951

as James Cagney

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye

1950

as Ralph Cotter

The West Point Story

The West Point Story

1950

as Elwin Bixby

White Heat

White Heat

1949

as Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett

The Time of Your Life

The Time of Your Life

1948

as Joseph

13 Rue Madeleine

13 Rue Madeleine

1947

as Robert Emmett 'Bob' Sharkey

Okay for Sound

Okay for Sound

1946

as Tommy Powers (archive footage)

Blood on the Sun

Blood on the Sun

1945

as Nick Condon

Johnny Come Lately

Johnny Come Lately

1943

as Tom Richards

You, John Jones!

You, John Jones!

1943

as John Jones

Yankee Doodle Dandy

Yankee Doodle Dandy

1942

as George M. Cohan

Captains of the Clouds

Captains of the Clouds

1942

as Brian MacLean (bush pilot)

The Strawberry Blonde

The Strawberry Blonde

1941

as Biff Grimes

The Bride Came C.O.D.

The Bride Came C.O.D.

1941

as Steve Collins

Torrid Zone

Torrid Zone

1940

as Nick Butler

The Fighting 69th

The Fighting 69th

1940

as Jerry Plunkett

City for Conquest

City for Conquest

1940

as Danny Kenny

The Roaring Twenties

The Roaring Twenties

1939

as Eddie Bartlett

The Oklahoma Kid

The Oklahoma Kid

1939

as Jim Kincaid

Each Dawn I Die

Each Dawn I Die

1939

as Frank Ross

Angels with Dirty Faces

Angels with Dirty Faces

1938

as Rocky Sullivan

Boy Meets Girl

Boy Meets Girl

1938

as Robert Law

Something to Sing About

Something to Sing About

1937

as Terrence 'Terry' Rooney

Great Guy

Great Guy

1936

as Johnny 'Red' Cave

Ceiling Zero

Ceiling Zero

1936

as Dizzy Davies

'G' Men

'G' Men

1935

as ‘Brick' Davis

Frisco Kid

Frisco Kid

1935

as Bat Morgan

Devil Dogs of the Air

Devil Dogs of the Air

1935

as Tommy O'Toole

The Irish in Us

The Irish in Us

1935

as Danny O'Hara

A Midsummer Night's Dream

A Midsummer Night's Dream

1935

as Bottom

Mutiny on the Bounty

Mutiny on the Bounty

1935

as (uncredited)

Jimmy the Gent

Jimmy the Gent

1934

as Jimmy Corrigan

Here Comes the Navy

Here Comes the Navy

1934

as Chesty O'Conner

He Was Her Man

He Was Her Man

1934

as Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen

The St. Louis Kid

The St. Louis Kid

1934

as Eddie Kennedy

The Mayor of Hell

The Mayor of Hell

1933

as Richard 'Patsy' Gargan

Lady Killer

Lady Killer

1933

as Dan Quigley

Hard to Handle

Hard to Handle

1933

as Lefty Merrill

Footlight Parade

Footlight Parade

1933

as Chester Kent

Picture Snatcher

Picture Snatcher

1933

as Daniel Patrick "Danny" Kean

The Crowd Roars

The Crowd Roars

1932

as Joe Greer

Winner Take All

Winner Take All

1932

as Jim 'Jimmy' Kane

Blonde Crazy

Blonde Crazy

1931

as Albert 'Bert' Harris

Taxi!

Taxi!

1931

as Matt Nolan

The Public Enemy

The Public Enemy

1931

as Tom Powers

Smart Money

Smart Money

1931

as Jack

Other Men's Women

Other Men's Women

1931

as Ed 'Eddie' Bailey

The Millionaire

The Millionaire

1931

as Schofield

Sinners' Holiday

Sinners' Holiday

1930

as Harry Delano

The Doorway to Hell

The Doorway to Hell

1930

as Steve Mileaway

The Singing Fool

The Singing Fool

1928

as Handsy Patron at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)

No data available

Short Cut to Hell

Short Cut to Hell

1957

Director

The Gallant Hours

The Gallant Hours

1960

Producer

Organization Category Movie
Academy Awards Best Actor Fury Won
Academy Awards Best Actor White Heat Nominated
Academy Awards Best Actor The Diary of Anne Frank Nominated
Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor Ragtime Nominated
Academy Awards Best Actor Yankee Doodle Dandy Nominated
Television Credits

Robert Montgomery Presents

as George Bridgeman

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jan 30, 1950

Legends

as Martin Snyder (archive footage) (uncredited)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Nov 17, 2006

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self

Episodes: 3

First Aired: Jun 20, 1948

The Oscars

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Mar 19, 1953

The Mike Douglas Show

as Self

Episodes: 2

First Aired: Dec 11, 1961

The Kennedy Center Honors

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Dec 28, 1978

The American Film Institute Salute to ...

as Self

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Apr 02, 1973

The Ed Sullivan Show

as Self (uncredited)

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Jun 20, 1948

What's My Line?

as Self - Mystery Guest

Episodes: 1

First Aired: Feb 02, 1950

Popularity Metrics

Popularity History


Year Month Avg Max Min
2024 5 14 17 12
2024 6 11 17 7
2024 7 17 37 5
2024 8 13 26 6
2024 9 9 17 4
2024 10 6 10 3
2024 11 5 8 2
2024 12 5 9 3
2025 1 10 19 4
2025 2 5 9 1
2025 3 5 12 1
2025 5 2 3 1
2025 6 1 2 0
2025 7 1 1 0
2025 8 0 1 0

Trending Rank


Year Month Avg Rank Max Rank
2024 5 643 640
2024 6 588 205
2024 7 378 354
2025 1 829 603
2025 2 901 860
2025 7 602 271

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