James Cagney Quick Info Height 5 ft 4¾ in Weight 66 kg Date of Birth July 17, 1899 Zodiac Sign Cancer Date of Death March 30, 1986
James Cagney was an American actor, dancer, and film director who was ranked #8 on the American Film Institute’s list of greatest male stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood in 1999. He appeared in movies like Love Me or Leave Me, The Gallant Hours, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Smart Money, The Roaring Twenties, White Heat, The Millionaire, The Crowd Roars, Winner Take All, Taxi!, Lady Killer, The Mayor of Hell, Hard to Handle, Here Comes the Navy, The St. Louis Kid, He Was Her Man, Jimmy the Gent, The Irish in Us, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Devil Dogs of the Air, Ceiling Zero, Great Guy, Angels with Dirty Faces, Boy Meets Girl, The Strawberry Blonde, The Time of Your Life, A Lion Is in the Streets, What Price Glory?, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye, Man of a Thousand Faces, Tribute to a Bad Man, Ragtime, and One, Two, Three. Filmmaker Orson Welles described James Cagney as “maybe the greatest actor who ever appeared in front of a camera”.
Born Name
James Francis Cagney Jr.
Nick Names
The Professional Againster, Jimmy Cagney
Age
He was born on July 17, 1899.
Died
On March 30, 1986, James Cagney died of a heart attack at his Dutchess County farm in Stanford, New York, United States. He was 86 years old at that time.
Resting Place
Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York, United States
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Lower East Side, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States
Nationality
Education
In 1918, James Cagney graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and then enrolled at Columbia College. He had planned to major in art but dropped out after one semester as he returned home upon the death of his father during the 1918 flu pandemic.
Occupation
Actor, Filmmaker, Dancer, Singer
Family
- Father – James Francis Cagney
- Mother – Carolyn Elizabeth (Nelson)
- Siblings – William Cagney (Younger Brother) (Film Producer, Actor), Jeanne Cagney (Younger Sister) (Actor, Theatre Artist), Edward Cagney (Brother), Harry Cagney (Brother). James had 2 more siblings.
- Others – Wiliam Cagney (Paternal Grandfather), Mary Ann Sullivan (Paternal Grandmother), Henry Nelson (Maternal Grandfather), Mary Flynn (Maternal Grandmother), James III (Grandson), Cindy (Granddaughter), Jill (Nephew), Stephen (Nephew), William Jr. (Nephew), Mary (Niece), Terry (Niece)
Net Worth
According to CelebrityNetWorth.com, his net worth was $20 Million at the time of his death.
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 4¾ in or 164.5 cm
Weight
66 kg or 145.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
James Cagney had dated –
- Merle Oberon – He was once romantically involved with India-born actor Merle Oberon.
- Frances Vernon (1922) – On September 28, 1922, James Cagney got married to Frances Willard “Billie” Vernon whom he met while he was a member of the chorus for the show Pitter Patter in 1920. They adopted a son whom they named James Francis Cagney II in 1941 and they later adopted a daughter, Cathleen “Casey” Cagney. The couple remained together until his death in 1986.
- Barbara Payton (1943) – It was RUMORed that he had an affair with actor Barbara Payton in 1943.
Race / Ethnicity
White
James Cagney was of Irish and Norwegian descent.
Hair Color
Red
Eye Color
Blue
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- A thick New York accent
- Short stature
Religion
Roman Catholicism
James Cagney’s Favorite Things
- Leading Lady – Olivia De Havilland
- Pasttimes – Horseback Riding, Dancing
Source – Wikipedia, IMDb
James Cagney Facts
- He had one older and 5 younger siblings, 2 of whom died as infants.
- James Cagney portrayed the character of George M. Cohan in the 1942 biographical musical film Yankee Doodle Dandy and this role won him the Academy Award as well as the New York Film Critics Circle Award for “Best Actor”.
- His best friends were Pat O’Brien and Frank McHugh and they were collectively and lovingly known as the “Irish Mafia”.
- On February 8, 1960, James Cagney received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.
Featured Image by Warner Bros. Studio / wordpress.com / Public Domain