James Caan, who portrayed Sonny Corleone in "The Godfather" and Paul Sheldon in "Misery," has died at 82.
The actor's official Twitter account shared the news on Thursday, writing in a statement he died Wednesday.
"The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time," the tweet read.
Hollywood remembered the star warmly on social media.
"RIP James Caan. Shocked. Was lucky enough, after a lifetime of loving his work, to get to work with him and I loved him as a person even more," Andy Richter tweeted. "Funny, warm, self-deprecating, and effortlessly talented. They say never meet your heroes, but he proved that to be very very wrong."
Wrote Maria Shriver: "So sad about Jimmy Caan. He was a legend. He was always kind to me. Sending his family my love."
Born in the Bronx to German-Jewish immigrants, Caan collected many accolades across his acting career, spanning nearly five decades.
One of his most memorable roles was as the short-tempered Sonny Corleone, brother of Al Pacino's Michael Corleone, in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather." He was nominated in best supporting actor categories at the 1972 Academy Awards and the Golden Globes that same year.
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He reprised his role in "The Godfather: Part II" with a brief appearance at the end of the film. Caan previously worked with Coppola in 1969's "The Rain People."
Caan reunited with the cast in 2017 at Tribeca Film Festival in New York.
A football player at Michigan State University and a practical joker on production sets, Caan was a grinning, handsome performer with an athlete’s swagger and muscular build. He navigated a long career despite drug problems and minor brushes with the law.
Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in "Misery," wrote in a tweet Thursday that he was "so sorry to hear the news. I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them."
Caan seemed to possess the energy of a coiled cobra, his typically fit physique barely containing an intensity that kept moviegoers on the edge of their seats.
Nowhere was that trait more on display than in the "Godfather" movies, where as Santino, Caan always seemed on the verge of violence.
That energy almost provided a liability to Reiner, as he set about to tell the Stephen King story of a successful novelist who is held captive by a psychotic fan, played to Oscar-winning perfection by Kathy Bates.
In a 2021 video introduction to "Misery" for TCM Classic Film Festival's "Masters of Filmmaking" episode, Reiner recalled how Caan was almost physically unable to keep calm during an opening sequence that showed the novelist wrapping up his opus and lighting a cigarette in celebration.
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"All he had to do was pick up the cigarette and light the match, " said Reiner, exhaling in demonstration. "It was like after sex. He's written this book and gotten it out of him. This release."
But the high-energy "Godfather" actor had trouble with the scene.
"He's very fidgety. He's a very physical guy. He keeps moving," said Reiner. "Take after take after take, he keeps moving. It's like 'Jimmy!' Finally after 10 or 15 takes he finally does it. And we had to break for lunch."
Although known for that passion, Caan had a decidedly down-to-earth demeanor. In 2010, USA TODAY interviewed the actor and his son Scott for "Mercy," which the younger Caan had written.
When addressed as James, Caan immediately countered: "James is way too proper. Call me Jimmy. Son of a gun."
Caan displayed an enviable acting range throughout his career.
In 2003's "Elf," Caan played a money-focused children's book publisher who is taught the meaning of Christmas by a human elf played by Will Ferrell. Caan also played Ellen Burstyn's love interest in the 2021 romantic comedy "Queen Bees."
Well before such hits, Caan won fans with his emotional portrayal of real-life football hero Brian Piccolo in 1971's "Brian's Song."
A combination of Caan's football savvy and acting talent brought to life the tragic story of the Chicago Bears halfback, who died at 26 from an aggressive form of testicular cancer. Piccolo was close friends with NFL legend Gale Sayers, who was played by Billy Dee Williams.
Williams tweeted Thursday: "Team Mates and friends until the end. RIP Jimmy," with a broken heart emoji. Williams included a recent photo of the duo in a gym, with Caan sitting on Williams' lap.
Lesser known but well-regarded Caan vehicles include "Thief" (1981), playing a safecracker on one last steal; "A Bridge Too Far" (1977), a war epic also featuring Sean Connery and Gene Hackman; and "El Dorado" (1966), where Caan dons Western duds and does his best John Wayne impression.
Among Caan's children is actor Scott Caan, best known for playing Detective Danny Williams on the TV show "Hawaii Five-0" and his appearances in the film "Ocean's Eleven" and its sequels.
Contributing: Bryan Alexander and Donna Freykin, USA TODAY, and The Associated Press
