- Born
- 17 July 1899, New York City, New York, United States
- First work
- 1930: Sinners' Holiday
- Peak
- 1931 to 1942 (estimated)
- Last work
- 1984: Terrible Joe Moran
- Died
- 30 March 1986, Stanford, United States; aged 86; natural
James Cagney
Film: actor, dancer, director, United States
James Cagney was an electrifying performer whose explosive physical energy, rapid-fire delivery and unexpected grace as a dancer made him one of Hollywood's most durable legends. He exploded into stardom with The Public Enemy, establishing the hard-boiled urban gangster persona that defined early 1930s Warner Bros. cinema. Yet he refused to be stereotyped, winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his exhilarating musical portrayal of George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. Later delivering a terrifying noir turn in White Heat, he retired following Billy Wilder's One, Two, Three before returning for a final cameo in Ragtime. Cagney passed away in Stanford, New York in 1986.
Who else was born on 17 July or who died on 30 March.
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Signature works
- The Public Enemy 1931
- Footlight Parade 1933
- Angels with Dirty Faces 1938
- The Roaring Twenties 1939
- Yankee Doodle Dandy 1942
- White Heat 1949
- Mister Roberts 1955
- One, Two, Three 1961
Honours
- Academy Award for Best Actor, 1942
- AFI Life Achievement Award, 1974
- Kennedy Center Honors, 1980