James Edmund Caan was a playful kid from the Bronx, the son of German-Jewish immigrants who grew up to play tough movie guys: sailors, football players, gangsters and was one of the most recognizable screen actors of his era.
He died on July 6, according to a post on his official Twitter account. No further details were available.
Caan received a 1973 Oscar nomination for his explosive turn as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and a 1972 Emmy nomination for portraying the title role in the film Brian's Song. He lent his tightly-wound sense of masculinity to numerous renowned films of his era, ranging from E.T. to Misery to Funny Lady to Elf.
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