'The Godfather' And 'Elf' Star James Caan Has Died, Aged 82

Academy Award-nominated actor James Caan has died at the age of 82, his family have announced. Known to them as Jimmy, the actor passed away on the evening of 6 July, 2022.

Caan was best known for his roles as Walter Hobbs in Elf and Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, for which he was nominated for both an Academy Award and Golden Globe for his supporting role. Caan also cameoed as the character in The Godfather Part II.

Born in 1940, Caan grew up in the Bronx, New York City. He studied acting at Hofstra University where he first met Coppola who later gave Caan his most iconic role.

Caan’s family tweeted, “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of 6 July. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.” They added, “End of tweet,” which is something Caan would do himself when using the social media site.

Tributes have flooded in for Caan. Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn wrote, “Rest In Peace James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love, The Godfather films of course being at the very top, but here are a few more I adore (Thief in particular was a Gunn family classic - I had the poster on my wall in high school).”

Arnold Schwarzenegger added, “James Caan was an icon - a legend. He inspired everyone who has ever been in front of a camera. I was lucky to work with him and see his talent and his fantastic sense of humor firsthand. He was a great training partner in the gym and a true friend, and I’ll miss him,” whilst Barbra Streisand posted a photo of herself with Caan along with the simple caption, “I’m so sorry to hear about Jimmy. He was so talented.”

No cause of death has been given at this time.