James Francis Cagney was born on July 17, 1889 in New York City and died in Stanfordville, NY on March 30, 1986 from a heart attack related to diabetes. He called himself The Professional Againster – probably because of all the gangster and tough guy roles he played. His Oscar, however, was for his role as George M. Cohan in the musical, Yankee Doodle Dandy.

Cagney was of Norwegian and Irish descent that may have contributed to his wisecracking, staccato style of talking. He was in films for thirty years, retired to his farm in New York State in 1961 and then came out of retirement in 1981 to star in the adaptation of E.L. Doctorow’s novel, Ragtime. He was reunited with Pat O’Brien, a longtime favored co-star. Cagney’s final film was in Terrible Joe Moran, a made-for-TV movie co-starring Art Carney.

1930 Sinners’ Holiday – Harry Delano

1930 The Doorway to Hell – Mileaway

1931 Other Men’s Women – Ed

1931 The Public Enemy – Tom Powers

1931 The Millionaire – Schofield

1931 Smart Money – Jack

1931 Blond Crazy – Bert Harris

1932 Taxi! – Matt Nolan

1932 The Crowd Roars – Joe Greer

1932 Winner Take All – Jim ‘Jimmy’ Kane

1933 Hard to Handle – Lefty Merrill

1933 Picture Snatcher – Danny

1933 The Mayor of Hell – Patsy

1933 Footlight Parade – Chester Kent

1933 Lady Killer – Dan

1934 Jimmy the Gent – Jimmy

1934 He Was Her Man – Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen

1934 Here Comes the Navy – Chesty

1934 The St. Louis Kid – Eddie Kennedy

1935 Devil Dogs of the Air – Tommy O’Toole

1935 ‘G’ Men – Brick Davis

1935 The Irish in Us – Danny O’Hara

1935 A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bottom – the Weaver

1935 Mutiny on the Bounty (uncredited)

1935 Frisco Kid – Bat Morgan

1936 Ceiling Zero – Dizzy Davis

1936 Great Guy – Johnny ‘Red’ Cave

1937 Something to Sing About – Terrence ‘Terry’ Rooney (stage name of Thadeus McGillicuddy)

1938 Boy Meets Girl – Robert Law

1938 Angels with Dirty Faces – Rocky Sullivan

1939 The Oklahoma Kid – Jim Kincaid

1939 Each Dawn I Die – Frank Ross

1939 The Roaring Twenties – Eddie Bartlett

1940 The Fighting 69th – Jerry Plunkett

1940 Torrid Zone – Nick Butler

1940 City for Conquest – Danny Kenny

1941 The Strawberry Blonde – Biff Grimes

1941 The Bride Came C.O.D. – Steve Collins

1942 Captains of the Clouds – Brian MacLean

1942 Yankee Doodle Dandy – George M. Cohan

1943 You, John Jones! (Short) – John Jones

1943 Johnny Come Lately – Tom Richards

1945 Blood on the Sun – Nick Condon

1947 Rue Madeleine – Robert Emmett ‘Bob’ Sharkey

1948 The Time of Your Life – Joseph T. (who observes people)

1949 White Heat – Cody Jarrett

1950 Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye – Ralph Cotter

1950 The West Point Story – Elwin ‘Bix’ Bixby

1951 Come Fill the Cup – Lew Marsh

1951 Starlift – James Cagney

1952 What Price Glory – Capt. Flagg

1953 A Lion is in the Streets – Hank Martin

1955 Run for Cover – Matt Dow

1955 Love Me or Leave Me – Martin Snyder

1955 The Seven Little Foys – George M. Cohan

1955 Mister Roberts – Capt. Morton

1956 Tribute to a Bad Man – Jeremy Rodock

1956 These Wilder Years – Steve Bradford

1957 Man of a Thousand Faces – Lon Chaney

1959 Never Steal Anything Small – Jake MacIllaney

1959 Shake Hands with the Devil – Sean Lenihan

1960 The Gallant Hours – Fleet Adm. William F. Halsey Jr.

1961 One, Two, Three – C.R. MacNamara

1966 The Ballad of Smokey the Bear (TV Movie) – Narrator

1968 Arizona Bushwhackers – Narrator (voice, uncredited)

1981 Ragtime – New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo

Academy Awards, USA
1956 Nominated – Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role: Love Me or Leave Me
1943 Won – Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role: Yankee Doodle Dandy
1939 Nominated – Oscar Best Actor in a Leading Role: Angels with Dirty Faces

American Film Institute, USA
1974 Won – Lifetime Achievement Award

Hasty Pudding Theatricals, USA
1982 Won – Man of the Year

Laurel Awards
1962 Nominated – Golden Laurel Top Male Comedy Performance 4th place: One, Two, Three

Magnolia Independent Film Festival
2012 Won – Best Feature Film: Close-Up

National Board of Review, USA
1981 Won – Career Achievement Award

New York Film Critics Awards
1961 2nd place – NYFCC Award Best Actor: One, Two, Three
1942 Won – NYFCC Award Best Actor: Yankee Doodle Dandy
1939 Won – NYFCC Award Best Actor: Angels with Dirty Faces

Screen Actors Guild Awards
1978 Won – Life Achievement Award

Walk of Fame
1960 Won – Star on the Walk of Fame: Motion Picture