James Caan

Played football for Michigan State University.

Born at 10:31pm-EST.

Father (with Sheila Ryan ) of actor Scott Caan.

Was offered the role of McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest .

In the 1990s he kicked a cocaine habit of some 20 years.

States that Thief is one of his favorite films.

Son of Arthur and Sophie Caan. His father was a kosher butcher.

Turned down plum roles in MASH and Apocalypse Now .

Briefly lived at the Playboy Mansion in the 1970s.

One brother, Ronnie Caan , and one sister, Barbara (deceased c. 1981--leukemia).

Some sources give his birth year as 1939.

Was originally tested for the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (director Francis Ford Coppola had worked with him and Robert Duvall in The Rain People and wanted them in the movie), but then was slated to play Michael Corleone after Paramounts initial choices (which included Warren Beatty , Robert Redford and Ryan ONeal ) did not pan out. When Al Pacino came on board, Caan was switched back to Sonny.

Spent nine years on the pro rodeo circuit.

Is a 6th Dan in Karate.

Was a drama major at Hofstra University in Long Island, NY.

Sons with Linda Stokes : James Arthur Caan (b. 6 November 1995) and Jacob Nicholas Caan (b. September 24th 1998).

After being turned down by Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino , Julia Phillips inquired of Caans agent if he would be interested in taking the lead role of Roy Neary in Close Encounters of the Third Kind . Caans agent responded that he would read the script for a guarantee of $1 million plus 10% of the gross if he accepted the role. Phillips went with the original choice, Richard Dreyfuss.

Was considered by George Lucas for the role of Han Solo in Star Wars .

Two generations of his family and the Coppola family have worked together. He worked with Francis Ford Coppola most memorably in the first two Godfather films ( The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II ) and in Gardens of Stone . His son, Scott Caan , appeared in Sonny , which was directed by Nicolas Cage and featured Cage and his brother, Marc Coppola. Sonny was also the name of Caans "Godfather" character.

Appears in Misery , which was directed by Rob Reiner. His son, Scott Caan , appeared in Oceans Eleven and Oceans Twelve , opposite Reiners father, Carl Reiner.

In the Godfather trilogy, Andy Garcia plays the son of Caans character, Sonny Corleone. In Oceans Eleven and Oceans Twelve , Caans son, Scott Caan , works with Garcia.

Grew up in Sunnyside, Queens, NY.

In his youth, his nicknames were "Shoulders" and "Killer Caan".

While on sabbatical from acting he coached a Little League baseball team. There was one incident where his teams weakest player hit a home run that won a game. Caan aid that this was one of the greatest moments of his life.

His film contracts during his rodeo days had provisions that he would not compete in rodeos while filming. This was for fear that he might be injured or killed in an accident.

According to the British documentary The Godfather and the Mob , Caan was regularly seen with Gambino family underboss Carmine Persico (aka "Junior") during the filming of The Godfather . As Persico was under surveillance by the FBI at the time, Caan came under almost equal scrutiny.

Has a son named Alexander James Caan (b. April 10th 1991) with Ingrid Hajek.

Studied in Rhodes High School in New York.

Studied in The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater in New York.

Studied Economics at Michigan State University.

Tested for the role of Ted Henderson in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice .

During the making of Mickey Blue Eyes , he nicknamed Hugh Grant "Whippy" after the Whippet, an English breed of dog that shivers a lot.

Lives in Beverly Hills, CA.

His parents, Sophie (Falkenstein) and Arthur Caan, were both German Jews.

Has a daughter, Tara A. Caan (born November 5, 1964), with first wife Dee Jay Mattis.

Avid golfer.

Frequent guest/player at celebrity golf events.

Republican.

Turned down Jack Nicholson s role in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest . Not one to repeat that mistake, he accepted the lead role in Misery when Nicholson turned it down. Both films involved the lead character being at the mercy of a sadistic nurse.

He appeared in two Best Picture Academy Award winners: The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II .

Although he played John Cazale s elder brother in The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II , he is five years his junior in real life.

He was considered for the role of Tom Hagen in The Godfather before Robert Duvall was cast. He eventually played Sonny Corleone in both that film and The Godfather: Part II .

Although he played Morgana King s son in The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II , he is only ten years her junior in real life.

Two of his memorable scenes from The Godfather have been parodied on "The Simpsons" . The scene where Sonny beats up Carlo in the street was turned into a scene where Marge does the same to a man who mugged her. Sonnys death scene has actually been parodied twice. The first time involved Bart being ambushed with snowballs at school. The second actually involved Caan himself making a guest appearance, and being ambushed at a tollbooth again.

He has appeared in four films directed by Francis Ford Coppola : The Rain People , The Godfather , The Godfather: Part II and Gardens of Stone .

Has turned down or lost out on several prominent film roles throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. Roles he turned down include Elliott Gould s Golden Globe and BAFTA nominated lead role in MASH , Jack Nicholson s Oscar-winning turn in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest , Dustin Hoffman s Oscar-winning role in Kramer vs. Kramer and Harrison Ford s part in Apocalypse Now . He also lost out on another Oscar-nominated role in Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice , that later went to Elliott Gould. Caan was in the running for Sylvester Stallone s Oscar-nominated titular role in Rocky , which spawned a very successful and long running franchise. He was sought out for the part of Han Solo for the Star Wars franchise (later going to Harrison Ford) and for Richard Dreyfuss s lead role in Close Encounters of the Third Kind . He was also the studios first choice for Michael Corleone in The Godfather franchise, later going to Al Pacino. He was cast however as Michaels eldest brother Sonny Corleone. Each of these films were major successes at the box office and the Academy Awards and are now regarded as classics.

He was awarded the CBE in the 2015 Queens New Years Honours List for his services to Entrepreneurship and charitable services through the James Caan Foundation. He is the Founder and Chairman of Start Up Loans Company and lives in London NW8, England.

I have an agent I trust professionally more than anybody else, but with,the best intentions he could put me in the shithouse just as fast as,somebody who wanted to ruin me.

[about living at the Playboy mansion] Actually, it was for medicinal,purposes - I was just getting divorced. This doctor wrote me a,prescription to live there because he thought it would help me get over,the pain of my divorce. My God, it worked. I got over it pretty,quickly.

No, I hope they never stop.