Trivia

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

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

His film contracts during his rodeo days had provisions that he would not compete during filming.

Was originally tested for the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (1972) (director Francis Ford Coppola had worked with him and Robert Duvall in The Rain People (1969) and wanted them in the movie), but then was slated to play Michael Corleone after Paramount's initial choices (which included Warren Beatty, Robert Redford and Ryan O'Neal) did not pan out. When Al Pacino came on board, Caan was switched back to Sonny.

According to the British documentary The Godfather and the Mob (2006), Caan was regularly seen with Gambino family underboss Carmine Persico (aka "Junior") during the filming of The Godfather (1972). As Persico was under surveillance by the FBI at the time, Caan came under almost equal scrutiny.

Spent nine years on the pro rodeo circuit.

Is a 6th Dan in Karate.

Turned down Jack Nicholson's role in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975). Not one to repeat that mistake, he accepted the lead role in Misery (1990) when Nicholson turned it down. Both films involved the lead character being at the mercy of a sadistic nurse.

States that Thief (1981) is one of his favorite films.

Briefly lived at the Playboy Mansion in the 1970s.

He turned down the lead role in Superman (1978), because he balked at wearing such a costume.

Was a drama major at Hofstra University in Hempstead, Nassau County, Long Island, New York, USA before he dropped out.

Played football for Michigan State University.

Turned down the role of Trapper John in M*A*S*H (1970) in order to appear in Rabbit, Run (1970).

He was the original choice to play Lone Starr in Spaceballs (1987). Unfortunately, he was struggling with addiction issues at the time. A then unknown Bill Pullman won the role, as Caan was deemed too expensive to insure.

Studied Economics at Michigan State University.

He turned down the role of Ted Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). Dustin Hoffman subsequently won an Oscar for the role.

During the making of Mickey Blue Eyes (1999), he nicknamed Hugh Grant "Whippy" after the Whippet, an English breed of dog that shivers a lot.

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

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

After being turned down by Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino, Julia Phillips inquired of Caan's agent if he would be interested in taking the lead role of Roy Neary in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Caan's 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.

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

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 (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974)) and in Gardens of Stone (1987). His son, Scott Caan, appeared in Sonny (2002), which was directed by Nicolas Cage and featured Cage and his brother, Marc Coppola. Sonny was also the name of Caan's "Godfather" character.

From 1982 to 1987, Caan suffered from depression over his sister's death from leukemia, a growing problem with cocaine, and what he described as "Hollywood burnout," and did not act in any films.

The theatre dressing room scene in 'Funny Lady' in which he and Barbra Streisand toss powder in each others faces turned into a surprise for Barbra as she only expected a light dusting but James, conspiring with director Herbert Ross heaped a powder storm on her with dramatic and humorous effect. it's one of her personal favourites.

He walked off the set of The Holcroft Covenant (1985) and was replaced by Michael Caine. Both were in A Bridge Too Far (1977).

He is a practicing martial artist. He has trained with Takayuki Kubota for nearly thirty years, earning various ranks. He is a Master (Rank = 6 Dan) of Gosoku Ryu Karate and was granted the title of Soke Dai by the International Karate Association.

In a 1991 interview, Caan claimed that making Kiss Me Goodbye (1982) was a factor in his self-imposed exile. Caan called it one of the worst experiences of his life and professed that director Robert Mulligan was the most incompetent filmmaker he had ever worked with.

He turned down the role of "Popeye" Doyle in The French Connection (1971). Gene Hackman subsequently won an Oscar for the part.

He was offered the role of Col. Lucas in Apocalypse Now (1979), but he demanded too much money for such a small part, and Harrison Ford was cast instead.

Although he played John Cazale's elder brother in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), he is five years his junior in real life.

He agreed to appear in A Bridge Too Far (1977) because of the scene in which he forces a reluctant Army surgeon to operate on one of his buddies at gunpoint. He said, "When Richard Attenborough came to see me in Los Angeles, he offered me the choice of several roles. I chose the Sergeant, chiefly for that one scene.".

Avid golfer.

He was considered for the role of Tom Hagen in The Godfather (1972) before Robert Duvall was cast. He eventually played Sonny Corleone in both that film and The Godfather Part II (1974).

He was considered for Harrison Ford's roles in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Blade Runner (1982).

In 1977, Caan rated several of his movies out of ten - The Godfather (1972) (10), Freebie and the Bean (1974) (4), Cinderella Liberty (1973) (8), The Gambler (1974) (8), Funny Lady (1975) (9), Rollerball (1975) (8), The Killer Elite (1975) (5), Harry and Walter Go to New York (1976) (0), Slither (1973) (4), A Bridge Too Far (1977) (7), and Another Man, Another Chance (1977) (10). He also liked his performances in The Rain People (1969) and Thief (1981).

He was considered to voice Scar in The Lion King (1994).

Frequent guest/player at celebrity golf events.

He survived a car crash in 1985.

Although he played Morgana King's son in The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather Part II (1974), he is only ten years her junior in real life.

In the Godfather trilogy, Andy Garcia plays the son of Caan's character, Sonny Corleone. In Ocean's Eleven (2001) and Ocean's Twelve (2004), Caan's son, Scott Caan, works with Garcia.

Grew up in Sunnyside (neighborhood), Queens, New York City, New York, USA.

He was considered for Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop (1984).

Studied at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater, a professional conservatory for actors, and the home of the Meisner technique (developed and taught by Sanford Meisner, who was at one time part of the faculty there), in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA.

He has five children and four grandchildren, three from his eldest daughter Tara and one from his son Scott.

Two of his memorable scenes from The Godfather (1972) have been parodied on The Simpsons (1989). 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. Sonny's 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.

Republican.

He was considered for the lead role in Rocky (1976).

Appears in Misery (1990), which was directed by Rob Reiner. His son, Scott Caan, appeared in Ocean's Eleven (2001) and Ocean's Twelve (2004), opposite Reiner's father, Carl Reiner.

He was originally cast in the main villain role of Scorpio in Dirty Harry (1971), however the part later went to Andrew Robinson.