James Francis Cagney, Jr. (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor. Although he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of roles, he is best remembered for playing "tough guys". In 1999, the American Film Institute ranked him eighth among the Greatest Male Stars of All Time. In his first performing role, Cagney danced dressed as a woman in the chorus line of the 1919 revue Every Sailor. He spent several years in vaudeville as a hoofer and comedian until his first major acting role in 1925. He secured several other roles, receiving good reviews before landing the lead in the 1929 play Penny Arcade. After rave reviews for his acting, Warners signed him for an initial $500 a week, three-week contract to reprise his role; this was quickly extended to a seven year contract. Cagney's seventh film, The Public Enemy, became one of the most influential gangster movies of the period. Notable for its famous grapefruit scene, the film thrust Cagney into the spotlight, making him one of Warners' and Hollywood's biggest stars. In 1938, he received his first Academy Award Best Actor nomination for Angels with Dirty Faces, before winning in 1942 for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy. He was nominated a third time in 1955 for Love Me or Leave Me. Cagney retired for 20 years in 1961, spending time on his farm before returning for a part in Ragtime mainly to aid his recovery from a stroke. Cagney walked out on Warners several times over his career, each time coming back on improved personal and artistic terms. In 1935, he sued Warners for breach of contract and won; this marked one of the first times an actor had beaten a studio over a contract issue. He worked for an independent film company for a year while the suit was settled, and also established his own production company, Cagney Productions, in 1942 before returning to Warners again four years later. Jack Warner called him "The Professional Againster", in reference to Cagney’s refusal to be pushed around. Cagney also made numerous morale-boosting troop tours before and during World War II, and was President of the Screen Actors Guild for two years.
130 movies · 9 shows
Becoming Marilyn
2022·7.6
Parkinson at 50
2021·10.0
This Is Bob Hope...
2017·8.0
1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year
2009·7.5
Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History - The 1930s: Dancing Away the Great Depression
2009·0.0
Warner at War
2008·7.0
Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film
2008·6.9
You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story
2008·8.5
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story
2006·6.6
Angels with Dirty Faces: Whaddya Hear? Whaddya Say?
2005·8.5
Beer and Blood: Enemies of the Public
2005·7.8
White Heat: Top of the World
2005·7.7
Remembering Ragtime
2004·0.0
Tupac: Resurrection
2003·7.9
Complicated Women
2003·6.9
Doris Day: It's Magic
1998·0.0
Vaudeville
1997·8.0
Bogart: The Untold Story
1997·0.0
James Cagney: Top of the World
1992·8.5
Movie Tough Guys
1991·10.0
I Don't Even Like Apple Pie...
1989·0.0
Happy Birthday, Bob: 50 Stars Salute Your 50 Years with NBC
1988·6.0
Routine Pleasures
1986·6.8
That's Dancing!
1985·6.9
Hollywood's Funniest All-Star Bloopers
1985·2.0
Terrible Joe Moran
1984·7.0
Going Hollywood: The '30s
1984·9.0
Hollywood Out-takes and Rare Footage
1983·7.0
Showbiz Goes to War
1982·10.0
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid
1982·6.7
Showbiz Ballyhoo
1982·0.0
Night of 100 Stars
1982·5.8
James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy
1981·10.0
Ragtime
1981·7.0
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
1979·0.0
Bob Hope's World of Comedy
1976·0.0
That's Entertainment, Part II
1976·7.0
It's Showtime
1976·7.5
Hooray for Hollywood
1976·8.0
Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television
1975·0.0
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
1975·6.3
Dynamite Chicken
1971·5.5
Arizona Bushwhackers
1968·4.3
Ballad of Smokey the Bear
1966·4.2
The Day of the Oath
1965·0.0
The Road to the Wall
1962·5.6
One, Two, Three
1961·7.5
The Gallant Hours
1960·6.7
Shake Hands with the Devil
1959·6.5
Never Steal Anything Small
1959·8.2
Short Cut to Hell
1957·5.8
Man of a Thousand Faces
1957·6.8
The Bob Hope Chevy Show
1956·0.0
These Wilder Years
1956·6.5
Tribute to a Bad Man
1956·7.0
The Seven Little Foys
1955·6.2
Mister Roberts
1955·7.0
Love Me or Leave Me
1955·6.9
Run for Cover
1955·6.8
A Lion Is in the Streets
1953·5.4
What Price Glory
1952·5.7
Starlift
1951·6.8
Come Fill the Cup
1951·7.0
The West Point Story
1950·5.8
Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
1950·6.8
White Heat
1949·7.6
The Time of Your Life
1948·6.1
Blow-Ups of 1947
1947·6.3
13 Rue Madeleine
1947·6.1
Okay for Sound
1946·6.7
Blood on the Sun
1945·5.9
The Voice That Thrilled the World
1943·6.0
Johnny Come Lately
1943·7.0
Show-Business at War
1943·7.0
You, John Jones!
1943·6.3
Yankee Doodle Dandy
1942·7.0
Captains of the Clouds
1942·6.4
Calling All Girls
1942·6.0
Breakdowns of 1941
1941·7.0
The Bride Came C.O.D.
1941·7.0
The Strawberry Blonde
1941·7.0
Breakdowns of 1940
1940·4.0
City for Conquest
1940·6.9
Torrid Zone
1940·7.0
The Fighting 69th
1940·5.8
Breakdowns of 1939
1939·6.5
The Roaring Twenties
1939·7.5
Each Dawn I Die
1939·6.8
Hollywood Hobbies
1939·5.6
The Oklahoma Kid
1939·6.0
Angels with Dirty Faces
1938·7.5
Boy Meets Girl
1938·6.9
Something to Sing About
1937·6.2
Breakdowns of 1936
1936·0.0
Great Guy
1936·6.3
Ceiling Zero
1936·5.9
A Dream Comes True
1935·6.3
Things You Never See on the Screen
1935·5.3
Frisco Kid
1935·7.0
Mutiny on the Bounty
1935·7.4
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1935·6.4
The Irish in Us
1935·7.5
'G' Men
1935·6.6
Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8
1935·0.0
Devil Dogs of the Air
1935·6.8
A Trip Thru a Hollywood Studio
1935·5.9
The St. Louis Kid
1934·6.3
The Hollywood Gad-About
1934·6.0
Here Comes the Navy
1934·6.0
He Was Her Man
1934·6.5
Jimmy the Gent
1934·6.4
Screen Snapshots No. 11
1934·0.0
Lady Killer
1933·6.9
Footlight Parade
1933·6.8
The Mayor of Hell
1933·7.0
Picture Snatcher
1933·6.8
Hard to Handle
1933·6.9
Winner Take All
1932·5.4
The Crowd Roars
1932·6.1
Taxi!
1932·6.8
Intimate Interviews: James Cagney
1931·0.0
How I Play Golf, by Bobby Jones No. 11: 'Practice Shots'
1931·6.8
Blonde Crazy
1931·7.0
Smart Money
1931·6.9
The Millionaire
1931·7.9
The Public Enemy
1931·7.2
Other Men's Women
1931·5.7
The Doorway to Hell
1930·6.5
Sinners' Holiday
1930·6.2
The Singing Fool
1928·5.0