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01
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.
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02
In the 1990s he kicked a cocaine habit of some 20 years.
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03
His film contracts during his rodeo days had provisions that he would not compete during filming.
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04
According to the British documentary The Godfather and the Mob 2006, Caan was regularly seen with Gambino family underboss Carmine Persico during the filming of The Godfather 1972. As Persico was under surveillance by the FBI at the time, Caan came under almost equal scrutiny.
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05
Was originally tested for the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather 1972 but then was slated to play Michael Corleone after Paramount’s initial choices did not pan out. When Al Pacino came on board, Caan was switched back to Sonny.
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06
Spent nine years on the pro rodeo circuit.
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07
He turned down the lead role in Superman 1978 because he balked at wearing such a costume.
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08
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.
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09
Is a 6th Dan in Karate.
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10
States that Thief 1981 is one of his favorite films.
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11
Played football for Michigan State University.
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12
Briefly lived at the Playboy Mansion in the 1970s.
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13
Was a drama major at Hofstra University before he dropped out.
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14
Turned down the role of Trapper John in MASH 1970 in order to appear in Rabbit, Run 1970.
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15
He was the original choice to play Lone Starr in Spaceballs 1987, but he was struggling with addiction issues at the time. A then unknown Bill Pullman won the role because Caan was deemed too expensive to insure.
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16
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.
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17
In his youth, his nicknames were Shoulders and Killer Caan.
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18
His parents, Sophie and Arthur Caan, were both German Jews.
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19
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.
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20
Studied Economics at Michigan State University.
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21
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.
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22
He turned down the role of Popeye Doyle in The French Connection 1971. Gene Hackman won an Oscar for the part.
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23
He turned down the role of Ted Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer 1979. Dustin Hoffman won an Oscar for the role.
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24
He is a practicing martial artist. He has trained with Takayuki Kubota for nearly thirty years, earning various ranks. He is a Master of Gosoku Ryu Karate and was granted the title of Soke Dai by the International Karate Association.
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25
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.
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26
He walked off the set of The Holcroft Covenant 1985 and was replaced by Michael Caine.
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27
Sons with Linda Stokes: James Arthur Caan b. 1995 and Jacob Nicholas Caan b. 1998.
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28
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.
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29
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.
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30
The theatre dressing room scene in Funny Lady 1975 in which he and Barbra Streisand toss powder in each other’s 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.
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31
Two generations of his family and the Coppola family have worked together. He worked with Francis Ford Coppola in the first two Godfather films 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.
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32
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.
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33
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.
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34
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.
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35
He was considered to voice Scar in The Lion King 1994.
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36
He survived a car crash in 1985.
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37
He was considered for Harrison Ford’s roles in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope 1977 and Blade Runner 1982.
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38
Avid golfer.
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39
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.
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40
Frequent guest/player at celebrity golf events.
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41
Grew up in Sunnyside, Queens, New York City.
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42
He was considered for Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop 1984.
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43
He has five children and four grandchildren.
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44
He was considered for Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver 1976.
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45
Studied at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater in Manhattan, New York City.
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46
He made his screen singing debut in Funny Lady 1975 and played the piano which he studied as a child.
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47
He was considered for the lead role in Rocky 1976.
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48
He was considered for Richard Dreyfuss’ roles in Close Encounters of the Third Kind 1977, The Goodbye Girl 1977, and What About Bob? 1991.
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49
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.
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50
In 1994 he was arrested after being accused by a Los Angeles rap artist of pulling a gun on him.
