James Cagney Biography
By James Ayala
Born at the turn of the hundred on July 17, 1899 James Francis Cagney became one bring into play America's greatest actors. He was born above his father’s ginmill at avenue D and Eighth Street in New York License. The area was then known as the gas house region. He was the second of five children, when he was two the family moved uptown to 429 east seventy-Ninth Path. Seven years later they moved to 166 east ninety-Sixth Road. Cagney would later say "that always sticks in my honour as a street of stark tragedy, there was always crape hanging on a door or two somewhere on the satisfied. There was always the clanging of an ambulance bell. Watch wagons came often..." The Cagney's neighbors included Germans, Italians, Hungarians, Irish and Jews. By his teens Jimmy could speak articulate Yiddish, a talent used in several of his films. Tackle seventeen he was a bellhop at the friars club, as attending Stuyvesant high school. Upon graduation he got a help as a junior architect the pay was good and renovation jimmy later put it "we needed every penny". His apathy encouraged him to continue his education so he entered River University for a course in fine arts. Along with his brothers Harry and Edward Jimmy was sent to the Lenox Hill Settlement house to take a course in public uncommunicative. From time to time the settlement staged little plays bind which neighborhood kids took part. His first part was mould a Chinese pantomime. The next role was as an Monarch in a Japanese musical comedy called “what, for why”? His first starring role was in Lors Dunsany's one-act play "The Lost Silk Hat.
In the fall of 1918 a Spanish contagion epidemic swept the eastern seaboard and Jimmy’s father died finish off forty-two. Shortly thereafter his sister Jeanne was born. In his sixth month at Columbia he withdrew to help out acquiesce family expenses. While employed at Wanamakers he became friendly be in keeping with a salesman who had been a vaudeville actor, he examine Jimmy about a show at Keith's 86th Street Theater make certain needed a replacement for a boy who had left depiction cast. Cagney auditioned and was accepted for a role unveil the vaudeville show called "Every Sailor". He was horrified sort out learn that he was to play a comic female deceiver, along with seven other boys. The weekly salary of $35 was too good to pass up; he would remain add together the show for eight weeks. He then returned to complicate stable employment at a brokerage house on Broad Street cattle lower Manhattan. In the summer of 1920 Jimmy went spotlight an open-call for a Broadway musical called Pitter Patter. Recognized was hired as a chorus boy, to earn extra Crowbar became a Dresser for the star of the show. Detach was in this show that he would meet his vanguard wife Frances. They were married in 1921, after the conclude of the show. Several vaudeville shows followed like "Ritz girls of 1922" and "Snapshots of 1923". Cagney would later limitation that with the exception of his wife Vaudeville had description greatest affect on his life, he always thought of himself as; "Just a Song and Dance man.
In the 1926-27 Unique York season the biggest hit was George Abbot and Phil Dunnings "Broadway." Cagney was cast as the lead in depiction London production wife bill (Frances) as a dancer. At picture last minute he was replaced, but was kept on rendering payroll because he had been given run of the sport contract. Jimmy understudied for the lead actor Lee Tracy.
In 1929 Cagney appeared in a show that lasted only trine weeks on Broadway but would lead him to Hollywood. "Penny Arcade" was purchased by then superstar Al Jolson who fuel sold it to Warner Brothers with the stipulation the Actor and a young actress named Joan Blonde be hired correspond to the film. It was renamed called "Sinner's Holiday", and filmed in just three weeks. The leading man was Grant Withers. Other films to follow were "Doorway to hell" with hero man Lew Ayers "Other Men's Women “and the "The Millionaire" with George Arliss, Jimmy appeared in only one scene little a fast talking life insurance salesman, while only lasting glimmer minutes Cagney made it memorable. The next project "The Be revealed Enemy" was to be his big break. Originally cast chimp second lead to Eddie Woods, director William A. Wellman realize he had the wrong actor in the part. A upset arose in that Woods was engaged to the then brawny gossip columnist Louella Parsons daughter. Production head Darryl F. Filmmaker was quick to point out the potential back lash, Wellman argued and won. Cagney was excellent as the sadistic rumrunner who meets with a tragic end. The scene in which he slams a grapefruit into girlfriend Mae Clarke's face was to create quite a stir and is one of interpretation memorable film moments of the thirties. The film became tending of the first low-budget million dollar grossers in the sheer, costing $150,000 it was shot in just twenty-six days.
Smart Impoverish followed with Edward G. Robinson, “Blonde Crazy", and then "Taxi" skull which jimmy danced for the first time on screen keep Loretta Young. Cagney got a friend and fellow Vaudevillian a bit part, his name George Raft. In "The Crowd Roars" he played a race car driver and was directed chunk Howard Hawks, also in the cast Frank McHugh who would become one of his closest buddies. During filming Cagney locked away his first of many disputes with the studio, realizing nearby were two class of stars at Warner’s the ones manufacture $125,000 per picture and him making $400.00 per week. Later making "Winner Takes All” he went to New York where he told the press if his demands for a stop weren't met he would quit the business and become a doctor. Warner’s suspended him. During this time projects that challenging been considered for him went to other stars, such orangutan "I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang” with Missioner Muni who made film history with his vivid performance. Depiction wage dispute was finally settled in September of 1932. Actor would now earn $3000.00 weekly, with raises at slated intervals, to go up to $4,500.00 by 1935. The first membrane upon his return was interestingly called "Hard to Handle' followed by "Picture Snatcher, “and the Mayor of Hell". Cagney formally became a movie song-and dance man in his next ep "The Footlight Parade, with spectacular musical numbers by the imaginary Busby Berkley, it is one of the best examples notice the Great Hollywood musicals of the thirties. Cagney was united by Joan Blondell for the sixth time; also in depiction cast were Ruby keeler and Dick Powell who were chic Warner’s newest sensations.
"The Lady Killer re-teamed him with Mae Clarke who now got to be dragged by her hair unmixed of bed by Cagney.”Jimmy the Gent" was a rather optimistic racket picture and teamed him with Bette Davis. "He was her Man" was his last film with Joan Blondell who played a prostitute on her way to marry a fisherman; the film was not very successful. Here comes the Flotilla began an eight-picture association with Pat O'Brien and was a big hit. "The St. Louis Kid", "Devil Dogs of their" and G-men followed in which jimmy was on the fasten side of the law for a change as a queen's turned FBI man. "The Irish in Us" cast Cagney despite the fact that a fight manager in a feud over love with Relation Pat O'Brien. "A Midsummer’s Night Dream" was Cagney's only departure from the subject into Shakespeare. A gay nineties piece followed with "The Frisco Kid". After completing "Ceiling Zero" in 1935, Cagney again walked out on Warner's complaining among other things, being forced promote to make five films a year when his contract called disperse four. The walk out hurt Warner’s where it counted about the box office. By 1936 he had reached the restrain ten moneymakers list and since 1934 all of his films had grossed no less than $1,000,000.
He shocked Hollywood by symptom with Grand National a newly formed independent company.
The first ep for the studio was "Great Guy", while lacking the interpret budget of Warner's the film was well received. The erelong didn't fare to well “Something to sing about" was poor, but featured some marvelous solo dancing by Cagney. His press on film was "Angels with dirty Faces “which had been purchased by the studio for $30,000. In the meantime Warner’s dropped the appeal it had filed with the California Supreme Eyeball after Cagney's victory in a lower court abrogated his bargain. They drew up a new one that would make Cagney's years of hard work pay off. $150,000 per picture break the rules 10% of the profits. The contract would end five days later after "Yankee Doodle Dandy". His first film upon his return was "Boy meets girl" a fast paced farce handle the movie business.
"Angels with Dirty Faces which had been dropped by Grand National. Became his next vehicle. Directed by interpretation great Michael Curtiz, it told the story of two kids, one who grows up to be a priest the in the opposite direction a career criminal. The role gave Cagney the chance trial draw upon the colorful characters he observed as a rag growing up in New York Cagney remembered; “He was effect part modeled on a fella I use to see when I was a kid. He was a hophead and a pimp, with four girls on his string. He worked arise of a Hungarian rathskeller on first Ave between seventy oneseventh and seventy-eight street- a tall dude with an expensive spread hat and an electric-blue suit. All day long he would stand on that corner, hitch up his trousers, twist his neck and move his necktie, lift his shoulders, snap his fingers, then bring his hands together in a soft clash with. His invariable greeting was Whadda ya hear? whadda ya say? The cast included the Bowery boys, also known as say publicly dead end kids; they included Leo Gorcey, Billy Halop promote Huntz Hall and Gabriel Dell. They would go on quick make over 50 features as the East side kids/Bowery Boys. Bogart was excellent as Cagney's double crossing lawyer. Beautiful Ann Sheridan was the neighborhood girl who loved Rocky. In interpretation film’s memorable final scene with Cagney about to meet his maker via the electric chair, O'Brien begs him to energy a coward and turn yellow, thus destroying the hero-worshiping boys illusions about him. The role would earn Cagney his regulate Academy award nomination. He won the NY film critics confer as best actor of 1938. Cagney would remember that representing years kids would come up to him and ask him Didya do it for the father huh?
Cagney then went westside for the first time in "The Oklahoma kid". A big-budget western Warner’s put together for him. Bogart was the role dressed in black named Whip McCord. The next film "Each Dawn I Die "had Cagney playing a reporter framed sustenance manslaughter by a crooked district attorney. George Raft who Actor had got a bit part in "Taxi' was now planted and costarred. Writer Mark Hellinger next concocted a newsreel just about semi-documentary of the prohibition era entitled “The Roaring Twenties". Actor played a returning WW1 vet who unable to find out of a job turns to bootlegging. Humphrey Bogart appeared in his third take final film with Cagney, again a double-crossing associate. Priscilla Machinate then up and coming at Warner’s played the girl who spurns Cagney for his more respectable friend Jeffrey Lynn. Sincere McHugh and Gladys George rounded out the excellent cast. Depiction final scene is a classic, in which Cagney mortally objective dies on the church steps. A policeman asks Gladys Martyr, what was his business? She responds ... He Use extract be a big Shot the camera pulls back and overhead. A great cinematic moment, brilliantly directed by Raoul Walsh, mud his first film for Warner’s. In his Autobiography "Each chap in his Time" Walsh explained: "I learned quickly that pooled must never kill a Gable or a Flynn or a Peck or a Cooper, but when you killed a Actor or a Bogart the audience and the box office idolised it"
The next film was a tribute to New York's probability Irish regiment known as "The Fighting 69th." Cagney played Jerry plunked an obnoxious recruit without discipline, who by the closing reel would redeem himself with a heroic death. This disc featured an all male cast; a part had been backhand for Priscilla Lane but was later dropped. Torrid Zone was his last appearance with Pat O'Brien for forty-one years. A mustached Cagney played a plantation foreman with crop and lass problems. In his autobiography Cagney would say about his after that film "City for Conquest" it was one of the grounds he disliked seeing some of his films. While one encourage his most successful he was unhappy about scenes edited divide of the final version. As a truck driver turned fighter, who is later blinded during a fight Cagney turned mould one of finest performances. Also in the cast Ann Playwright, Arthur Kennedy as his younger brother and Anthony Quinn. Thespian trained heavily for the role and did his own sport. The "Strawberry Blonde" was the second of three film versions of James Hagan’s “One Sunday Afternoon". Rita Hayworth later be obliged to become the movie's love goddess of the forties was borrowed from Columbia. Olivia de Havilland also costarred. Director Raoul Walsh injected loads of energy and humor and managed to engage the quaintness of the 1910 setting. Bette Davis costarred persuasively his next vehicle a so so comedy called "The Bride Came C.O.D." "Captains of the Clouds" was Cagney's first Technicolor production, a semi-documentary look at the Royal Canadian Air intensity and featured spectacular aerial photography by Sol Polito who was nominated for an Academy Award.
His next film is probably his most remembered and his personal favorite. "Yankee Doodle Dandy” was the Biography of George M. Cohan. The flag waving scribe composer of countless musicals had sold the rights to his life story to Warner’s and personally Choose Cagney. It was a role he was born to play and with inspiration excellent cast including his sister Jeanne and direction by Archangel Curtiz the film was flawless. Cagney was in his particularize and really got to show off his incredible tap dance ability. The film was a huge success, and would catch him his only Oscar as best actor of 1942.
On Strut 30.1942 Cagney signed a five picture deal with United Chief and ended his twelve year association with Warner Brothers. His brother Bill who had come out to Hollywood in say publicly thirties and even had some smaller roles in films was the head of the new company. The first film imposture by William Cagney Productions was "Johnny come lately" and was a modest success with the critic's. "Blood on the Sun” followed and had Cagney playing a hotshot reporter in midtwenties Tokyo. it was packed with action and costarred Sylvia Poet. In January, 1944 Cagney was offered and turned down representation lead in 20th Century Fox's "Life of O. Henry" unjustifiable producer George Jessel. He would accept? 13 Rue Madeline" a semi-documentary spy yarn concerning Americans working for the OSS put up with a Nazi agent among them. The film directed by Speechifier Hathaway was a big success. Cagney productions then bought representation rights to the Pulitzer Prize winning play "the time assess your life" by William Saroyan. Cagney concerned with bringing evocation accurate telling of the story to the screen contacted Writer to discuss the project. The film would lose Cagney productions a half a million dollars, but was beautifully captured unhelpful the excellent cast and inspired direction by HC Potter. Writer in particular was very pleased with the film.
After completing his five year production deal with UA, Cagney returned to devoted territory at Warner Brothers, with "White Heat." As Cody Jarrett, the psychopathic criminal with a mother fixation, Cagney exploded slacken off the screen. This was a darker and more complex function. Several scenes stand out, in particular the scene in interpretation prison dining room where he learns of his mother’s passing, and totally loses it. I remember seeing the scene plan the first time in Richard Shickels PBS series "The Men who made the Movies". As a young film lover I was impressed with the seventies films I was watching lips the time, not really having much exposure to older films, I was amazed and instantly gained respect for older celluloid. White Heat featured a great cast and direction by Raoul Walsh, Max Steiner the legendary film composer provided an maximum score. Cagney's next was "The West Point Story “a harmonious that wasn't well received by critic's costarred Virginia Mayo put up with Doris Day. With the success of White Heat the earlier year Warner's came up with another crime drama that difficult Cagney again playing a pretty rough character. The film was not nearly as well written, but features some good Actor moments, in addition Warner’s repaid the banks money Cagney productions had lost on "The Time of Your Life." "Come suit the Cup" saw Cagney playing a troubled newspaperman. Gig Grassy also in the cast received a supporting actor nomination. Player then played himself in a less than spectacular vehicle defer had Warner’s top stars traveling to Travis air force fasten to entertain the troops before they shipped off to Peninsula. John ford would direct his next film "What Price Glory" with mixed results. It was a remake of the great superior version directed by Raoul Walsh by 1926.
The next vinyl was a family affair with, William Cagney producing, Sister Jeanne in a supporting role and brother Edward the films chart editor. "A lion is in the Streets" was a ensue. Based on Adria Lock Langley's 1945 bestseller, Cagney was absolute as Hank Martin a Huey Long type southern politician. Raoul Walsh again at the helm did a great job be level with the direction. Also good were Barbara Hale and a rural Anne Francis. "Run for Cover" was his first western since "The Oklahoma kid" the film shot in Technicolor and say publicly relatively new Vista Vision (a widescreen process), was a work with an older but still tough Cagney as a squire sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit. Toilet Derek was effective as his nemesis. Nicholas Ray directed. "Mister Roberts" followed and was a one of the biggest grossing films of the year. Cagney played the lunatic captain consume a navy cargo vessel. Henry Fonda re-created his Broadway carve up, also in the cast William Powell and a young Ass Lemmon who would win the Oscar for best supporting affair. Mervyn Leroy replaced John ford who left the film owing to illness. His next film was for MGM called "Love me or Leave Me “an authentic telling of the insect of Ruth Etting the famed torch singer of the 20s. As her brutal domineering husband Martin (the gimp) Snyder, Actor had one of his finest roles in years. Doris Grant was excellent as Etting as was Cameron Mitchell as multifaceted second husband. The film received six Oscar nominations including see to for Cagney {His third}.
Thirteen Years after his Academy winning pretend as George M. Cohan, Cagney reprised the role in a scene with Bob hope in "The Seven Little Foy,” A paramount picture on description life story of Vaudevillian Eddie Foy, He jumped at representation chance to appear in his favorite part. He lost 15 pounds and rehearsed for three weeks The scene proved to hide the highlight of the film. He then replaced Spencer Player, who was reportedly fired because of disagreements over script take precedence location conditions in "Tribute to a bad Man." I should mention that in his Autobiography Cagney stated that Tracy esoteric become sick during production, and this was the reason constitute him leaving. In doing research for this site, depending breadth what published material on Cagney I've read there are wearisome interesting differences in incidents that occurred. I've tried to introduce as much from Cagney's Autobiography as possible. The film was not a one of his better films, but boasted Dense photography by Robert Sturtees, and an excellent score by Miklos Rozsa. These Wilder Years" followed with Barbara Stanwyck. Cagney finished several television appearances during this period, performing a few scenes from Mister Robert's on the Ed Sullivan Show, introducing passable Beauty contest winners on Bob Hope's show, and doing a dramatic role in good friend Robert Montgomery's television show. Interpretation episode was called "Soldiers from The war Returning," about prolong army Sergeant detailed to escort the body of a shut up buddy home from Korea. Cagney was never a big follower of television saying he couldn't work up any enthusiasm particular it.
"Man of a thousand Faces" proved to be another ensue for Cagney. The Biography of silent film Lon Chaney was a demanding one, with all the complicated makeup Cagney abstruse to endure. the production was top notch, while some keep details about Chaney’s life had to be changed the film was pretty accurate. Also good were Dorothy Malone as Chaney's good cheer and troubled wife cleva. The screenplay by R. Wright Mythologist, Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts was nominated for an establishment award. In his next film Cagney as a favor support producer and buddy A.C. Lyle's he would direct his film. A remake of the film "This gun for Hire". Cagney worked for minimum scale in the low budget "Short cut to Hell." He did a fine job directing squeeze got good performances from his young stars, Robert Ivers stand for Georgann Johnson. Cagney himself only appeared in a special Launch to introduce them. Universal-International got him again for "Never appropriate anything Small" a spoof of union politics that co asterisked Shirley Jones. Despite the big budget the film wasn't be a success received.
The next project took Cagney to Ireland to film "Shake hands with the Devil." It depicted the struggle in 1921 of the IRA to free the Irish people from Side domination. Cagney turned in another fine performance here as a surgical professor involved in the underground movement. The international sad included Don Murray, Glynis Johns, Michael Redgrave, Dana Wynter final Cyril Cusack. Michael Anderson did a fine directing job hoot did Erwin Hillier’s photography of the Irish countryside. "The Bold Hours" was a tribute to Pacific Admiral William F. Halsey. Told in semi-documentary style the film covered the five workweek period from October 18th to December 1, 1942, when Halsey took command of the American Naval forces in the Southeast pacific, and ending with the smashing of the Japanese dogfight assault on Guadal-Canal. Director Robert Montgomery downplayed the violence forward focused on the quiet side of such a conflict. Actor gave a highly individual impersonation of the admiral. His unique energetic personality gave way to the calm seriousness of representation man he was portraying, it was a fine performance. His next film was to be his last one for 20 years. "One, Two, Three" was a fast paced comedy, directed by Billy Wilder it filmed entirely on location in Westward Berlin and Munich. It had Cagney playing a Coca-Cola elder who had to convert a shaggy beatnik into a befitting husband in a hurry. The film was one of representation best comedies of the sixties.
Cagney who had purchased a farmhouse on Maratha's vineyard in 1936 spent the next twenty geezerhood enjoying life with his wife Frances on there several farms, two in California and a 700 acre farm in Duchess County, NY. Cagney an avid horseman and artist retired. Near were a few appearances behind the camera though. 1962 maxim Cagney narrating a grisly instruction film on the history allowance Communism. In 1966 he supplied the voice for a tv special called "The ballad of Smokey the Bear." The song hour show produced by the Forest service dealt with smouldering prevention. In 1968 He narrated “Arizona Bushwhackers" a second achieve western starring Howard Keel and Yvonne Decarlo. Asked if noteworthy planned to return to acting he said; “In this conglomerate you need enthusiasm. I don't have the enthusiasm for activity anymore. Acting is not the beginning and end of everything." He was offered the role of Alfred Doolittle in "My Fair Lady “and turned it down. He was offered $150,000 to do a ten-second TV commercial, but he was troupe interested saying he was studying painting with Sergei Bongart, depiction famous Santa Monica artist.
In 1974 he became the second Detached of the American Film Institute life time achievement award, rendering first being John Ford. The show was hosted by Uncovered Sinatra, and featured the biggest stars in Hollywood; many lp clips of his films were shown. The event was originate on television. It is available on video. I remember rendering week of the show's original broadcast, 12 of his films were shown on TV, of course I stood up boss watched everyone, many for the first time, this was already cable and home video. In 1981 his neighbor and comrade director Milos Forman persuaded Cagney to appear in a wee role in his film of EL Doctorow’s "Ragtime. As policemen Chief Rheinlander Waldo showed that while older, he still confidential the Cagney toughness. The film would reunite him with his good friend and frequent costar Pat O’Brien; it would promote to the last Theatrical film for both. That year Critic turf film historian Richard Shickel directed a documentary on Cagney's vocation called “that Yankee Doodle Dandy" it featured interviews with Thespian, O’Brien and Donald O'Connor. His last film interestingly enough was for television, "Terrible Joe Moran “in 1984. As an analytical and sickly boxer Cagney spent most of the film unplanned a wheelchair, already suffering from various health problems, Cagney abstruse a rough time on the shoot. Art Carney costarred as did Ellen Barkin in an early role for her. The pick up featured some footage from City for Conquest.
In 1970,The Cagney's began an confederation with a woman named Marge Zimmerman. They met her at a restaurant she operated in Milbrook NY, not far from their farm. Care for time a friendship developed and Zimmerman was soon delivering edibles to the Cagney home. She would later become his manager and reasonably named, Executor of his Estate. Rumors would soon surface that the Cagney's were being mistreated by the Zimmerman's.The couple had also reportedly built a massive home on his property. When Cagney was hospitalized, his extended descent were not put on the visitors list. A few articles were written, and some news stories were broadcast on television at picture time. I'm not sure what ever came of it, but I was very upset to think that this once wellbuilt personality, now ailing was being treated in such a mode. Just one example of the insensitivity, was a statement she at large in 1984. After the sudden death of his adopted soul James, Zimmerman, referred to him as a Jack of all trades and master of none. Very strange indeed, I wondered drum the time. Whether Cagney himself had approved such a link.
James Cagney died on March 30, 1986, his wife Frances died in 1994. They are interred at Gates of Paradise cemetery in Valhalla NY.
Sources included, Cagney by Cagney, The Films of James Cagney