Veteran actor James Caan has died at the age of 82. Caan, whose career spanned multiple generations, is best known for his roles in movie classics such as The Godfather and Elf.

Born in New York City to Jewish immigrants, Caan rose to stardom with his portrayal of Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone in The Godfather in 1972 which earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actor. It is interesting to note that one of Caan’s classmates at Hofstra University where he studied acting was The Godfather’s director himself, Francis Ford Coppola. Although his character dies in the first film, Caan appears briefly in the sequel The Godfather: Part II.

He also played in Brian’s Song, Funny Lady, Misery, and Las Vegas. His final film role was in the 2021 rom-com Queen Bees directed by Michael Lembeck.

Caan’s family shared the following message on Twitter:

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6.

The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.

End of tweet

— James Caan (@James_Caan) July 7, 2022

His manager Matt DelPiano confirmed the news to AFP.

According to DelPiano:

Jimmy was one of the greatest. Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved. Our relationship was always friendship before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years. My thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this difficult time.

Many Hollywood stars, including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, and Barbra Streisand, who starred opposite Cann in Funny Lady, have also paid tribute to the actor on social media.