[[quoteright:310:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/james_caan.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:310:His last name is pronounced '''''[[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan KHAAAAAAAN!]]]]'''''

->''"We go to the mattresses!"''

James Edmund Caan (March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor, who was best known for his roles as Santino "Sonny" Corleone in ''Film/TheGodfather'' (which earned him an UsefulNotes/AcademyAward nomination), Paul Sheldon in ''Film/{{Misery}}'', "Big" Ed Deline in ''Series/LasVegas'', [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and also]] Creator/WillFerrell's father in ''Film/{{Elf}}''.

Caan was also well known for his MediaNotes/EmmyAward-nominated performance as NFL player Brian Piccolo in the 1971 [[MadeForTVMovie TV movie]] ''Film/BriansSong'', co-starring Creator/BillyDeeWilliams; it's been noted that this film is one of only two sports movies (the other being ''Film/FieldOfDreams'') that is capable of [[ManlyTears making grown men cry]].

He was the [[ThoseTwoGuys roommate, friend, and frequent costar of]] Creator/RobertDuvall in the 1960s and early '70s, and for a brief period in the latter decade actually lived in the Playboy Mansion.

Caan was married four times and had five children, including actor Creator/ScottCaan (''Series/HawaiiFive0''), and is reportedly the only person to have ever escaped after going to work for the [[Series/{{Taxi}} Sunshine Cab Company]].

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!!Partial filmography:

* ''Film/IrmaLaDouce'' (1963) -- Soldier with Radio ({{uncredited|Role}}) [[invoked]]
* ''Film/LadyInACage'' (1964) -- Randall
* ''Film/ElDorado'' (1966) -- "Mississippi"
* ''Film/{{Countdown|1967}}'' (1967) -- Lee Stegler
* ''Film/TheRainPeople'' (1969) -- Jimmy Kilgannon
* ''Literature/RabbitRun'' (1970) -- Harry "Rabbit" Angstrom
* ''Film/BriansSong'' (TV movie, 1971) -- Brian Piccolo
* ''Film/TheGodfather'' (1972) -- Sonny Corleone
* ''Film/FreebieAndTheBean'' (1974) -- Freebie
* ''Film/TheGambler'' (1974) -- Axel Freed
* ''Film/TheKillerElite'' (1975) -- Mike Locken
* ''Film/{{Rollerball}}'' (1975) -- Jonathan E
* ''Film/SilentMovie'' (1976) -- [[AsHimself Himself]] (cameo)
* ''Film/ABridgeTooFar'' (1977) -- Sgt. Eddie Dohun
* ''Film/HideInPlainSight'' (1980) -- Thomas Hacklin Jr. (also director)
* ''Film/{{Thief|1981}}'' (1981) -- Frank
* ''Film/AlienNation'' (1988) -- Matthew Sikes
* ''Film/DickTracy'' (1990) -- Spud Spaldoni
* ''Film/{{Misery}}'' (1990) -- Paul Sheldon
* ''Film/HoneymoonInVegas'' (1992) -- Tommy Korman
* ''Film/BottleRocket'' (1996) -- Mr. Henry
* ''Film/{{Eraser}}'' (1996) -- U.S. Marshal Robert Deguerin
* ''Film/{{Bulletproof}}'' (1996) -- Frank Colton
* ''Film/MickeyBlueEyes'' (1999) -- Frank Vitale
* ''Film/TheWayOfTheGun'' (2000) -- Joe Sarno
* ''Film/{{Dogville}}'' (2003) -- The Big Man
* ''Series/LasVegas'' (TV series, 2003-07) -- "Big Ed" Deline
* ''Film/{{Elf}}'' (2003) -- Walter Hobbs
* ''Film/GetSmart'' (2008) -- The President
* ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs'' (2009) -- Tim Lockwood (voice)
** ''WesternAnimation/CloudyWithAChanceOfMeatballs2'' (2013)
* ''Film/HenrysCrime'' (2010) -- Max Saltzman
* ''Film/ThatsMyBoy'' (2012) -- Father [=McNally=]
* ''Series/BackInTheGame'' (TV series, 2013) -- Terry "The Cannon" Gannon Sr.

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