James Caan Biography (2)
Appearing in more than 50 feature films over the course of his career, Caan also earned recognition in Rob Reiner's highly successful and critically acclaimed Misery, a psychological thriller based on the novel by Stephan King. In the film For the Boys, a romantic drama co-starring Bette Midler, Caan garnered similar acclaim, and he was praised for his performance as a brain damaged football star in Francis Ford Coppola's The Rain People, garnering the Best Actor Award from the San Sebastian Film Festival. He also received the Actor of the Year honor by the National Association of Theater owners at NATO ShoWest, for his role in The Gambler.
Born in the Bronx and raised in Queens, New York, Caan knew early on that he did not want to follow in his father's footsteps and work in the family meat business. He entered Michigan State University at age sixteen to study economics and play football, then transferred to Hofstra University to study law, where, during spring break, he was interviewed by and accepted to Stanford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse. He then won a scholarship to study with Wynn Handman. Later, Caan won the first four roles he auditioned for in the theater.
Caan began his career on stage in the 1961 off-Broadway production of La Ronde. He followed the role with a powerful slate of guest appearances in virtually every major television series.
Caan's other film credits include Cinderella Liberty, Funny Lady, A Bridge Too Far, Theif, T.R. Baskin, Slither, Rollerball, The Killer Elite, Another Man, Another Chance, Comes a Horseman, Gardens of Stone, Alien Nation, Flesh and Bone, The Program, Honeymoon In Vegas, Eraser, Mickey Blue Eyes, The Yards, and Way of the Gun. He directed, as well as starred in, the highly acclaimed film Hide in Plain Sight.
Bio courtesy United Artists for "City of Ghosts" (30-Apr-2003)