Actor James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and appeared in dozens of other movies, has died aged 82, his family has said.
In a statement released by the family, they said: "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6."
The statement added: “The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”
James had an accomplished career in Hollywood and is probably best known for playing Sonny Corleone in The Godfather.
The role earned him an Oscar nomination and his portrayal has become one of the most celebrated in movie history.
James reprised the role of Sonny for The Godfather Part II with a cameo appearance at the end.
Tributes poured in for the legendary actor, with Piers Morgan among the first to write on Twitter: "RIP James Caan, 82. Brilliant actor - loved him as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, such a ferocious, menacing, magnificent performance. Met him once at a party in LA and he was a very funny & highly entertaining man. Sad news."
The actor began his career in the 1960s in theatre roles before starring in Hollywood movies El Dorado in 1966, Countdown in 1967, and the Francis Ford Coppola directed 1969 film, The Rain People.
The Godfather raised his profile further and James was never short of film offers with Brian's Song, The Gambler and A Bridge Too Far being added to his acting CV during the 70s.
The 80s and 90s saw a lull but James was back in the public eye when he starred alongside Will Ferrell in 2003 film Elf.
This gained him another generation of fans and he continued to work up to his death.
In one of his last public appearances, James appeared with Coppola at the 50th anniversary of the release of The Godfather in February.
In his private life, James was married four times, with the first being to Dee Jay Mathis from 1961 to 1966.
They had a daughter, Tara, together before James had a short marriage to Sheila Marie Ryan, from 1976 to 1977.
This relationship welcomed a son named Scott, before the actor was married for a third time to Ingrid Hajek from 1990 to 1994.
James welcomed a second son, Alexander, during this marriage before he was married for a fourth and last time to Linda Stokes, in 1995.
With Linda, James welcomed two more sons, James and Jacob, before the couple filed for divorce in 2017.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
