---
name: "James Cagney"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/james-cagney"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "17 July 1899"
died: "30 March 1986"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 74
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-09-20T00:48:13.255956+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# James Cagney

Actor. Born 17 July 1899 in New York City, New York, USA. Died 30 March 1986.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 17 July 1899, New York City, New York, USA
- **Died:** 30 March 1986
- **Active:** 1934–1942
- **Also known as:** Jimmy Cagney, James Francis Cagney, Джеймс Кэгни, James Francis Cagney Jr., Джеймс Фрэнсис Кэгни-младший
- **Titles on Fi1m:** 4: 3 acting, 1 other
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 2 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 74, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1930s 76 (3), 1940s 78 (1)
- **Score spread:** 0 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 2 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 2, Comedy 1, Fantasy 1, Music 1, Romance 1, War 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $25m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cagney, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q94041, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000010/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/5788

## Fi1m on James Cagney

> James Cagney moved like a dancer and talked faster than anyone else on screen, and the two together made him the most alive thing in any frame Warner Bros put him in. Typecast as a hoodlum, he was better than the type.

Watch James Cagney stand still. In *Here Comes the Navy* (1934) he is made to stand at attention, jaw working, saying nothing and hating every second, and he is funnier than when he talks. That is the trick of him. He came out of vaudeville as a tap dancer, and every part he played afterwards kept the dancer's habits: weight forward, hands busy, the walk arriving a beat ahead of the line. He talks faster than anyone else on screen and is already moving when the line ends.

Warner Bros found out what they had with *The Public Enemy* (1931). Tom Powers made his name and fixed his image, and the studio spent most of the decade asking for the same man again. He fought them over it, went briefly to Grand National in 1936 and 1937, and came back. In between the hoodlums he made *Footlight Parade* (1933) for Lloyd Bacon, a Busby Berkeley musical that let the hoofer out, and *Angels with Dirty Faces* (1938), where Rocky Sullivan is a tough guy with a conscience he is not sure he wants. *Yankee Doodle Dandy* (1942) gave him George M. Cohan and the song and dance back in full. *White Heat* (1949) sent him back to the gangster, and Cody Jarrett is the one people mean when they say Cagney. He retired after *One, Two, Three* (1961) and returned once, for *Ragtime* (1981).

What works is the pressure. He is the same size in a comedy as in a shooting, and in *Here Comes the Navy* Bacon simply points him at Pat O'Brien and lets them argue for 87 minutes. O'Brien bellows, Cagney needles, and the film needs both. They made nine films together, and O'Brien was the straight man he needed: someone who has read the rulebook aloud so that Cagney can knock it off the table. We laughed out loud at the dance hall fight in that film, which arrives exactly on schedule, and then were surprised by how much we enjoyed him doing nothing at all, standing to attention a few scenes later with his jaw going and not a word coming out.

What does not work is sentiment. When a script asks him to be admired rather than watched, the pressure drops. *Here Comes the Navy* is a small case of it: the second half wants Chesty taken seriously as a hero, and we could not quite manage it. The complaint followed him into the 1950s, and *Mister Roberts* (1955) is the film most often held against him on that count.

He put it plainly himself: "Once a song and dance man, always a song and dance man." Start with *The Public Enemy* if you want the legend. Then watch *Here Comes the Navy* on a wet afternoon and keep your eye on his feet, which is where the acting was all along.

## Biography

James Cagney (1899–1986) was an American actor and dancer. Born in New York City, he began in vaudeville as a song-and-dance performer before making his Broadway debut in the 1920s. He entered films with Sinners’ Holiday (1930) and signed with Warner Bros.

Cagney became a star with his role as gangster Tom Powers in The Public Enemy (1931). He received Academy Award nominations for Angels with Dirty Faces (1938) and Love Me or Leave Me (1955), winning Best Actor for his portrayal of George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942). Other notable performances include roles in The Roaring Twenties (1939), White Heat (1949) and Mister Roberts (1955).

After retiring from films in 1961, Cagney returned for Ragtime (1981). He appeared in Here Comes the Navy (1934) as Chesty O’Conner.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, britannica.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (4)

### Performed in (3) — the average rests on these

- *Yankee Doodle Dandy* (1942), Fi1m 78, as George M. Cohan — [page](https://film.one/film/yankee-doodle-dandy.md)
- *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1935), Fi1m 74, as Bottom — [page](https://film.one/film/a-midsummer-nights-dream.md)
- *Here Comes the Navy* (1934), Fi1m 70, as Chesty O'Conner — [page](https://film.one/film/here-comes-the-navy.md)

### Also credited (1) — thanks, archive footage, uncredited

- *Mutiny on the Bounty* (1935), Fi1m 83, as (uncredited) — [page](https://film.one/film/mutiny-on-the-bounty.md)

## Complete filmography (86)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Becoming Marilyn* (2022), as (archive footage)
- *Warner at War* (2008), as (archive footage)
- *Legends* (2006), series, as Martin Snyder (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Remembering Ragtime* (2004), as NY Police Commissioner Rheinlander Waldo (archive footage)
- *Routine Pleasures* (1986), as Ed "Eddie" Bailey (archive footage)
- *That's Dancing!* (1985), as From 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' (archive footage)
- *Terrible Joe Moran* (1984), as Joe Moran
- *Going Hollywood: The '30s* (1984), as (archive footage)
- *Showbiz Goes to War* (1982), as (archive footage)
- *Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid* (1982), as (in "White Heat") (archive footage)
- *James Cagney: That Yankee Doodle Dandy* (1981), Actor
- *Ragtime* (1981), as New York Police Commissioner Rhinelander Waldo
- *That's Entertainment, Part II* (1976), as (archive footage) (uncredited)
- *Texaco Presents: A Quarter Century of Bob Hope on Television* (1975), as (archive footage)
- *Arizona Bushwhackers* (1968), as Narrator
- *Ballad of Smokey the Bear* (1966), as Narrator (voice)
- *The Day of the Oath* (1965), as Narrator
- *The Road to the Wall* (1962), as Narrator
- *One, Two, Three* (1961), as C.R. MacNamara
- *The Gallant Hours* (1960), as Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey · Producer
- *Shake Hands with the Devil* (1959), as Sean Lenihan
- *Never Steal Anything Small* (1959), as Jake MacIllaney
- *Short Cut to Hell* (1957), Director
- *Man of a Thousand Faces* (1957), as Lon Chaney
- *These Wilder Years* (1956), as Steve Bradford
- *Tribute to a Bad Man* (1956), as Jeremy Rodack
- *The Seven Little Foys* (1955), as George M. Cohan
- *Mister Roberts* (1955), as Captain Morton
- *Love Me or Leave Me* (1955), as Martin Snyder
- *Run for Cover* (1955), as Matt Dow
- *A Lion Is in the Streets* (1953), as Hank Martin
- *What Price Glory* (1952), as Captain Flagg
- *Starlift* (1951), as James Cagney
- *Come Fill the Cup* (1951), as Lew Marsh
- *The West Point Story* (1950), as Elwin Bixby
- *Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye* (1950), as Ralph Cotter
- *Robert Montgomery Presents* (1950), series, as George Bridgeman
- *White Heat* (1949), as Arthur 'Cody' Jarrett
- *The Time of Your Life* (1948), as Joseph
- *13 Rue Madeleine* (1947), as Robert Emmett 'Bob' Sharkey
- *Okay for Sound* (1946), as Tommy Powers (archive footage)
- *Blood on the Sun* (1945), as Nick Condon
- *Johnny Come Lately* (1943), as Tom Richards
- *You, John Jones!* (1943), as John Jones
- *Yankee Doodle Dandy* (1942), as George M. Cohan — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/yankee-doodle-dandy.md)
- *Captains of the Clouds* (1942), as Brian MacLean
- *The Bride Came C.O.D.* (1941), as Steve Collins
- *The Strawberry Blonde* (1941), as Biff Grimes
- *City for Conquest* (1940), as Danny Kenny
- *Torrid Zone* (1940), as Nick Butler
- *The Fighting 69th* (1940), as Jerry Plunkett
- *The Roaring Twenties* (1939), as Eddie Bartlett
- *Each Dawn I Die* (1939), as Frank Ross
- *The Oklahoma Kid* (1939), as Jim Kincaid
- *Angels with Dirty Faces* (1938), as Rocky Sullivan
- *Boy Meets Girl* (1938), as Robert Law
- *Something to Sing About* (1937), as Terry Rooney
- *Great Guy* (1936), as Johnny 'Red' Cave
- *Ceiling Zero* (1936), as Dizzy Davies
- *Frisco Kid* (1935), as Bat Morgan
- *Mutiny on the Bounty* (1935), as (uncredited) — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/mutiny-on-the-bounty.md)
- *A Midsummer Night's Dream* (1935), as Bottom — Fi1m 74, [page](https://film.one/film/a-midsummer-nights-dream.md)
- *The Irish in Us* (1935), as Danny O'Hara
- *'G' Men* (1935), as ‘Brick' Davis
- *Screen Snapshots Series 14, No. 8* (1935), Actor
- *Devil Dogs of the Air* (1935), as Tommy O'Toole
- *The St. Louis Kid* (1934), as Eddie Kennedy
- *Here Comes the Navy* (1934), as Chesty O'Conner — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/here-comes-the-navy.md)
- *He Was Her Man* (1934), as Flicker Hayes, aka Jerry Allen
- *Jimmy the Gent* (1934), as Jimmy Corrigan
- *Lady Killer* (1933), as Dan
- *Footlight Parade* (1933), as Chester Kent
- *The Mayor of Hell* (1933), as Richard 'Patsy' Gargan
- *Picture Snatcher* (1933), as Daniel Patrick "Danny" Kean
- *Hard to Handle* (1933), as Lefty Merrill
- *Winner Take All* (1932), as Jim 'Jimmy' Kane
- *The Crowd Roars* (1932), as Joe Greer
- *Taxi!* (1932), as Matt Nolan
- *Blonde Crazy* (1931), as Albert 'Bert' Harris
- *Smart Money* (1931), as Jack
- *The Millionaire* (1931), as Schofield
- *The Public Enemy* (1931), as Tom Powers
- *Other Men's Women* (1931), as Ed 'Eddie' Bailey
- *The Doorway to Hell* (1930), as Steve Mileaway
- *Sinners' Holiday* (1930), as Harry Delano
- *The Singing Fool* (1928), as Handsy Patron at Blackie Joe's (uncredited)

## Gallery

- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-543135048756.jpg) James Cagney — Warner Bros. Studio (work for hire), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/63/James_cagney_promo_photo_%28cropped%2C_centered%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![American actor James Cagney (1930)](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-254def5f850a.jpg) American actor James Cagney (1930) — Elmer Fryer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/James_Cagney_by_Elmer_Fryer.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![James Cagney & Sylvia Sidney in Blood on the Sun - cropped screenshot (original image : see source) (1945)](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-6a7e3fb563de.jpg) James Cagney & Sylvia Sidney in Blood on the Sun - cropped screenshot (original image : see source) (1945) — film screenshot (United Artists), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Blood_on_the_Sun_%281945%29_1.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Sylvia Sidney & James Cagney in Blood on the Sun - cropped screenshot (1945)](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-c54cc9aa1d94.jpg) Sylvia Sidney & James Cagney in Blood on the Sun - cropped screenshot (1945) — film screenshot (William Cagney Productions / United Artists), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Blood_on_the_Sun_%281945%29_2.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-1c7473a2c88e.jpg) James Cagney — Image via TMDB
- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-33e9298f741a.jpg) James Cagney — Image via TMDB
- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-dca28a24dbc5.jpg) James Cagney — Image via TMDB
- ![Mae Clarke and James Cagney in The Public Enemy (1930) publicity still. (1931)](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-2958f6b908c9.jpg) Mae Clarke and James Cagney in The Public Enemy (1930) publicity still. (1931) — Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Mae_Clarke_and_James_Cagney.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![John Halloran (left) & James Cagney in Blood on the Sun - cropped screenshot (1945)](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-9fa18a38642c.jpg) John Halloran (left) & James Cagney in Blood on the Sun - cropped screenshot (1945) — Film screenshot (United Artists), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Blood_on_the_Sun_%281945%29_4.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-493af953ee64.jpg) James Cagney — Image via TMDB
- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-7b3de37d7644.jpg) James Cagney — Image via TMDB
- ![James Cagney](https://film.one/media/person/1227296/gallery-d8bfbdc2dce5.jpg) James Cagney — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 2 nominated

- 1956: Best Actor (nominated), for *Love Me or Leave Me*
- 1943: Best Actor (won), for *Yankee Doodle Dandy*
- 1939: Best Actor (nominated), for *Angels with Dirty Faces*

### Other awards — 2 won

- Presidential Medal of Freedom 1984: Presidential Medal of Freedom (won)
- AFI Life Achievement Award 1974: AFI Life Achievement Award (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/james-cagney