James Cagney
James Cagney was a true Hollywood legend, a performer who could shift effortlessly between comedy and drama, toughness and vulnerability. Born in 1899 in New York City, Cagney began his career in vaudeville before making his way to Broadway, where he made a name for himself in musicals and plays. But it was in Hollywood that Cagney truly shone, becoming one of the most beloved actors of his time. With his distinctive voice and tough-guy persona, he was a natural fit for gangster movies, and he starred in some of the most famous gangster films of all time, including The Public Enemy (1931), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), and White Heat (1949). But Cagney was more than just a gangster. He was a versatile performer who could also sing and dance with the best of them, as he proved in the film Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), which won him the Oscar for his energetic portrayal of entertainer George M. Cohan. In his remarkable career, Cagney starred in over 50 films, and we're pleased to feature many of his movies that are available for free online.
