[169][170] Cagney was a very private man, and while he was willing to give the press opportunities for photographs, he generally spent his personal time out of the public eye. [125] The Cagneys had hoped that an action film would appeal more to audiences, but it fared worse at the box office than Johnny Come Lately. The overriding message of violence inevitably leading to more violence attracted Cagney to the role of an Irish Republican Army commander, and resulted in what some critics would regard as the finest performance of his final years. Gable punched Stanwyck's character in the film, knocking the nurse unconscious. Cagney starred as Rocky Sullivan, a gangster fresh out of jail and looking for his former associate, played by Humphrey Bogart, who owes him money. The NRA tweeted out that any and all gun control measures issued and demanded by voters of this country are unconstitutional. [74] Warner Bros. refused to cave in this time, and suspended him. The show's management insisted that he copy Broadway lead Lee Tracy's performance, despite Cagney's discomfort in doing so, but the day before the show sailed for England, they decided to replace him. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Official Sites In 1920, Cagney was a member of the chorus for the show Pitter Patter, where he met Frances Willard "Billie" Vernon. "[147], The following year, Cagney appeared in Man of a Thousand Faces, in which he played a fictionalized version of Lon Chaney. [160], Cagney was diagnosed with glaucoma and began taking eye drops, but continued to have vision problems. He was a true icon, and his essential integrity illuminated and deepened even the most depraved of the characters he portrayed. James Cagney, whose feisty, finger-jabbing portrayals of the big city tough guy helped create a new breed of Hollywood superstarbut won his only Oscar playing a song-and-dance mandied Easter. [184], In his autobiography, Cagney said that as a young man, he had no political views, since he was more concerned with where the next meal was coming from. At this point, he had had no experience with drama. William Cagney claimed this donation was the root of the charges in 1940. By the end of the run, Cagney was exhausted from acting and running the dance school. [178], Cagney was born in 1899 (prior to the widespread use of automobiles) and loved horses from childhood. He worked for the independent film company Grand National (starring in two films: the musical Something to Sing About and the drama Great Guy) for a year while the suit was being settled, then in 1942 establishing his own production company, Cagney Productions, before returning to Warner seven years later. In reference to Cagney's refusal to be pushed around, Jack L. Warner called him "the Professional Againster". "[113], Filming began the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the cast and crew worked in a "patriotic frenzy"[109] as the United States' involvement in World War II gave the workers a feeling that "they might be sending the last message from the free world", according to actress Rosemary DeCamp. It's nice to know that you people thought I did a good job. [78] His insistence on no more than four films a year was based on his having witnessed actorseven teenagersregularly being worked 100 hours a week to turn out more films. [187], This somewhat exaggerated view was enhanced by his public contractual wranglings with Warner Bros. at the time, his joining of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933, and his involvement in the revolt against the so-called "Merriam tax". I'm ready now are you?" Cagney announced in March 1942 that his brother William and he were setting up Cagney Productions to release films though United Artists. "Nye" was a rearrangement of the last syllable of Cagney's surname. For Cagney's next film, he traveled to Ireland for Shake Hands with the Devil, directed by Michael Anderson. One of the most popular and acclaimed actors of his time, his career spanned fifty-five years. The film is notable for not only being the first time that Cagney danced on screen, but it was also the last time he allowed himself to be shot at with live ammunition (a relatively common occurrence at the time, as blank cartridges and squibs were considered too expensive and hard to find for use in most motion picture filming). Eventually, they borrowed some money and headed back to New York via Chicago and Milwaukee, enduring failure along the way when they attempted to make money on the stage. He gave several performances a day for the Army Signal Corps of The American Cavalcade of Dance, which consisted of a history of American dance, from the earliest days to Fred Astaire, and culminated with dances from Yankee Doodle Dandy. [37][38] Both the play and Cagney received good reviews; Life magazine wrote, "Mr. Cagney, in a less spectacular role [than his co-star] makes a few minutes silence during his mock-trial scene something that many a more established actor might watch with profit." While the major studios were producing patriotic war movies, Cagney was determined to continue dispelling his tough-guy image,[121] so he produced a movie that was a "complete and exhilarating exposition of the Cagney 'alter-ego' on film". Upon hearing of the rumor of a hit, George Raft made a call, and the hit was supposedly canceled. Cagney's last movie in 1935 was Ceiling Zero, his third film with Pat O'Brien. [81] Also in 1934, Cagney made his first of two raucous comedies with Bette Davis, Jimmy the Gent, for which he had himself heavily made up with thick eyebrows and procured an odd haircut for the period without the studio's permission, shaved on the back and sides. Cagney announced that he would do his next three pictures for free if they canceled the five years remaining on his contract. [7] Reviews were strong, and the film is considered one of the best of his later career. [100] (He also lost the role of Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne in Knute Rockne, All American to his friend Pat O'Brien for the same reason. [30]) So strong was his habit of holding down more than one job at a time, he also worked as a dresser for one of the leads, portered the casts' luggage, and understudied for the lead. He became one of Hollywood's leading stars and one of Warner Bros.' biggest contracts. Gabriel Chavat, Himself in the Pre-Credit Scene (Uncredited), Aired on NBC on September 10, 1956, in the first episode of Season 6 of Robert Montgomery Presents, This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 22:31. In his acceptance speech, Cagney said, "I've always maintained that in this business, you're only as good as the other fellow thinks you are. Black and White. This time, he slapped co-star Evalyn Knapp. [176][177] Cagney loved that no paved roads surrounded the property, only dirt tracks. On stage and in film, he was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. Date of Death: March 30, 1986. He won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances. [23] He also played semi-professional baseball for a local team,[20] and entertained dreams of playing in the Major Leagues. As Vernon recalled, "Jimmy said that it was all over. Warner Bros. disagreed, however, and refused to give him a raise. "[42], The Cagneys had run-of-the-play contracts, which lasted as long as the play did. These roles led to a part in George Kelly's Maggie the Magnificent, a play the critics disliked, though they liked Cagney's performance. Cast as Father Timothy O'Dowd in the 1944 Bing Crosby film, Going My Way, McHugh later played William Jennings Depew in the . [104] In 1939 Cagney was second to only Gary Cooper in the national acting wage stakes, earning $368,333.[105]. He lost to Spencer Tracy in Boys Town. [3] Zimmermann then took it upon herself to look after Cagney, preparing his meals to reduce his blood triglycerides, which had reached alarming levels. "[207], He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1980, and a Career Achievement Award from the U.S. National Board of Review in 1981. [204], For his contributions to the film industry, Cagney was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 with a motion pictures star located at 6504 Hollywood Boulevard. As he did when he was growing up, Cagney shared his income with his family. imaginary friend ghost; . [98] The film is regarded by many as one of Cagney's finest,[99] and garnered him an Academy Award for Best Actor nomination for 1938. [167] The film made use of fight clips from Cagney's boxing movie Winner Take All (1932). [66] As in The Public Enemy, Cagney was required to be physically violent to a woman on screen, a signal that Warner Bros. was keen to keep Cagney in the public eye. The second movie Cagney's company produced was Blood on the Sun. [168] In 1940 they adopted a son whom they named James Francis Cagney III, and later a daughter, Cathleen "Casey" Cagney. He took a role in the Guild's fight against the Mafia, which had begun to take an active interest in the movie industry. Mae Clarke (born Violet Mary Klotz; August 16, 1910 - April 29, 1992) was an American actress.She is widely remembered for playing Henry Frankenstein's bride Elizabeth, who is chased by Boris Karloff in Frankenstein, and for being on the receiving end of James Cagney's halved grapefruit in The Public Enemy. Fanzines in the 1930s, however, described his politics as "radical". [11] His mother was Carolyn Elizabeth (ne Nelson; 18771945); her father was a Norwegian ship's captain,[3] and her mother was Irish. ", "Players to Open Season With 'Yankee Doodle Dandy', "Suspense: Love's Lovely Counterfeit (Radio)", Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Cagney&oldid=1140812890, Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York), United Service Organizations entertainers, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Articles with unsourced statements from February 2019, TCMDb name template using non-numeric ID from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, The only film starring both Edward G. Robinson and Cagney, The movie along with his character and voice was used in The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios, Robert Emmett "Bob" Sharkey a.k.a. [11] His father, James Francis Cagney Sr. (18751918), was of Irish descent. Age at Death: 86. What I actually did say was 'Judy, Judy, Judy! [46] While the critics panned Penny Arcade, they praised Cagney and Blondell. ALL GUN CONTROL IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. [131][132] Cinema had changed in the 10 years since Walsh last directed Cagney (in The Strawberry Blonde), and the actor's portrayal of gangsters had also changed. He turned it into a working farm, selling some of the dairy cattle and replacing them with beef cattle. He held out for $4000 a week,[73] the same salary as Edward G. Robinson, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and Kay Francis. James Cagney Jr. [a memoir] After graduating from Marine boot-camp at Parris Island, South Carolina; I was assigned to the Officer's Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. Cagney noted, "I never had the slightest difficulty with a fellow actor. [34][35], In 1924, after years of touring and struggling to make money, Cagney and Vernon moved to Hawthorne, California, partly for Cagney to meet his new mother-in-law, who had just moved there from Chicago, and partly to investigate breaking into the movies. They took the line out.[50]. Cagney himself refused to say, insisting he liked the ambiguity. Burns Mantle wrote that it "contained the most honest acting now to be seen in New York. [20] He was a good street fighter, defending his older brother Harry, a medical student, when necessary. It is one of the quietest, most reflective, subtlest jobs that Mr. Cagney has ever done. [132] Cagney attributed the performance to his father's alcoholic rages, which he had witnessed as a child, as well as someone that he had seen on a visit to a mental hospital. James Cagney real name: James Francis Cagney Jr Height: 5'5''(in feet & inches) 1.651(m) 165.1(cm) , Birthdate(Birthday): July 17, 1899 , Age on March 30, 1986 (Death date): 86 Years 8 Months 13 Days Profession: Movies (Actor), Also working as: Dancer, Father: James Cagney, Sr., Mother: Carolyn Cagney, School: Stuyvesant High School, New York City, College: Columbia College of Columbia . Al Jolson, sensing film potential, bought the rights for $20,000. [155] In fact, it was one of the worst experiences of his long career. [186] Around the same time, he gave money for a Spanish Republican Army ambulance during the Spanish Civil War, which he put down to being "a soft touch". How crazy is that? was the source of one of Cagney's most misquoted lines; he never actually said, "MMMmmm, you dirty rat! [76][77] He regularly sent money and goods to old friends from his neighborhood, though he did not generally make this known. The film was swiftly followed by The Crowd Roars and Winner Take All. [123], "I'm here to dance a few jigs, sing a few songs, say hello to the boys, and that's all.". [136] Cagney was still struggling against his gangster typecasting. She died on August 11, 2004. He was an avid painter and exhibited at the public library in Poughkeepsie. James was 86 years old at the time of death. Major film star William Powell played a rare supporting role as "Doc" in the film, his final picture before retirement from a stellar career that had spanned 33 years, since his first appearance in Sherlock Holmes with John Barrymore in 1922. After rave reviews, Warner Bros. signed him for an initial $400-a-week, three-week contract; when the executives at the studio saw the first dailies for the film, Cagney's contract was immediately extended. [205][206], In 1974, Cagney received the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award. The two stars got on well; they had both previously worked in vaudeville, and they entertained the cast and crew off-screen by singing and dancing. Cagney completed his first decade of movie-making in 1939 with The Roaring Twenties, his first film with Raoul Walsh and his last with Bogart. So it made sense that he would return East in retirement. "[152] For the first time, Cagney considered walking out of a film. The closest he got to it in the film was, "Come out and take it, you dirty, yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!" In 1959 Cagney played a labor leader in what proved to be his final musical, Never Steal Anything Small, which featured a comical song and dance duet with Cara Williams, who played his girlfriend. Lemmon was shocked; he had done it on a whim, and thought no one else had noticed. The New York Times reported that at the time of his death he was 42 years old. [131], On May 19, 2015, a new musical celebrating Cagney, and dramatizing his relationship with Warner Bros., opened off-Broadway in New York City at the York Theatre. Cagney retired from acting and dancing in 1961 to spend time on his farm with his family. When in New York, Billie Vernon and he held numerous parties at the Silver Horn restaurant, where they got to know Marge Zimmermann, the proprietress. frank james family tree; gymnastics calendar 2022; lopez middle school football. [73][74] Warner Bros. refused, so Cagney once again walked out. James Arness, best known for his role as a towering Dodge City lawman in Gunsmoke, died at home in his sleep Friday. He had worked on Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidential campaigns, including the 1940 presidential election against Wendell Willkie. Many in Hollywood watched the case closely for hints of how future contracts might be handled. [144], Cagney's skill at noticing tiny details in other actors' performances became apparent during the shooting of Mister Roberts. [92] Additionally, William Cagney was guaranteed the position of assistant producer for the movies in which his brother starred. He signed a distribution-production deal with the studio for the film White Heat,[130] effectively making Cagney Productions a unit of Warner Bros.[93], Cagney's portrayal of Cody Jarrett in the 1949 film White Heat is one of his most memorable. houseboat netherlands / brigada pagbasa 2021 memo region 5 / james cagney cause of death. Cagney often gave away his work but refused to sell his paintings, considering himself an amateur. Ford walked away, and they had no more problems, though Cagney never particularly liked Ford. Warner Brothers' succession of gangster movie hits, in particular Little Caesar with Edward G. Robinson,[53] culminated in the 1931 film The Public Enemy. James Cagney Musicals & Broadway Movie LaserDiscs, Like . Cagney left his estate to a trust of which the Zimmermans are trustees. Miss Clarke was 81 and died after a short bout with cancer, said a spokeswoman for the Motion Picture Country Home and Hospital in Woodland Hills, where the platinum blonde tough girl in "The. The show received rave reviews[44] and was followed by Grand Street Follies of 1929. [210], Cagney was among the most favored actors for director Stanley Kubrick and actor Marlon Brando,[211] and was considered by Orson Welles to be "maybe the greatest actor to ever appear in front of a camera. James' last role before his death was in a made-for-television feature by the name of Terrible Joe Moran. The first version of the National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935 and growing tensions between labor and management fueled the movement. Stanfordville, NY (3/30/2010) JLogic72 140 subscribers 227K views 12 years ago The quaint little stone farm cottage in Stanfordville, New York where. After he spent two weeks in the hospital, Zimmermann became his full-time caregiver, traveling with Billie Vernon and him wherever they went. Cagney returned to the studio and made Hard to Handle (1933). [21] Cagney believed in hard work, later stating, "It was good for me. He played a young tough guy in the three-act play Outside Looking In by Maxwell Anderson, earning $200 a week. [31], Pitter Patter was not hugely successful, but it did well enough to run for 32 weeks, making it possible for Cagney to join the vaudeville circuit. [85][119] Free of Warner Bros. again, Cagney spent some time relaxing on his farm in Martha's Vineyard before volunteering to join the USO. After he had turned down an offer to play Alfred Doolittle in My Fair Lady,[158][159] he found it easier to rebuff others, including a part in The Godfather Part II. Following the film's completion, Cagney went back to the USO and toured US military bases in the UK. Despite this outburst, the studio liked him, and before his three-week contract was upwhile the film was still shooting[51]they gave Cagney a three-week extension, which was followed by a full seven-year contract at $400 a week. [61], However, according to Turner Classic Movies (TCM), the grapefruit scene was a practical joke that Cagney and costar Mae Clarke decided to play on the crew while the cameras were rolling. [140][141] When the film was released, Snyder reportedly asked how Cagney had so accurately copied his limp, but Cagney himself insisted he had not, having based it on personal observation of other people when they limped: "What I did was very simple. It was agreed so we put in all those fits and headaches. The ruse proved so successful that when Spencer Tracy came to visit, his taxi driver refused to drive up to the house, saying, "I hear they shoot!" This role of the sympathetic "bad" guy was to become a recurring character type for Cagney throughout his career. Having been told while filming Angels with Dirty Faces that he would be doing a scene with real machine gun bullets (a common practice in the Hollywood of the time), Cagney refused and insisted the shots be added afterwards. "[152][153], Cagney's penultimate film was a comedy. [85][86] Cagney made two films for Grand National: Great Guy and Something to Sing About. I never dreamed it would be shown in the movie. Almost a year after its creation, Cagney Productions produced its first film, Johnny Come Lately, in 1943. Suddenly he has to come face-to-face with the realities of life without any mama or papa to do his thinking for him. The younger Cagney died Friday of a heart attack in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Marge Zimmermann, the 84-year-old actor's secretary, said Cagney had become estranged from his son in a. [29] Cagney appreciated the $35 a week he was paid, which he later remembered as "a mountain of money for me in those worrisome days. This was his last role. Cagney initially had the make-up department put prominent scars on the back of his head for a close-up but the studio demanded that he remove them. White Heat is a 1949 American film noir directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran.. ucla environmental science graduate program; four elements to the doctrinal space superiority construct; woburn police scanner live. He said to a journalist, "It's what the people want me to do. Early years. "[116] A paid premire, with seats ranging from $25 to $25,000, raised $5,750,000 for war bonds for the US treasury.[117][118]. She attended Hunter College High School. [162], "I think he's some kind of genius. Though Irish and not a Jew, Cagney was fluent in Yiddish. I was very flattered. [126] Cagney thought that Murphy had the looks to be a movie star, and suggested that he come to Hollywood. Cagney had long been told by friends that he would make an excellent director,[149] so when he was approached by his friend, producer A. C. Lyles, he instinctively said yes. Top of the world!" "[45], Playing opposite Cagney in Maggie the Magnificent was Joan Blondell, who starred again with him a few months later in Marie Baumer's new play, Penny Arcade. The film was a success, and The New York Times's Bosley Crowther singled its star out for praise: "It is Mr. Cagney's performance, controlled to the last detail, that gives life and strong, heroic stature to the principal figure in the film. He received good reviews for both,[87][88] but overall the production quality was not up to Warner Bros. standards, and the films did not do well. The supporting cast features Andy Devine and George Reeves. Social Security Death Index, Master File. Normally, when a star walked out, the time he or she was absent was added onto the end of an already long contract, as happened with Olivia de Havilland and Bette Davis. In his acceptance speech, Cagney lightly chastised the impressionist Frank Gorshin, saying, "Oh, Frankie, just in passing, I never said 'MMMMmmmm, you dirty rat!' [174][172] Cagney's daughter Cathleen was also estranged from her father during the final years of his life. [86], In 1955, having shot three films, Cagney bought a 120-acre (0.49km2) farm in Stanfordville, Dutchess County, New York, for $100,000. The cause of death. After a messy shootout, Sullivan is eventually captured by the police and sentenced to death in the electric chair. He wanted more money for his successful films, but he also offered to take a smaller salary should his star wane. Cagney had been considered for the role, but lost out on it due to his typecasting. In 1940, Cagney portrayed a boxer in the epic thriller City for Conquest with Ann Sheridan as Cagney's leading lady, Arthur Kennedy in his first screen role as Cagney's younger brother attempting to compose musical symphonies, Anthony Quinn as a brutish dancer, and Elia Kazan as a flamboyantly dressed young gangster originally from the local neighborhood. I came close to knocking him on his ass. [133] Cagney himself had the idea of playing Jarrett as psychotic; he later stated, "it was essentially a cheapie one-two-three-four kind of thing, so I suggested we make him nuts. He refused to give interviews to the British press, preferring to concentrate on rehearsals and performances. [166] His appearance onstage prompted the Queen Mother to rise to her feet, the only time she did so during the whole show, and she later broke protocol to go backstage to speak with Cagney directly.[163]. Cagney greatly enjoyed painting,[184] and claimed in his autobiography that he might have been happier, if somewhat poorer, as a painter than a movie star. "[94] Cagney himself acknowledged the importance of the walkout for other actors in breaking the dominance of the studio system. This was a favor to Montgomery, who needed a strong fall season opener to stop the network from dropping his series. In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked him eighth on its list of greatest male stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Marguerite and Donald Zimmerman were named executors. They had two children: James Cagney IV, and Cynthia Cagney. [103] In addition to the smash hit Each Dawn I Die, an extremely entertaining prison movie with George Raft that was so successful at the box office that it prompted the studio to offer Raft an important contract in the wake of his departure from Paramount, and The Oklahoma Kid, a memorable Western with Humphrey Bogart as the black-clad villain. [30] Among the chorus line performers was 20-year-old Frances Willard "Billie" Vernon; they married in 1922. While revisiting his old haunts, he runs into his old friend Jerry Connolly, played by O'Brien, who is now a priest concerned about the Dead End Kids' futures, particularly as they idolize Rocky. [156] One of the few positive aspects was his friendship with Pamela Tiffin, to whom he gave acting guidance, including the secret that he had learned over his career: "You walk in, plant yourself squarely on both feet, look the other fella in the eye, and tell the truth. Vernon was in the chorus line of the show, and with help from the Actors' Equity Association, Cagney understudied Tracy on the Broadway show, providing them with a desperately needed steady income. Jimmy Cagney was a born and bred New Yorker. St. Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor, American Film Institute Life Achievement Award, Laurel Award for Top Male Comedy Performance, "James Cagney Is Dead at 86; Master of Pugnacious Grace", "If You're Thinking of Living In / Berkeley Heights, N.J.; Quiet Streets Near River and Mountain". In 1935 Cagney was listed as one of the Top Ten Moneymakers in Hollywood for the first time,[82] and was cast more frequently in non-gangster roles; he played a lawyer who joins the FBI in G-Men, and he also took on his first, and only, Shakespearean role, as top-billed Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream alongside Joe E. Brown as Francis Flute and Mickey Rooney as Puck. [citation needed], Despite the fact that Ragtime was his first film in 20 years, Cagney was immediately at ease: Flubbed lines and miscues were committed by his co-stars, often simply through sheer awe. [96], Cagney's two films of 1938, Boy Meets Girl and Angels with Dirty Faces, both costarred Pat O'Brien. [89], Cagney also became involved in political causes, and in 1936, agreed to sponsor the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League. Retitled Sinners' Holiday, the film was released in 1930, starring Grant Withers and Evalyn Knapp. The film was low budget, and shot quickly. Al Jolson saw him in the play and bought the movie rights, before selling them to Warner Bros. with the proviso that James Cagney and Joan Blondell be able to reprise their stage roles in the movie. In 1941, Cagney and Bette Davis reunited for a comedy set in the contemporary West titled The Bride Came C.O.D., followed by a change of pace with the gentle turn-of-the-century romantic comedy The Strawberry Blonde (1941) featuring songs of the period and also starring Olivia de Havilland and rising young phenomenon Rita Hayworth, along with Alan Hale Sr. and Jack Carson. They also decided to dub his impaired speech, using the impersonator Rich Little. "[143], The film was a success, securing three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Sound Recording and Best Supporting Actor for Lemmon, who won. [151], Cagney's career began winding down, and he made only one film in 1960, the critically acclaimed The Gallant Hours, in which he played Admiral William F. "Bull" Halsey. One night, however, Harry became ill, and although Cagney was not an understudy, his photographic memory of rehearsals enabled him to stand in for his brother without making a single mistake. "[144] The next day, Cagney was slightly late on set, incensing Ford. [3] Cagney is remembered for playing multifaceted tough guys in films such as The Public Enemy (1931), Taxi! [citation needed], Cagney became president of the Screen Actors Guild in 1942 for a two-year term. Tracy had to go the rest of the way on foot. Adolfi said 'I'm going to tell Zanuck.' Biography - A Short Wiki Cagney, who died March 30 at his farm, left his personal belongings - furniture, clothing, cars, jewelry, art - to his wife of 64 years, Frances Willie Cagney. Cagney, who suffered from diabetes, had been in declining health in recent days. Cagney denied this, and Lincoln Steffens, husband of the letter's writer, backed up this denial, asserting that the accusation stemmed solely from Cagney's donation to striking cotton workers in the San Joaquin Valley. Encouraged by his wife and Zimmermann, Cagney accepted an offer from the director Milo Forman to star in a small but pivotal role in the film Ragtime (1981). (1932), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), The Roaring Twenties (1939), City for Conquest (1940) and White Heat (1949), finding himself typecast or limited by this reputation earlier in his career.