"James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor and dancer, both on stage and in film (though primarily known for the latter). Known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing, he won acclaim and major awards for a wide variety of performances. He is best remembered for playing multifaceted tough guys in films such as ""The Public Enemy"" (1931), ""Taxi!"" (1932), ""Angels with Dirty Faces"" (1938), and ""White Heat"" (1949), finding himself typecast or limited by this reputation earlier in his career. In 1999, the American Film Institute"
"of the World!"" was voted 18th in AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes; while, in June 2008, ""White Heat"" was voted 4th in AFI's 10 Top 10 list of gangster movies. Scenes of the film are featured in the 1992 crime-drama film ""Juice"" as well as the 1982 ""Hart to Hart"" episode ""Hart and Sole."" In the noir parody ""Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid"" Steve Martin acts in scenes with Cagney's character through special effects and cross-cutting. The ""Made it ma, top of the world"" line is used in the 1991 film ""Ricochet"", in which Denzel Washington recites the quote in"
"for the first time. He was no longer a romantic commodity, and this was reflected in his performance. 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. It was agreed so we put in all those fits and headaches."" Cagney's final lines in the film – ""Made it, Ma! Top of the world!"" – was voted the 18th-greatest movie line by the American Film Institute. Likewise, Jarrett's explosion of rage in prison on being told of his mother's death is"
"In Business"" on his 2010 album """". White Heat White Heat is a 1949 film noir directed by Raoul Walsh. It stars James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran. Written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, ""White Heat"" is based on a story by Virginia Kellogg, and is considered to be one of the best gangster movies of all time. In 2003, it was added to the National Film Registry as being ""culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant"" by the United States Library of Congress. Arthur ""Cody"" Jarrett is a ruthless, psychotic criminal and leader of the"
"several times with a rifle, Cody fires at the tank, which bursts into flames, and shouts ""Made it, Ma! Top of the world!"" The tank then explodes. Uncredited: After winning an Oscar for ""Yankee Doodle Dandy"", Cagney left Warner Brothers in 1942 to form his own production company with his business manager and brother, William. After making four unsuccessful movies (including the well-regarded, but ""financially disastrous"" adaptation of William Saroyan's ""The Time of Your Life""), Cagney returned to Warner in mid-1949. His decision to return was purely financial; Cagney admitted he ""needed the money,"" and that he never forgot the"
"Cagney's performance and many of the others were ""quite strong"". ""TimeOut"" wrote: ""Cloud nine tosh from the days when Warner movies preached that delinquents were just good kids in need of a helping hand"", but concluded that ""Despite the risible script, Cagney is as watchable as ever, and Mayo directs sleekly."" The Mayor of Hell The Mayor of Hell is a 1933 American pre-Code Warner Brothers film starring James Cagney. The film was remade in 1938 as ""Crime School"" with Humphrey Bogart taking over James Cagney's role and ""Hell's Kitchen"" with Ronald Reagan in 1939. Racketeer Patsy Gargan is made"
"The Mayor of Hell The Mayor of Hell is a 1933 American pre-Code Warner Brothers film starring James Cagney. The film was remade in 1938 as ""Crime School"" with Humphrey Bogart taking over James Cagney's role and ""Hell's Kitchen"" with Ronald Reagan in 1939. Racketeer Patsy Gargan is made deputy commissioner of a reform school as a reward from his corrupt political cronies. Initially, he has no interest in the school, but his sympathy for the boys, who are abused and battered by a brutal, heartless warden and his thuggish guards convince him to take the job seriously, as does"
"James Cagney made his motion picture debut in ""Ace of Aces"" as an actor and went on to become a Hollywood producer. John Monk Saunders wrote stories about flying that were influenced by his service as a flight instructor in World War I. In 1933, two of the stories that had a strong antiwar theme were turned into films. The first story, ""Death in the Morning"" was turned into ""The Eagle and the Hawk"" released in May 1933. His second story, ""The Bird of Prey"" became the basis of ""Ace of Aces"", which was shot in the summer and came"
"White Heat White Heat is a 1949 film noir directed by Raoul Walsh. It stars James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien, Margaret Wycherly and Steve Cochran. Written by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts, ""White Heat"" is based on a story by Virginia Kellogg, and is considered to be one of the best gangster movies of all time. In 2003, it was added to the National Film Registry as being ""culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant"" by the United States Library of Congress. Arthur ""Cody"" Jarrett is a ruthless, psychotic criminal and leader of the Jarrett gang. Although married to Verna, he"
", with the strapline ""Cagney's Mightiest"" adding to her characterization. Blood on the Sun Blood on the Sun is a 1945 American drama romantic thriller war film directed by Frank Lloyd starring James Cagney and Sylvia Sidney. The film is based on a fictional history behind the Tanaka Memorial document. The film won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction for a Black & White (Wiard Ihnen, A. Roland Fields) film in 1945. A computer-colorized version of the film was created in 1993. In 1973, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not"
"While not regarded as favorably as ""White Heat"", its lower budget and maze-like plot-lines involving crooked cops, two opposing women, economically-shot scenes going to and from small interior locations, and an array of twists and turns make it something the more action-packed and mainstream ""White Heat"" wasn't: A Film Noir. The outside marquee in the cult-famous movie theater scene in the horror (zombie) movie ""Messiah of Evil"" bears this movie's title (although within the theater, a trailer is playing). The second James Cagney picture featuring William Frawley (Fred Mertz from I Love Lucy): the first being Something To Sing About."
"""hell"" Warner put him through in the 1930s when it came to renewing his contract. Likewise, the last thing Jack Warner wanted to see was Cagney back on his lot; referring to him as ""that little bastard"", he vowed to never take him back. Cagney's new contract with Warner enabled him to make $250,000 per film on a schedule of one film per year, plus script approval and the opportunity to develop projects for his own company. To make good on his comeback, Cagney settled on the script for ""White Heat""; on May 6, 1949, he signed on to portray"
"film stars James Cagney and Dennis Morgan as Canadian pilots who do their part in the Second World War, and features Brenda Marshall, Alan Hale Sr., George Tobias, Reginald Gardiner, and Reginald Denny in supporting roles. The title of the film came from a phrase used by Billy Bishop, the First World War fighter ace, who played himself in the film. The same words are also echoed in the narration of ""The Lion Has Wings"" documentary (1939). In 1942, Canada had been at war with the Axis Powers for over two years, while the United States had only just entered"
"time; one of the best in Cagney's career, and a ""true example of brilliant American cinema."" In 2008, it was shortlisted by the American Film Institute for selection in its list of the top 100 movies of the last 100 years. In 2013, Steven Van Zandt named it as one of his ""most favorite mob movies"" in an article for ""Rolling Stone"". Two years later, ""Slant Magazine"" named it 67th in a list of the ""100 Best Film Noirs of All Time"". Over the years, the film has inspired a number of parodies. In 1939, Warner Bros. released a cartoon"
"well as dance in a musical. His favorite film, ""Yankee Doodle Dandy"". 1942 was a patriotic wartime musical that was filled with passion and support for the military. He was a close friend of Ronald Reagan, he was a family man who passionately supported his country. In 1938, as the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, Cagney was accused of communist sympathies and was brought before the House Committee on UnAmerican Activities. He was exonerated. Through all of this he never lost his passion for his country or his enormous appeal to his fans. During his involvement as Chairman of the Hollywood"
"William Cagney William Jerome Cagney (March 26, 1905 – January 3, 1988) was an American film producer and actor, remebered for roles in the Monogram Pictures films ""Lost in the Stratosphere"" and ""Flirting with Danger"", both filmed in 1934. He produced several of his lookalike brother James Cagney's films, including ""City for Conquest"" (1940), ""Blood on the Sun"" (1945), ""The Time of Your Life"" (1948), ""Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye"" (1950), and ""A Lion Is in the Streets"" (1953). He was credited as an associate producer on one of his brother's most iconic pictures, ""Yankee Doodle Dandy"" (1942), and also handled James"
"an approval rating of 100% based on 30 reviews collected retrospectively. In 1950, Virginia Kellogg was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story. Also that year writers Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts were nominated for the Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture, by the Mystery Writers of America. In 2003, the United States Library of Congress selected ""White Heat"" for preservation in the National Film Registry. On June 4, 2003, the American Film Institute named Cody Jarrett in its list of the best heroes and villains of the past 100 years. Furthermore, in June 2005, ""Made it, Ma! Top"
"Jimmy Cagney everybody-talking-fast type movie. It turned out a little more like Louis Malle. Different movies have different speeds."" The film was not a big success at the box office. Roger Corman re-released it in 1980 under the title ""Guns, Sin and Bathtub Gin"", but it did not fare much better. On December 17, 2010 Shout! Factory released the title on DVD, packaged as a double feature with Crazy Mama as part of the Roger Corman Cult Classics collection. The Lady in Red (1979 film) The Lady in Red is a 1979 action-drama/romantic film directed by Lewis Teague and starring"
"seen in the film. The Fighting 69th The Fighting 69th (1940) is an American war film starring James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and George Brent. The plot is based upon the actual exploits of New York City's 69th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The regiment was first given that nickname by opposing General Robert E. Lee during the American Civil War. Several real-life personages depicted in ""The Fighting 69th"" include Father Francis P. Duffy, the chaplain, future OSS leader ""Wild Bill"" Donovan, the battalion commander, Lt. Oliver Ames, a platoon commander, and then-Sgt. Joyce Kilmer, the poet (who was portrayed"
"troops with vaudeville routines and scenes from ""Yankee Doodle Dandy"". In September 1942, he was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild. Almost a year after its creation, Cagney Productions produced its first film, ""Johnny Come Lately"", in 1943. While the major studios were producing patriotic war movies, Cagney was determined to continue dispelling his tough-guy image, so he produced a movie that was a ""complete and exhilarating exposition of the Cagney 'alter-ego' on film"". According to Cagney, the film ""made money but it was no great winner"", and reviews varied from excellent (""Time"") to poor (New York's ""PM""). Following"
"""The Facts of Life"", ""Family Matters"", ""Mad About You"", ""Murder, She Wrote"", ""Father Dowling Mysteries"",""Three's Company"", ""Magnum, P.I."", ""A Man Called Intrepid"", ""Growing Pains"", ""Dark Justice"", ""Cheers"", ""Dharma & Greg"", ""Cybill"", ""The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"" to ""Home Improvement"". He was probably best known for his role as Charlie Cagney in the television hit ""Cagney & Lacey"". Before moving to California, he appeared on the Broadway stage in such hits as ""Promises, Promises"", ""The Unsinkable Molly Brown"", and ""Skyscraper"". His film credits include ""The Mugger"" (1958), ""To the Shores of Hell"" (1966), ""Gammera the Invincible"" (1966), ""Pretty Poison"" (1968), ""Some"
"Niven Show"", ""Lock Up"", ""Zane Grey Theater"", ""The Untouchables"", ""The DuPont Show with June Allyson"", ""Markham"", ""The Texan"", ""Checkmate"", ""Michael Shayne"", ""Hong Kong"", ""The Barbara Stanwyck Show"", ""Adventures in Paradise"", ""Thriller"", ""Alcoa Premiere"", ""Alfred Hitchcock Presents"", ""The Dick Powell Theatre"", ""Going My Way"", ""The Great Adventure"", ""The Twilight Zone"" (""Perchance to Dream"", ""The Fever"", ""The Long Morrow"") and ""The Outer Limits"". He also wrote a number of books, including ""Pola Negri"" (1927) and ""Charlie Chaplin"" (1927), ""Hollywood d'hier et d'aujord'hui"" (1948), ""La Lanterne magique"" (1966), and ""Hollywood annee zero"" (1972). In 1950, Florey was made a knight in the French"
"for the FBI"" (1951); ""Come Fill the Cup"" (1951), produced by Cagney starring James Cagney; ""The Iron Mistress"" (1952) a biopic of Jim Bowie starring Alan Ladd; ""Mara Maru"" (1952), an adventure story with Errol Flynn; ""So This Is Love"" (1953), a musical biopic of Grace Moore; ""The Charge at Feather River"" (1954), a 3D Western; ""She's Back on Broadway"" (1953), a musical; ""Them!"" (1954), a science fiction film about giant ants; ""Young at Heart"" (1955), with Doris Day and Frank Sinatra; ""Sincerely Yours"" (1955) with Liberace; ""The McConnell Story"" (1955), a biopic of Joseph C. McConnell with Alan Ladd;"
"to provide a moralistic ""law and order"" ending. Cagney's line ""That dirty, double-crossin' rat!"" was nominated for the American Film Institute 2005 AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes In 2014, ""Blonde Crazy"" was released on DVD in a Forbidden Hollywood box set. The cover features a publicity photo of Cagney and Blondell in a risque, pre-Code bathtub scene. Blonde Crazy Blonde Crazy is a 1931 American pre-Code romantic comedy-drama film by Roy Del Ruth, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Noel Francis, Louis Calhern, Ray Milland, and Guy Kibbee. The film is notable for one of Cagney's lines, a phrase often repeated"
"in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, New York. His main inspiration was a drug-addicted pimp, who stood on a street corner all day hitching his trousers, twitching his neck, and repeating: ""Whadda ya hear! Whadda ya say!"" Those mannerisms came back to haunt Cagney, who later wrote in his autobiography: ""I did those gestures maybe six times in the picture. That was over thirty years ago - and the impressionists have been doing me doing him ever since."" Cagney's other inspiration was his childhood friend, Peter ""Bootah"" Hessling, who was convicted of murder and executed by electric chair on July"
"against the newest German aircraft. But as he prepares to close in for the kill, he again thinks about the German cadet, and is unable to fire. The Germans see him and shoot him down, but he lives to return home to his sweetheart after the war. In the final scene, he still feels guilty for what he became, and says he has been unable to sculpt. But Nancy is supportive and still wants to marry him. They will get past it together. As appearing in ""Ace of Aces"", (main roles and screen credits identified): William Cagney, the brother of"
"(""They Shoot Horses, Don't They?"") and the screen play, which hardly makes sense and is the root of the film's problems, is by Harry Brown. Gordon M. Douglas (""Come Fill the Cup""/""Only the Valiant"") helms it by keeping it fast-paced, brutal and cynical, and lets star James Cagney pick up where he left off in the year earlier ""White Heat"" as an unsympathetic mad dog killer. This was an even tougher film, but the crowds did not respond to it as favorably as they did to ""White Heat"" (which seems odd, since it is basically the same type of B-movie)."""
"of John R. Leech, the self-described 'chief functionary' of the Los Angeles Communist Party who had been subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The New York Times printed the allegation that Cagney was a communist on its front page. Cagney refuted the accusation and Martin Dies, Jr. made a statement to the press clearing Cagney. William Cagney, one of the film's producers, is reported to have said to his brother that ""we're going to have to make the goddamndest patriotic picture that's ever been made. I think it's the Cohan story"". The film nearly doubled the earnings of"
"Murder"" (1948). He was then cast as the undercover police officer in ""White Heat"" (1949) opposite James Cagney. ""He [Cagney] said he had only one rule,"" O'Brien noted. ""He would tap his heart and he would say, ""Play it from here, kid."" He always did and I believe it's the best rule for any performer. He could play a scene 90 ways and never repeat himself. He did this to keep himself fresh. I try to do this whenever possible."" In 1949, 3,147 members of the Young Women's League of America, a national charitable organisation of spinsters, voted that O'Brien"
"Out of the Past Out of the Past (billed in the United Kingdom as Build My Gallows High) is a 1947 film noir directed by Jacques Tourneur and starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. The film was adapted by Daniel Mainwaring (using the pseudonym Geoffrey Homes) from his novel ""Build My Gallows High"" (also written as Homes), with uncredited revisions by Frank Fenton and James M. Cain. Film historians consider ""Out of the Past"" a superb example of film noir due to its complicated, dark storyline, dark cinematography and classic ""femme fatale"". The film's cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca also"
"James Cagney. His first film role was of Cagney's younger brother in ""City for Conquest"" in 1940. He was equally adept as hero or villain, and was noted for his mastery of complex, multi-faceted roles. He appeared in many Western films and police dramas. During World War II, Kennedy served from 1943 to 1945 in the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) making aviation training films, both as a narrator and an actor. Many of those films today serve as an historical record of not only how aviators were trained but also how the equipment was operated. He appeared in"
"Man Who Never Was"" (1955), ""I Was Monty's Double"" (1958), ""Battle of Britain"" (1969), ""Hanover Street"" (1979), ""Hope and Glory"" (1987), ""Shining Through"" (1992) and ""The End of the Affair"" (1999), as well as some low-budget Italian-made war films like ""Stukas Over London"" (1970) and ""From Hell to Victory"" (1979). The 1950s has been recreated in several films including ""84 Charing Cross Road"" (1987) and ""Shadowlands"" (1993). The 1960s has proved particularly popular with film makers in recent years, especially for crime films like ""Buster"" (1988), ""Scandal"" (1989), ""The Krays"" (1990), ""Honest"" (2000) and ""Gangster No. 1"" (2000). ""Withnail and"
"The Fighting 69th The Fighting 69th (1940) is an American war film starring James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and George Brent. The plot is based upon the actual exploits of New York City's 69th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The regiment was first given that nickname by opposing General Robert E. Lee during the American Civil War. Several real-life personages depicted in ""The Fighting 69th"" include Father Francis P. Duffy, the chaplain, future OSS leader ""Wild Bill"" Donovan, the battalion commander, Lt. Oliver Ames, a platoon commander, and then-Sgt. Joyce Kilmer, the poet (who was portrayed by Jeffrey Lynn). Most"