Let me tell you something interesting. Back in 1974, during his AFI Life Achievement Award acceptance speech, James Cagney made it crystal clear: “I never said, ‘Mmm, you dirty rat!’” Shocking, right? We’ve all grown up watching his gritty performances in iconic films like The Public Enemy and Angels With Dirty Faces, and it’s easy to think we know everything about the man behind those roles. But here's the thing—there was so much more to James Cagney than his tough-guy persona.
Biographer Richard Schickel, in an exclusive interview with Closer Weekly, shed some light on the real James Cagney. “He was funny,” Schickel said. “A good guy who everyone loved because he was just so sweet.” This image of James as a kind-hearted man is quite a contrast from the hardened characters we’ve seen him play on the big screen.
A Life Shaped by Struggles and Passion
James Cagney, who passed away in 1986 at the age of 86, wasn’t born into wealth or privilege. He grew up in New York City, the son of a saloon owner, and his childhood was far from easy. As he once admitted, “With me, it was fighting, more fighting, and even more fighting.” Despite the tough environment, young James discovered a passion for tap dancing and even dreamed of pursuing art in college. However, financial constraints forced him to drop out, and at the age of 20, he found himself drawn to the stage. This pivotal moment set the stage for his illustrious career in show business.
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From the Streets to the Spotlight
Actor Robert Creighton, who portrayed James Cagney in the 2016 Broadway musical Cagney, described how the actor’s upbringing in New York City shaped his life and career. “His roots in the city contrast sharply with the man he became,” Creighton explained. “He evolved into an artist who, at the age of 53, chose to leave the hustle and bustle of city life behind. He moved to the countryside, where he indulged in raising horses and painting. That’s the life he wanted—a life away from the spotlight.”
James Cagney was a private man, and his family, including his son James Jr. and daughter Cathleen, witnessed a softer side of him that the public never got to see. Even James himself admitted that he preferred roles that were “sympathetic and kindhearted.” It’s almost ironic, isn’t it? He once remarked, “I don’t understand why the public never tired of those awful hoodlums!” But here’s the thing—they didn’t, because they never tired of James. As Schickel put it, “You always get the sense that beneath the tough guy exterior lies great charm.”
– Lisa Chambers
For more fascinating insights into James Cagney’s life, grab the latest issue of Closer magazine, available now on newsstands.
