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James Cagney

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Actor

The Resume

    (July 17, 1899-March 30, 1986)
    Won the 1942 Oscar for Best Actor (Yankee Doodle Dandy)
    Starred in 'Public Enemy,' 'Taxi,' 'Winner Take All,' 'Blonde Crazy,' 'G Men,' 'Lady Killer,' 'St. Louis Kid,' 'Boy Meets Girl,' 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' 'Angels with Dirty Faces,' 'Each Dawn I Die,' 'West Point Story,' 'Mister Roberts,' 'Seven Little Foys,' 'Man of a Thousand Faces,' 'Never Steal Anything Small,' 'Short Cut to Hell' and 'Ragtime'
    President of SAG-Screen Actors Guild (1942-44)

Why he might be annoying:

    One of his first performances was that of a female impersonator in 'Every Sailor' (1920).
    Although every impressionist of Cagney uses the line 'you dirty rat,' he never uttered that line in a movie.
    He dropped out of Columbia College after one year.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He is best remembered for playing tough guys and gangsters, yet he was considered one of the 'nice guys' in Hollywood.
    He came from a struggling family and helped by working a number of jobs until he broke into acting.
    His high school German professor was the father of then future director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, his dance instructor was the mother of Rita Hayworth.
    He accepted no pay for 'The Seven Little Foys' as a show of gratitude to the role he played of George M Cohan, who was his dear friend.
    He was discovered by Al Jolson.
    He was married to the same woman for sixty-three years, until he died (September 28, 1922-March 30, 1986).
    Although Irish, he grew up in the lower East Side of New York and taught himself enough Yiddish to be conversational.
    He ranked #45, in Empire Magazine's Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time.
    His father was an alcoholic who died at 42 (Cagney seldom drank).

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 23 Votes: 13.04% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 82 Votes: 43.90% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 319 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 15 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 23 Votes: 47.83% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 145 Votes: 67.59% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 434 Votes: 50.46% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 251 Votes: 49.40% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 90 Votes: 37.78% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 108 Votes: 51.85% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 142 Votes: 45.77% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 178 Votes: 55.06% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 228 Votes: 35.53% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 115 Votes: 33.04% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 164 Votes: 44.51% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 295 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 1127 Votes: 42.50% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 424 Votes: 42.45% Annoying
    In 2003, Out of 1464 Votes: 42.28% Annoying
    In 2002, Out of 3374 Votes: 37.02% Annoying
    In 2001, Out of 284 Votes: 35.56% Annoying