On 17 July 1899, James Cagney was born. He was born (and died) in New York, just as you’d expect. But he definitely was not like the horrible characters he is most identified with.

Cagney was, at base, a singer and dancer who probably should have spent his life on the stage. Through the 1920s, he has 7 credits on the Internet Broadway Database, so it is likely he has even more credits. Christopher Walken (Seven Psychopaths) is the modern version of him.

James Cagney had a varied career — more varied than people usually remember. People remember Taxi! but tend to forget his great dancing in Yankee Doodle Dandy. The film I most associate him with is the Billy Wilder comedy, One, Two, Three. That’s a film that lives and dies on Cagney’s performance.

Of course, Cagney is the icon we know primarily for The Public Enemy. But even there, playing a terrible guy, he comes off as sympathetic. And, of course, there is the grapefruit scene.

But on this celebration of James Cagney’s birthday, the role I most think of is Ragtime (1981). Even though it is a relatively minor role, it does steal the movie.

And luckily, you can watch the film for free with this great print on Archive:

Other 17 July Anniversaries

Filmmakers

• Phyllis Diller (1917-2012): Iconic comedian who also had supporting roles in a number of psychotronic films like The Boneyard.
• Donald Sutherland (1935-2024): Iconic actor known for Castle of the Living Dead and Dr Terror’s House of Horrors.
• PJ Soles (1950-): Actor known for numerous psychotronic films like Halloween and Rock ‘n’ Roll High School.
• Heather Langenkamp (1964-): Actor known for A Nightmare on Elm Street and sequels.
• Alex Winter (1965-): The non-Keanu Reeves of Bill & Ted.

Films

• Return of the Ape Man (1944): Bela Lugosi transplants a human brain into a caveman.
• Jaws: The Revenge (1987): The fourth and final film in the series, which paid for one of Michael Caine’s many homes.
• RoboCop (1987): A murdered cop becomes a cyborg.
• Multiplicity (1996): Michael Keaton clones himself.
• The Mask of Zorro (1998): Big-budget Zorro film.
• Laughing Dead (1998): A man wakes up to a terrifying world.
• Mimic 2 (2001): They weren’t all killed at the end of the first film.
• Bloody Mallory (2002): An oddball team of demon hunters looks for the Pope.
• Eight Legged Freaks (2002): Big spider movie.
• Tales of the Dead (2009): Horror anthology.

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James Cagney photo via Wikipedia. It is in the public domain.