History Creator / JamesCagney

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/{{The Public Enemy|1931}}'', the last of which unfortunately is [[PopCultureOsmosis mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] [[Creator/MaeClarke Mae Clarke's]] [[DomesticAbuse face]].

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy1931'', the last of which unfortunately is [[PopCultureOsmosis mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] [[Creator/MaeClarke Mae Clarke's]] [[DomesticAbuse face]].

* ''Film/Taxi1932'' (1932)

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Cagney quickly spawned tons of parodies, particularly mocking his gangster works. ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' was particularly fond of mimicking Cagney's acting style, such as in ''WesternAnimation/HollywoodStepsOut'' (where he is among multiple caricatured celebrities) and "Porky's Pastry Pirates" (where Porky is harassed by an aggressive bee with his on-screen demeanour). Perhaps to show no disrespect, their own star, Bugs Bunny, loses the Academy Award to Cagney in ''WesternAnimation/WhatCookinDoc'' in spite of heavy lobbying.

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Cagney quickly spawned tons of parodies, particularly mocking his gangster works. ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' was particularly fond of mimicking Cagney's acting style, such as in "Hollywood Steps Out" (where he is among multiple caricatured celebrities) and "Porky's Pastry Pirates" (where Porky is harassed by an aggressive bee with his on-screen demeanour). Perhaps to show no disrespect, their own star, Bugs Bunny, loses the Academy Award to Cagney in "What's Cookin' Doc?" in spite of heavy lobbying.

* ''Film/ThePublicEnemy1931''

* ''Film/Taxi1932''

-->-- '''[==]''[[BeamMeUpScotty Not]]'' James Cagney''' [[note]] The quote originally spawned from the 1932 film "Taxi!", and while he technically said the words, the line In question was actually "Come out and take it, you dirty yellow-bellied rat, or I'll give it to you through the door!."[[/note]]

[[caption-width-right:310:The ''[[UrExample original]]'' [[Film/ThePublicEnemy Public Enemy]].]]

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'', the last of which unfortunately is [[PopCultureOsmosis mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] [[Creator/MaeClarke Mae Clarke's]] [[DomesticAbuse face]].

* ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'' (1931)
* ''Film/{{Taxi|1932}}'' (1932)

* MediaWatchdog: A lot of his best movies were made in the early days of UsefulNotes/TheHaysCode, when you could still get away with a little bit more. As the code grew in power, subsequent rereleases of some of his films had objectionable material cut. Most notably, ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'' had next to ''no'' violence cut from its rereleases -- [[DoubleStandard but vague allusions to sexuality were left untouched.]]

* StarMakingRole: ''Film/ThePublicEnemy''.

His tough-guy persona wasn't all for show, though; Cagney staggered Creator/WarnerBros by walking off the lot when the studio failed to honor his contract. His example set a precedent for fairer studio practices. On the other hand, Cagney's activism landed him hot water; he was even branded a Commie in some circles, although his iconic role in ''Film/YankeeDoodleDandy'' dispelled such rumors pretty quick.

Creator/MichaelJFox is one of his biggest fanboys, for [[PintsizedPowerhouse obvious reasons]]. He hosted a TV special on Cagney's life and times entitled ''Top of the World''.

Cagney's life story was recently immortalized in an off-Broadway musical simply titled ''Cagney'', following his humble beginnings as a dock worker, his success and eventual falling out with Warner Bros., up to his acceptance of a lifetime achievement award from the American Film Institute.

[[Wiki/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] has more to say [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Cagney here.]]

[[quoteright:308:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/james_cagney_promo_photo.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:308:The ''[[UrExample original]]'' [[Film/ThePublicEnemy Public Enemy]].]]

* ''Film/Taxi1932'' (1932)

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/james_cagney_promo_photo.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:The ''[[UrExample original]]'' [[Film/ThePublicEnemy Public Enemy]].]]

[[caption-width-right:300:The ''[[UrExample original]]'' [[Film/PublicEnemies Public Enemy]].]]

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'', the last of which unfortunately is [[PopCultureOsmosis mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] Creator/MaeClarke's face.

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'', the last of which is unfortunately [[PopCultureOsmosis mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] Creator/MaeClarke's face.

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'', the last of which is unfortunately is [[PopCultureOsmosis mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] Creator/MaeClarke's face.

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy'', the last of which is [[PopCultureOsmosis unfortunately mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] Creator/MaeClarke's face.

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy,'' which is [[PopCultureOsmosis unfortunately mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves half a grapefruit into]] Creator/MaeClarke's face.

What isn't commonly known is that Cagney began his career as [[RealMenWearPink a song & dance man]]. Even after he was {{type cast|ing}} as thugs, he [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT0Cvzfh38E leaped at chances to act and dance]] in musicals whenever he could.

James Francis Cagney (July 17, 1899 – March 30, 1986) was an American film actor most famous for his gangster roles in the [[TheGreatDepression 1930s]] and [[TheForties '40s,]] as well as for his [[BeamMeUpScotty alleged]] {{catchphrase}}. He starred in some of the best gangster pictures ever made, including ''Film/AngelsWithDirtyFaces,'' ''Film/WhiteHeat,'' ''Film/{{The Roaring Twenties|1939}},'' and ''Film/ThePublicEnemy,'' which is [[PopCultureOsmosis unfortunately mostly remembered]] for a scene in which he [[DomesticAbuse shoves a bowl of grapefruit in]] Creator/MaeClarke's face.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/james_cagney_promo_photo.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:280:The ''[[UrExample original]]'' [[Film/PublicEnemies Public Enemy]].]]

* WorkingClassHero: Perhaps the original. In the Depression era, Cagney's short looks, working-class accent and rambunctious energy made him an obvious hit with the times. He was a working-class Irish immigrant who didn't make his accent poshed to work in the business.