James Caan was not only known for his impressive filmography but also for his role as a father. Here’s what we know of James Caan’s children.
It is common knowledge that having a world-famous actor as a father would automatically come with a lot of public attention. While some of James Caan’s children have embraced the spotlight, others keep their lives private.
Who Was James Caan?
James Edmund Caan was an American actor born in New York City on March 26, 1940. His parents were Sophie and Arthur Caan, a kosher meat dealer. He schooled in New York City in his early days and attended Michigan State University.
He later transferred to Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, where acting intrigued him. James decided to drop out of the university and accept admission into New York City’s Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. He studied acting there for five years.
James started his acting career off-broadway and made some television appearances. He got his first commercially successful role in the TV movie “Brian’s Song” in 1971, playing dying football player Brian Piccolo. Shortly after, he got his most prominent role, playing Sonny Corleone in “The Godfather” in 1972. His performance earned him an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The actor reprised his role in “The Godfather Part II” in 1974 and received a lot of well-deserved accolades for the position. He received a motion pictures star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame 1978. Over the years, he remained a leading actor and featured in over 50 movies until his death on July 6, 2022.
How Many Kids Did James Caan Have?
The “Blood Crime” actor was married four times during his lifetime and had five kids. Get to know James Caan’s five children, each with distinct talents and privacy preferences.
Tara Caan
Tara is James’ eldest daughter and first child. She was born on November 5, 1964, from the actor’s first marriage with actress Dee Jay Mathis. He married Mathis in 1960, and they got divorced six years later.
Tara Caan is one of James’s children who does not like the spotlight. She is known to keep her life private and was seen with her father occasionally. There is not much information on her as she does not appear at public events, but she is reported to be a mother of three children.
Scott Caan
Scott is James’ second child and is the most known of his children. He was born on August 23, 1976, to James and his second wife, Sheila Marie Ryan. Scott’s parent’s marriage was very short-lived, and they divorced the following year.
The “El Dorado” star’s son embraced his dad’s celebrity status and has made a career in showbiz. He has appeared in multiple movies and TV shows, including:
- Hawaii Five-O
- Ocean’s Eleven
- Into the Blue
- Varsity Blues
- Gone in 60 Seconds
- Vice Principals
- Two for One
- NCIS: Los Angeles, and many more.
In an interview in 2012, Scott revealed that his father did not want him to go into acting full-time and wanted him to play baseball professionally instead.
He said, “My dad didn’t want me to enter the business. He knew it would be hard to do this job repeatedly, and it’s creatively hard to get excited about playing the same dude for seven years.”
It is safe to say that Scott made the right choice, as he continues to thrive in the movie industry to this day.
Alexander Caan
After his split from Sheila Marie Ryan, James married his third wife, Ingrid Hajek, in 1990. Hajek had a multi-faceted career as an entrepreneur, television personality, model, and life coach. The couple welcomed their son Alexander on April 10, 1991.
Although Alexander is an actor, he has not been in any significant roles in his career yet. He also identifies as an “improviser” in the creative field and launched his website to display his multitalented skills, like composing and producing music, editing, and sound designing.
James Arthur Caan and Jacob Nicholas Caan
James Arthur and Jacob Nicholas are the actor’s fourth and fifth children. He had them with his marriage to his fourth wife, Linda Stokes, which lasted more than two decades, from 1995 to 2017. James Jr. was born on November 6, 1995, while Jacob was born on September 24, 1998.
Both kids were seen occasionally accompanying their father to some Hollywood events while they were younger, but now, they keep their lives very private. Little is known about their lives, as their social media accounts are also private.
“The Godfather” legend was loved by his family and children till he died from a heart attack at 82 in 2022.