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James Caan passed away on June 6; upon the news of his death, many tributes came from the Oscar-nominated star\u2019s peers, co-stars and friends. Among them were the trio of the \u201cGodfather\u201d family; Director Francis Ford Coppola and co-stars Al Pacino and Robert De Niro shared their thoughts on Caan.<\/p>\n
After working with Francis Ford Coppola in 1969\u2019s The Rainmen, Caan worked with the director again in 1972 when he took on the role of Sonny Corleone in The Godfather. In a statement released by Deadline, Coppola remembered Caan as someone who had been there his whole life and who \u201cwill always be my old friend from Sunnyside.\u201d Coppola\u2019s complete statement read:<\/p>\n
\u201cJimmy has been someone who has been in my life longer and closer than any motion picture figure I\u2019ve ever known. From our earlier collaborations on the set of Rainmen and through all the milestones of my life, his films and the many great roles, what he played will never be forgotten. He\u2019ll always be my old friend from Sunnyside, my co-worker and one of the funniest people I\u2019ve ever known.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Caan was also remembered by Al Pacino, who starred in the entire Godfather trilogy, calling Caan his \u201cimaginary brother and lifelong friend\u201d. Although they also starred together in the 1990s comic book movie Dick Tracy, the pair had a much longer relationship off-screen than their short filmography together suggests. Pacino said:<\/p>\n \u201cJimmy was my fictional brother and lifelong friend. It\u2019s hard to believe he will no longer be in the world because he was so alive and bold. A great actor, a brilliant director and a dear friend of mine. He will be missed.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Although Caan didn\u2019t make a cameo appearance until the end of The Godfather Part 2, Robert De Niro, who joined the trilogy in that film, also took the time to make a simple statement: \u201cI was very, very saddened to learn of Jimmy\u2019s passing.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n