James Caan Dies; Legendary The Godfather and Las Vegas Actor Was 82

Veteran Hollywood actor James Caan, who had countless memorable roles, has died.

He was 82.

The official Twitter account for the actor shared the sad news on Thursday.

“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6," the Tweet reads.

"The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

“Jimmy was one of the greatest,” his rep Matt DelPaino said today in a statement obtained by Deadline.

“Not only was he one of the best actors our business has ever seen, he was funny, loyal, caring and beloved."

"Our relationship was always friendship before business. I will miss him dearly and am proud to have worked with him all these years."

"My thoughts and prayers are with his entire family during this difficult time.”

Caan's successful career spanned seven decades, starting out on the small screen with roles in The Untouchables and Naked City in the 1960s.

He also appeared on the TV movie Brian's Song, which earned him an Emmy nomination.

His breakthrough role came in the form of The Godfather, playing gangster Sonny Corleone.

The movie won praise, awards love, and remains one of the most iconic movies ever.

Also, on the big screen, Caan had an unforgettable role on Misery, where he played a writer kidnapped by a woman (played by Kathy Bates), who was obsessed with his novel series.

The movie remains a cult classic to this day.

Other movie credits include Elf, The Gambler, Thief, and Rollerball.

One of his most notable TV roles was as Ed Deline on NBC's popular drama series Las Vegas.