The Godfather star James Caan passes away

James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, has breathed his last at the age of 82.

The American actor's family broke the news of his sad demise on his Twitter account Thursday, saying: “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

Caan cut a swathe through Hollywood in the 1970s and early 80s, before abruptly quitting acting and for what the actor described a “pretty scary period” disappearing from public view, before engineering a comeback in the late 1980s, winning acclaim for films such as Misery, The Yards and Elf.

James Caan scored an Oscar nom as mafioso Sonny Corleone in The Godfather and an Emmy nom for playing NFL running back Brian Piccolo in Brian’s Song among a host of big film and TV roles including Elf and Las Vegas.

Tributes have started to arrive from social media, including Rob Reiner, who directed Caan in Misery. “So sorry to hear the news,” he tweeted. “I loved working with him. And the only Jew I knew who could calf rope with the best of them. Love to the family.”

Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn also tweeted: “Rest In Peace James Caan. There are so many movies of his I love” along with a collection of posters.