James “Jimmy” Caan, the son of German-Jewish immigrants who grew up in the Bronx, passed away on July 6 at the age of 82.

Caan, who ascended to fame with his role as Sonny Corleone in 1972’s The Godfather, spent decades in the limelight playing tough guy parts.

Government agents briefly mistook Caan, who was relatively unknown at the time, as an aspiring mobster. Caan was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film, competing with co-stars Robert Duvall and Al Pacino. Caan was closely identified with the role for years afterward: “They called me a wiseguy. I won Italian of the Year twice in New York, and I’m Jewish, not Italian.”

The public, and celebrities, have launched an outpouring of support, including Barbra Streisand:

Caan’s cause of death has not yet been released.

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