Actor

James Cagney: Movies, Awards & Box Office

films: 100
on screen: 1928–2023
box office: $14.9M
award win: 1

Biggest hits

The Best James Cagney Movies

The films of James Cagney that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: Ragtime (1981) leads with $14.9M. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.

Full ranking

Career at a glance

James Cagney's Career in Numbers

James Cagney's films in numbers — as an actor, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres James Cagney works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from The Singing Fool (1928) to That’s Dancing! (1985), and the 1930s were the busiest decade.

James Cagney Movies by Decade

1920s 1
1930s 28
1940s 14
1950s 13
1960s 6
1980s 5

The 1930s were James Cagney's busiest decade, with 28 films.

James Cagney Movies by Genre

Drama 21
Comedy 14
Romance 5
Music 4
Documentary 4
War 4
Action 4
Crime 4
Western 2
Biography 2

Drama is the genre James Cagney has worked in most, with 21 films, ahead of comedy (14).

James Cagney Career Milestones

First film: The Singing Fool 1928
Biggest box office hit: Ragtime $14.9M worldwide
Newest film: That’s Dancing! 1985

100 credits

James Cagney Filmography: Every Movie

Every film James Cagney is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.

James Cagney Movies as an Actor

James Cagney in Documentaries & Specials

1 win · 1 nomination

James Cagney: Awards & Nominations

1 win from 1 nomination across 1 award body. That includes an Oscar: Best Actor for Yankee Doodle Dandy. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.

All movie awards

The 15th Academy Awards
- James Cagney: Win Best Actor Yankee Doodle Dandy

Works with

Who James Cagney Makes Movies With

The actors and directors James Cagney shares the most films with. Humphrey Bogart comes first, with 18 films together, followed by Bette Davis (18).

FAQ

James Cagney: Questions & Answers

How many movies James Cagney has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.

How many movies has James Cagney been in?

James Cagney is credited on 100 films, from 1928 to 2023. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.

What is James Cagney's highest-grossing movie?

Ragtime (1981) is James Cagney's biggest box office hit, with $14.9M worldwide, ahead of White Heat (1949) ($5.53K). Across every film with box office figures, James Cagney's movies have made $14.9M.

James Cagney's biggest hits

Has James Cagney won an Oscar?

James Cagney has won an Oscar: Best Actor for Yankee Doodle Dandy at the 1943 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, James Cagney has 1 win from 1 nomination.

What is James Cagney's newest movie?

The most recent film on James Cagney's filmography is AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special (2023), in the role of Self (archive footage).

Who does James Cagney work with most often?

James Cagney shares the most films with Humphrey Bogart (18 films), Bette Davis (18 films) and Pat O'Brien (16 films).

The Best James Cagney Movies, Ranked

Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 100 credits.

See the ranking

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