James Caan lived a colorful life filled with love and heartbreak before he died at the age of 82 on Thursday.
The actor, best known for his role as Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, has been married four times, including to the ex-girlfriend of Elvis Presley’s Playboy model.
His fourth marriage to Linda Stokes was his longest, lasting 20 years before he filed for divorce for the third time in 2015.
Between his wives he had five children; two sons with Linda, one son with Ingrid Hajek, one daughter with Dee Jay Mathis and one son with Sheila Caan.
Down the aisle for the first time with actress Dee Jay Mathis
1961-1966
Before Caan landed his first major role in El Dorado and rose to fame, he was married to fellow actor Dee Jay Mathis.
The couple dated for five years before their split, just as his star was beginning to rise.
They made a stunning Hollywood couple and had one daughter together, Tara, who is now 57 years old. It’s unclear what exactly led to their divorce. It would be ten years before Caan – by then a star thanks to his role in 1972’s The Godfather – remarried, this time to someone far more famous
1966: Actor James Caan attends the Golden Globes in Los Angeles with his wife Dee Jay Mathis
1966: Actor James Caan attends the Golden Globes in Los Angeles with his wife Dee Jay Mathis
Hot on the heels of Godfather’s fame, Caan marries Elvis’ ex-Playboy model Sheila Ryan
1976-1977
Ryan famously dated Elvis Presley before settling with Caan in 1976. She was the cover girl for Playboy in October 1973.
Caan with model and actress Sheila Ryan before their wedding. The couple is pictured in 1975, the year before they tied the knot
The couple’s marriage was not lost for long – they divorced within two years. They had a son together, Scott, in 1977
Sheila Ryan and James Caan in 1977, a year after their marriage. She was a Playboy model and dated Elvis before the actor
Stokes with her son, actor Scott Caan, before her death
She dated Elvis after meeting him at one of his shows before meeting Caan – then a Hollywood darling after his star performance in The Godfather.
They divorced in 1977, a year after getting married.
However, during their brief marriage, the couple welcomed a son — Scott.
Scott Caan is also an actor best known for his performances in Oceans Eleven and Entourage.
Sheila died in 2012 at the age of 60.
Scott seemed to have a close relationship with his father and attended events with him throughout his career.
He is now a star in his own right and has appeared in films such as Oceans Eleven.
He is also known for his role in Entourage.
Scott has yet to speak publicly about his father’s death.
Ingrid Hajek, 1990-1994
After another long break in marriage, Caan tied the knot with Ingrid Hajek in 1990.
The couple grew up in the same neighborhood — Sunnyside in Queens, New York — but in different decades.
When they tied the knot, Caan, at 49, was twenty years older than his bride.
After another long break in marriage, Caan tied the knot with Ingrid Hajek in 1990. She was 20 years younger than him
The couple grew up in the same neighborhood — Sunnyside in Queens, New York — but in different decades. When they tied the knot, Caan, at 49, was twenty years older than his bride
Caan with his son Scott and his third wife, model Ingrid Hajek, at the premiere of For The Boys in 1991
The couple were introduced through mutual friends and dated for two years before wedding in 1990.
Their wedding took place aboard the Regentsea yacht in Marina Del Rey.
The couple had one son together before divorcing in 1994. Today Ingrid presents herself as a life coach. Her LinkedIn page suggests she lives between Las Vegas and California.
Linda Stokes, 1995-2015
The marriage that caused Caan the most heartache—and upkeep—was his last. He married Linda Stokes in 1995 and after 20 years together, he was reportedly cash-strapped due to multiple rounds of court battles and retrospective child support.
Stokes is the mother of Caan’s two youngest sons, James and Jacob.
Their rocky marriage resulted in him filing for divorce twice — once in 2005 and another in 2009 — before finally ringing in the marriage in 2015.
Afterward, he wrote in court filings that he was forced to take on embarrassing film roles to keep up with Linda’s expenses.
James Caan with his fourth wife in 1997 (left) and while she was pregnant with one of their two sons the following year
He married Linda Stokes in 1995 and after 20 years together, he was reportedly cash-strapped due to multiple rounds of court battles and retrospective child support
Caan and Stokes with his son Scott at a film premiere at The Chinese Theater in 1996, a year after he married Linda
“I am no longer willing to participate in films and/or television shows that detract from the 50 years I have spent building my reputation,” he wrote in a 2016 court filing.
He was also fighting for joint custody of their then 17-year-old son Jacob. Her older son James was 19.
When their divorce was finalized in 2016, he was ordered to pay his ex-wife $400,000 in arrears plus $8,000 a month.
The sum included a monthly payment to Linda of $5,000 until she remarried or until one of them died. The other $3,000 was for child support.
He never remarried, but lived out his bachelor days until his death this week.
His family announced his death on Twitter on Thursday, saying: “It is with great sadness that we inform you of the death of Jimmy on the evening of July 6th.
“The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy at this difficult time.”
James Caan with wife Linda Stokes, his fourth and acrimonious marriage, lasting 20 years