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James Francis Cagney was born in New York on July 17th 1899.
His father was a bartender and his mother, the daughter of a Norwegian ships captain.
When Jimmy was eight years old the family moved to an area of New York that was home to a number of immigrants from all over the globe. This made a huge impression on Jimmy; he learnt to speak fluent Yiddish from various friends and neighbours.
Jimmy soon gained the reputation of a street fighter, although he became streetwise from an early age, he never let it interfere with his education. His dream was to become an artist. He graduated from Stuyvesant High School, and began working as a junior architect. He then enrolled at Columbia University.
In 1918 during the Spanish flu epidemic, Jimmy |
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You did not command respect, you were granted it without question.
A friend of so many, and loved by all.
Your talent has made you a legend, one that lives on in our hearts. |
