He was the second of five children born to James Francis Cagney and Carolyn Nelson Cagney.   Mr. Cagney's family was descended from the O'Caignes of County Leitrim and his mother was half-Irish, half-Norwegian.   His father was a good man but often drank more than his customers did.

When Jimmy was a year old the family moved uptown to First Avenue, between 79th and 80th streets.   Seven years later, they moved to 96th street, between Third and Lexington avenues, the northern tip of the Yorkville section. It was a lower middle-class neighborhood that included Germans, Italians, Hungarians, Irish and Jews. By his teens Jimmy could speak fluent Yiddish (a talent which crept into many of his films, including his humorous quips with the Jewish man in Taxi!).

All the Cagney boys worked after school but Jimmy was the m

Jimmy's first theatrical experience was in a Chinese pantomime at the Lennox Hill Settlement House where he and his brothers Harry and Edward were taking a public speaking course.   He took over for his brother Harry but at first wasn't crazy about the idea, for he was the catcher for the Yorkville Nut Baseball Club, a boys' team in the neighborhood, but to help them put on the show, he took the part. He enjoyed the acting so he decided to joined the acting society at the settlement house.   He was in several more productions finally getting the lead in Lord Dunsay's one-act play The Lost Silk Hat.

Mrs. James Cagney, Sr. and Jeanne Cagney>Cagney's film career was launched!   His sixth film was The Public Enemy, the flick that made him a star.   Cagney's first in a series of salary disputes, with Jack Warner, occured after the release of Winner Take All in 1932.   Cagney felt star's should be payed what their worth, when the films are successful their salary should be high and, when the box-office drops off their salary should be adjusted accordingly.   Cagney's last few films were cheaply made but where hifghly profitable.   The dispute was settled and Cagney's salary went from $1400 to $3000, and would go up to $4500 by 1935.

He made some of his best films under this contract, ending in 1942 with his Oscar winning performance as George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy.   Cagney was voted one of the top ten money-making stars of 1935, 39, 40, 41,42 and 43. His deal with Warners was over in 1942 and his twelve year love-hate relationship with the studio ended.   United Artist offered Cagney a unit and he formed an independent production company, Cagney Productions. Headed by James and his brother William, a former actor.   It only released three films but nevertheless it became a model which many others in the industry would soon follow.

They played the vaudeville circuits, either together, as "Vernon and Nye," or seperately, hitting what must of been every tank town in the US.   Between 1925 and 1930 Cagney was in seven Broadway plays.   The rights to Penny Arcade (his last play), in which Cagney was in opposite Joan Blondell, was optioned by Al Jolson who sold it to Warner Brothers w

Some common words found in the essay are:
Jack Warner, Silk Hat, Grand National, Doodle Dandy, County Leitrim, Billie Vernon, Baseball Club, White Heat, Faun Cagney, York  Cagney,   cagney,   cagney's, james francis cagney, returned warners, penny arcade, doodle dandy, yankee doodle, week  , cagney  , james jr, cagney   cagney's, yankee doodle dandy, weekly salary,
Approximate Word count = 1563
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)