Who was James Caan married to? All about his marriages and wives as The Godfather star dies aged 82 

Veteran actor James Caan passed away on July 6 at the age of 82. The news of his demise was announced on his official Twitter account alongside a request to respect the privacy of his family:

“It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time.”

At the time of writing, no immediate cause of death or funeral plans were made available to the public. Caan was known as one of the most celebrated artists in Hollywood and is best remembered for playing the role of Sonny Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather.

The actor was married four times in his life and is survived by his five children Tara, Scott, Alexander, James, and Jacob.

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A look into James Caan’s four marriages and children

James Caan with his fourth wife, Linda Stokes (Image via Getty Images)

James Caan was married to his first wife, actress Dee Jay Mathis, even before he earned fame and recognition for his role in the 1966 Howard Hawks film El Dorado. The duo tied the knot in 1960 and welcomed daughter Tara in 1964. However, they decided to part ways two years later and divorced in 1966.

Nearly 10 years after divorcing his first wife, Caan married Elvis Presley’s ex and Playboy model Sheila Ryan in 1976. Unfortunately, their marriage was shortlived and the duo divorced a year after their wedding in 1977. Despite their brief marriage, the pair welcomed son Scott together. Ryan passed away in 2012.

Several years after his second divorce, Caan met his third wife, Ingrid Hajek, who was 20 years his junior. The latter reportedly grew up in the same neighborhood as the actor in Sunnyside, Queens, and met him through mutual friends. The pair dated for two years and tied the knot in 1990.

Hajek and Caan married on a Regentsea yacht in Marina Del Rey harbor, with the latter’s 14-year-old son Scott serving as their best man. The pair welcomed their own son Alexander in 1991 but separated a few years later. The couple ended their marriage in 1995.

Caan’s final marriage to actress and costume designer Linda Stokes was also the longest. The duo tied the knot in 1995, the same year of his separation from Hajek. They welcomed their first child, son James, that same year.

Their second child, son Jacob, arrived in 1998. Unfortunately, the relationship between Caan and Stokes soon turned bitter and the actor reportedly filed for divorce in 2009 citing irreconcilable differences.

However, the pair reportedly reconciled and the divorce request was withdrawn, only to be filed once again in 2016. According to TMZ, Caan allegedly claimed that he was compelled to work despite his desire to retire to maintain his estranged wife’s financial demands:

“I am no longer willing to take parts in films and/or television shows which detract from the 50 years I have spent building my reputation.”

However, the Academy Award winner also praised his wife in legal documents and thanked her for their children:

“Linda is a beautiful woman who gave me 2 beautiful sons which helped enrich my life tremendously, and I'll always be indebted to her for that.”

James Caan and Linda Stokes’ divorce was finalized in 2017 after nearly 18 years of marriage.