7. James Cagney
James 'Jimmy' Cagney did more for the grapefruits popularity than Salty Dog cocktails. And he did it all with wonderful aplomb. Ah, I can see the scene now... The screwing up of the face, eyes crinkled, and nose as flared as a hippies trousers. The smack of the citrus against Mae Clarks face. And then the indignant Cagney standing up, his pajama pants pulled up to his tits, before storming off to do whatever it is gangsters do after assaulting their wives with fruit.
The Public Enemy was the first of Jimmy Cagneys roles as a rough tough cream puff, and roles in
White Heat and
Angels with Dirty Faces cemented that reputation. Even off screen, he seemed like a pretty wild dude. He threatened to tangle asses with John Ford (which means fighting what did you think it meant? Weirdo), and had several blow ups with Jack Warner, frequently walking off set and trying to break his contract. But it was all for good reasons Jimmy Cagney was the first to set up the Screen Actors Guild, giving more rights to actors, and making the old torturous studio system more bearable. Cagney was also the anti-Orson Welles, in that he wasnt some fancy schmancy actor nope, in the words of the great man himself, all you need to do is walk in, face the other actor in the face, and tell the truth. The truth may hurt those dirty, yellow-bellied rats, but they have to hear it! A mans man that could throw a punch as well as dance a jig, Jimmy Cagney was a goddamn gem.