Search results
Oct 17, 1994 · Frances Cagney, actor James Cagney’s beloved “Billie,” his wife for 64 years, died Oct. 10 in the rural Upstate New York farmhouse where she and her husband found respite from his fame.
Oct 10, 1994 · Wife of actor James Cagney, married from 1922 until his death in 1986. Frances Cagney, actor James Cagney's beloved "Billie," his wife for 64 years, died Oct. 10 in the rural Upstate New York farmhouse where she and her husband found respite from his fame.
Frances Cagney was born on June 19, 1899 in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. She was married to James Cagney. She died on October 10, 1994 in Sharon, Connecticut, USA.
- June 19, 1899
- October 10, 1994
Oct 13, 1994 · Frances Cagney, the wife of the actor James Cagney, died on Monday at Sharon Hospital in Sharon, Conn. She was 95 and lived in Stanfordville. Mrs. Cagney was born on June 19, 1899, in...
- He Was Sickly
- He Came from Nothing
- He Watched It Slip Away
- He Suffered A Tragic Loss
- He Abandoned His Dreams
- He Had The Skills
- He Climbed Over
- He Lived in The Shadows
- He Had A Photographic Memory
- He Got Noticed
Born in July 1899, James Francis Cagney grew up as a sickly child. In fact, his mother was so distressed over his poor health, she worried that he wouldn't even make it to his baptism. But he wasn't the only one in danger. Cagney had six siblings, and tragically, two of them passed only months after coming into the world. Later, he gave a harrowing...
Cagney's family was dirt poor. At that time, the Lower East Side of Manhattan was poor, treacherous, and had deplorable sanitation. His father was an amateur boxer and bartender, and with so many mouths to feed, the family struggled to get by. But though Cagney hailed from such meager beginnings, he harbored some big dreams. Wikipedia
After graduating from high school, James Cagney enrolled at Columbia College, where he planned to study art. He also had the intention to study German. So why were all these plans just intentions? Because none of them came true. Just when Cagney was on the verge of rising above his sad story,it all came crashing down with one tragic event. Getty Im...
In 1918, there was a pandemic often referred to as the Spanish Flu. At its worst moment, it had a mortality rate of 287 residents per 100,000 in New York City. Sadly, in the Cagney family that led to the passing of its patriarch. Cagney’s plans to go to college were over. He headed back home in order to take care of his mother and siblings—but litt...
Instead of attending college, James Cagney had no choice but to take on odd jobs to provide for his family. He worked as a doorkeeper at a luxury residence, and also as a bellhop at a hotel. Somehow, he also got jobs as a junior architect and a copyboy. However, it was when he took a job at the New York Public Library that his life took a dramatic ...
At the New York Public Library, James Cagney met Florence James. She worked in the world of theater and she thought he belonged there too. You see, Cagney had some skills that would make him the perfect performer. He was a skilled street fighter and an amateur boxer but also knew how to tap dance 'til the cows came home. However, his first introduc...
James Cagney had an aunt who lived in Brooklyn and—just by chance—right across the street from Vitagraph Studios. Cagney was soon obsessed about what was going on over the fence at the studio. When his curiosity got the best of him, he climbed the wall. That's when he saw something he’d never seen before:the filming of a movie. This glorious sight ...
James Cagney couldn’t exactly just waltz into Vitagraph Studios and demand a job. He had to start at the bottom. He soon became a scenery boy for a pantomime show. His brother, Harry was acting there and the show’s director was Florence James—the woman from the library. Cagney was content to be backstage and actually feared being the one performing...
It was a usual day and Cagney was preparing the stage for the pantomime show when disaster struck.His brother, who was performing that night, suddenly got sick. James, the director, asked Cagney if he knew the direction for the show. Cagney said he did, and James convinced him to stand in for his brother. Thanks to his impressive photographic memor...
Even though Cagney had gone up on stage and succeeded, he still wasn’t sure he belonged there. Instead, in 1919, he took a job at Wanamaker’s Department Store. One day while horsing around, a colleague saw him dancing. She thought Cagney was pretty good and told him about an audition that she’d heard about. The job paid $35 a week—much more than Ca...
In 1920, Cagney was a member of the chorus for the show Pitter Patter, where he met Frances Willard "Billie" Vernon. They married on September 28, 1922, and the marriage lasted until his death in 1986.
Aug 18, 2023 · Frances Willard Vernon became not just the wife of the iconic James Cagney, but a pillar of strength and support throughout his illustrious career. Their union was blessed with the birth of a daughter, Kathleen, who remains a testament to their enduring love.
