To film buffs, James Caan was a legend, but to a younger audience he's better known as the bah-humbug dad in Christmas classic Elf.
The Hollywood actor, who passed away on Wednesday night at 82, was credited as one of the last great "tough guys" of the industry.
In an interview with Caan for his podcast in 2019, actor Alec Baldwin labelled Caan's roles as "tougher than tough", but added they "frustrated him".
"Caan's characters, especially the early ones, are volatile, with liberal dashes of humour and mischief," Baldwin said.
"There's no denying Caan plays a certain type."
So not exactly full of Christmas spirit.
"I didn't get a f**kin' script that didn't have 12 people dead by page 20 for three years," Caan said at the time.
Between a notorious party lifestyle and turbulent marriages, his career was one of major ups and downs, but there are some serious highlights in there you shouldn't miss.
So if you only remember James Caan as "that guy from Elf", here's your movie guide.
The Godfather (1972)
His most famous role. This is where you want to get started.
Caan shines in Francis Ford Coppola's mob epic as Santino "Sonny" Corleone, the violent and hot-headed counterpart to Al Pacino's Michael Corleone.
In an interview for the film's 50th anniversary, Caan said he "just let go" and was given "a certain amount of freedom", and it shows.
"There was one guy playing a photographer who had one of those old box cameras and, as I went in there, I grabbed the friggin' thing and I smashed it, literally threw it on the ground," he said.
"Nobody knew I was gonna do it, but I just did it."
Misery (1990)
Caan and Kathy Bates trapped in a house together in the 90s. What could go wrong?
In this Stephen King flick, Caan plays a novelist who survives a car crash but finds himself the bedridden prisoner of a dangerously obsessed fan.
His increasing horror and desperation as the nightmare unfolds makes the whole film work, and proved a boost to Caan's then-stalling career.
Thief (1981)
Caan gives one of the best performances of his career as highly skilled jewel thief Frank, who longs to ditch his life of crime and settle down with his girlfriend.
Like most movies of its kind, it doesn't work out that way.
But Caan — who actually learned to crack a real safe on his own — carries the film, and often spoke about it as the movie he was most proud of.
Bottle Rocket (1996)
Any Wes Anderson fans out there?
Caan plays the mentor to Owen Wilson's character in Anderson's crime comedy directorial debut, about three friends who try to pull off a simple robbery and go on the run.
It was a commercial failure, but later named as one of director Martin Scorsese's favourite films. Arguably higher praise.
