The Cottage James Cagney lived & died in. Stanfordville, NY (3/30/2010)

[tauntonlake]

that's a sweet little house. of course, the stables and all that land is nice too, but I love the house.

[JLogic72]

@travisangelo919 Wow!! You do the grounds-keeping for the property? Thats awesome! I'd love to speak to you about whom might be the right person to talk to about doing another video (such as this) but a little longer and more in-depth!

[drumsport]

I had read that Mr. Cagney collected antique carriages, so there must have been a barn somewhere on the property. What a great American! RIP James, you were one of a kind.

[QueenLaMadrina]

Is this by Verney Farms?

[JLogic72]

@QueenLaMadrina Yes, this is the cottage side of the property. There is the lake (shown in the clip) and on the other side are some trees, beyond the trees is the farm, stables etc-etc...

[double42]

It looks like a very average size house and certainly nothing what most movie stars live in . You have to wonder why he didn't want to live it up in a nice mansion like most movie stars ? Today's celebrities have at least 5 homes , 10 cars , their own private jet , yacht , just about everything the average American like me can only dream of .

[aaron3009]

@double42 I have read in a biography that he was a pretty humble man and that during the depression he was pulling in about 4 grand a month or week i cant remember which. Anyway it went on to say that he felt much guilt about what celebs of the time were making when average folks were suffering much hardship early on he went out of his way to avoid extravagants I guess it stayed with through out his life

[windstorm1000]

@double42 Did it ever occur to you that he might have been happy in a house this size? Not all stars are Beverly Hills meglamaniacs!! (Don't be too envious--they have problems too). How many rooms does one REALLY need? Maybe 7--the rest is for show.

[double42]

@windstorm1000 Yes , you have a valid point that Mr Cagney may have been very happy in this house he choose to live in up until his death .I keep thinking of today's celebrities and how spoiled they are and can't spend the money quick enough . It's all too obvious , they have their own problem's because money can't buy happiness , and can attract the wrong people you call friends .

[lovemypeke1]

He was a wonderful talent!

[BobbyD7578]

I have to tell you, I was at that very house, peeking in the window, back in 1978, when a friend and I drove from south Jersey to Duchess County, N.Y. to meet a legend. We had missed him by a week at his humble home on Martha's Vineyard. I spoke to his personal secretary Marge Zimmerman and after a sad story and some puppy dog eyes she allowed me to meet him! I had sent a pencil portrait of him to be autographed and they brought it out from inside the house and he signed it, as well as a book o

[JLogic72]

@BobbyD7578

Wow! Thats a great story! I wish i had been old enough before his death to have done the same! And you met Marge too? Bonus! Do you still have the portrait and autographed book? Was it Cagney by Cagney?

[bixbybailey]

@BobbyD7578 glad you were able to. cute story.

[Dravenswraith]

from reading his bio it is interesting to note he didnt believe in living in mansions just because you could afford to, he loved his farm and the horses and it was enough

[suttonguy]

thank you so much for posting this.i am a lifelong cagney fan.i visited marthas vineyard a few years ago,and saw a house he owned there.and i met a local who remembered well seeing jimmy on several occasions on the island.its my intention to visit jimmys grave on a future visit to the u.s. to pay my respects to not only a fine actor,but a wonderfully warm and well loved human being.

god bless you jim.

[zorbaloo]

JC the greatest ever, a true Yankee doodle dandy

[ccsuny]

Been in there too, but it was after he died when his long time secretary Marge Zimmerman took over the estate.

[ccsuny]

I grew up just down the road on Bangall-Amenia Rd (also known as James Cagney Way). It was a pretty big deal when he died. I can still remember it even though I was 8 years old at the time.

[JLogic72]

@ccsuny Interesting. I had wondered about the Locals and how they felt when he died. My Mother now lives in Poughkeepsie, and its a 30 minute drive to the Cagney house. When I figured out it was so close i drove over and went to his old restaurant there. (they were closed.) Cute town!

[Fania54]

JLogic72....great. I would imagine he only lived here part time and had a place out in CA?

I went to high school in Staatsburg, about 18 miles from Stanfordville. We knew he lived close by but didn't know exactly where. Thank again for posting this.

[JLogic72]

@Fania54 Correct, he did have a west coast house. But eventually after retirement and when he became too old to fly or travel longer distances, he spent the final golden years on this NY ranch until his passing in 86.

[svigeland]

He laid the stone himself according to Cagney By Cagney. Had a friend who know stone masonry watch and give him moral support, suggesting another stone when necessary.

[JLogic72]

@svigeland Yes, I recall reading that too. I tried to look up/research the Mason friend who assisted, but he too (obviously) has long since passed on.

[JLogic72]

But I did get his name and info.

[Fania54]

Would it not be more appropriate to say that this is the house the Mr Cagney *lived* in.

[JLogic72]

@Fania54

An excellent idea Fania54! Point taken, and title changed! Thanks for the great idea, by celebrating the LIFE (not just the death.) (But i also kept "died" also, because i think thats a thing some people might search by. )

[GeminiNightOwl]

Thanks so much for sharing this with us - I always wanted to see the house too. I can imagine him being very happy there. My all time favorite actor - RIP James...

[oldedrum]

True.You can see the little stone place from the road. I was told he also owned the larger house down the way. That along with many acres of land.

Such a beautiful country road!...One of the more scenic roads here in Dutchess County N.Y.

[JLogic72]

@oldedrum Yes, my mother now lives in Poughkeepsie. (I live in NYC.) So I know the area well. Beautiful up there and I can see why Cagney loved it so!

[oldedrum]

@JLogic72 ~ Still looks pretty much the same as when Cagney lived there, I'm sure.

If the road wasn't paved, you'd think you were back in the 1800's!

[mighty9178]

NO ONE LIVES THERE NOW ITS MAINLY A GUESS HOUSE

[MrCagney21]

THANKS FROM SOMEONE WHO WAS BORN WITH A INCURABLE SICKNESS THIS MAN HAS TOUCHED MY SOUL AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS PIECE OF HISTORY IN MY EYES THE BEST ACTOR THAT HAS EVER GRACED THE SCREEN AND THAT THERE WILL EVER BE.NOTHING BETTER THAN WATCHING A CAGNEY PICTURE.

[JLogic72]

@MrCagney21 I'm glad you liked it and I wish it could have been more footage. It was freezing cold sleet and windy. But some is better than none and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[TexTubeGuy]

Great man....thanks so much for this small glimpse into a great actors personal life.

[Edam3000]

Wow ! - thank you for this :)

BTW, who lives there now ?

[mighty9178]

I WAS IN THIS HOUSE ITS BEEN RENOVATED CEILING WERE SHORT BUT RAISED LIVING ROOM KITCHIN COMBO ONE BEDROOM ONE BATH NICE FIRE PLACE WERE I CAN INMAGINE JIM SITTING THERE I THINK HE HAD 250 ACRES OF LAND REAL NICE TO SPEND SOME OF YOUR LAST DAYS

[JLogic72]

@mighty9178 WOW! Great! How'd you get inside? I saw that it was renovated and so was the outside. There was a stone patio that no longer exists and the inside (from my peek through the window) I could tell has been redone. There was also the Assistant Cottage, slightly set-back on a hill, that was since torn down too.

[mighty9178]

@JLogic72 had to do some in door work if you saw the big yellow house those pepole own it

[KnightOwl2006]

Looks like a nice place to live.

[35Darlene]

Thank you for posting this. I always wanted to see the house.

He is my favorite actor!!.

[bixbybailey]

appreciate that you took the care to remember and share this.