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

The quaint little stone farm cottage in Stanfordville, New York where acting mega legend James Cagney lived from 1952 - until 1986 (his death.) He had it built for he and his wife, along with another little separate house for his Assistant/House Keeper (which was since torn down.) "Verney Farm" (a combination of his and her last names.) He died peacefully in this cottage on the morning of Easter Sunday, March 30th,1986. The house used to have a patio in the front, looking out onto the lake, where Jimmy would sit and have coffee and read, but was taken down a few years ago. He raised Beef Cattle here.

This clip was taken on 3/30/2010. The 24th anniversary of his death. This is private/protected property, and although the house is partially visible from the street, people can't get this close. I was allowed by Security, to follow them onto the property for a few minutes. It was freezing and pouring rain. It was a wonderful moment to peek into the windows and see where one of the greatest actor of all time, spent his middle-age to golden years.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• James
• Cagney
• Stanfordville
• Verney
• Farm
• Death
• Cottage

[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...

[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?

[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.

[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...

[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 .

[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.

[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.

[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

[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 .

[lovemypeke1]

He was a wonderful talent!