James Cagney Was My Babysitter

Imagine you are an 8-year-old introvert informed by your father that you will spend the afternoon at a famous actor’s house–a famous actor you’ve never met! In fact, this famous actor from Hollywood’s golden age will be your babysitter. From the spooky car ride up a narrow driveway in Benedict Canyon to the creaky opening of the front door that reveals an elderly James Cagney, you are captivated! The star of The Public Enemy, Yankee Doodle Dandy, White Heat, Mister Roberts, and many other Hollywood classics is nothing like you’d expect. He’s not brash; he’s not a killer; he isn’t loud and he doesn’t sing and dance. He is quiet and gentle and full of imagination. This isn’t a scary gangster–this is Santa Claus! In one afternoon away from the pressures of a perfectionist father, you relax and fall under the spell of a wonderful babysitter who makes you feel special and encourages you to enter an imaginary world where leprechauns come to life and owls speak to you from the trees. Hours later, you leave James Cagney’s house changed from a timid child into an enthusiastic young man who’s infused with self-confidence and ready for life’s next adventure.