Alec Baldwin Says 'Sweetheart' Friend James Caan's Health Was 'Not Great' Over 'Last Five Years'

NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images James Caan and Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin is remembering James Caan as a "real sweetheart."

In a nearly seven-minute video posted to Instagram Friday, the 64-year-old actor expressed condolences for Caan's family and recalled some of his favorite memories of the late Godfather actor, who died Wednesday at the age of 82.

A tweet from Caan's official account Thursday read, "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."

While a cause of death was not made immediately available, Baldwin said of Caan, whom he starred with on multiple episodes of Las Vegas, that Caan's assistant Mike Kijanski was "one of a handful of people who kept Jimmy alive the last five years, because Jimmy's health was not great."

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Baldwin also said Caan was much nicer in real life than his intimidating characters might otherwise suggest, calling him a "real sweetheart." Additionally, "Jimmy Caan, he taught me how to swear," said Baldwin with a laugh. "It's an inflection, it's an emphasis."

"He was a sweetie. He was a sweet guy. Very kind to me. And I loved him. He was a good guy," Baldwin added.

In a comment on Baldwin's post, Amy Sedaris wrote, "I was really looking forward to hear what you had to say about James Caan. Thank you! He was a pussycat."

RELATED VIDEO: James Caan Dead at 82

A titan in the film industry, Caan's movie and TV career stretches back over 60 years, with some of his most notable roles being in The Godfather (1972), Misery (1990) and Elf (2003).

Other roles throughout Caan's career include in films like Brian's Song (1971), Cinderella Liberty (1973), The Gambler (1974), Rollerball (1975), Dick Tracy (1990), Bottle Rocket (1996) and Eraser (1996).

He was also known for appearances on television, perhaps most notably for starring as Ed Deline in the series Las Vegas, which ran for five seasons on NBC from 2003 to 2008. Costar Josh Duhamel said on his Instagram Story Thursday that "mentor" Caan was the "kindest" and "funniest."

Plus, Molly Sims, who played Caan's daughter on Las Vegas, wrote on Instagram, "I could not be more proud than to have played his daughter. He was tough as nails on me but taught me the art of acting and I felt so lucky to go to 'acting school' with him every week. (though I'm not sure he felt the same lol) He was a legend."

"His stories were legendary. His acting was like playing tennis," she continued. "I never knew what he would throw back to me in a scene, but boy did it make me better than I ever thought I could be. (FYI I still use my hands too much lol). You made those around you better, and you were the best TV dad I could've had. You will be so missed. Rip my friend."