James Caan Once Paused His Hollywood Career to Coach Kids' Baseball After a 'Bad Bout with Cocaine'

James Caan spent his hiatus from Hollywood coaching kids' baseball.

The Oscar-nominated actor died on Wednesday at age 82. A statement on his official Twitter page 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."

Caan took a five-year break from his tough-guy movie career in the 1980s, after having made a name for himself with movies like El Dorado and The Godfather. Because of substance abuse issues, he opted to step back and work on himself.

As he recalled to The Independent in 2021, he "started doing cocaine, which is like a death sentence" and it "lasted a while." During his hiatus, the actor coached his son's Little League team before returning for Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola's 1987 film Gardens of Stone.

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"That was when I came back! With hunger and thirst!" said Caan of venturing back into acting after his recovery. From there, he did Dick Tracy and Misery in 1990, with many more memorable roles in the years to come, including Eraser, Elf and Dogville.

He told CBS Sunday Mornings last year that he "had a bad bout with cocaine for a little while" after the 1981 death of his younger sister Barbara from leukemia. "When I lost her, I couldn't handle it. I didn't know what to do." Caan added to The Independent, "Barbara was like my best friend. She was the only person I was afraid of in the world. When she died, passion became this whole thing with me. That's what I loved about my sister: she was just so passionate about whatever she did."

RELATED: James Caan, The Godfather and Elf Acting Legend, Dead at 82

Ron Galella Collection via Getty James Caan and son Scott Caan in June 1989

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He said in a 1996 interview with Tampa Bay Times that his drug abusing days were behind him. "I went through my period of drugs and all that stuff. There was a time when I was runnin' bad. Where I come from, Queens, I'm supposed to be a tough guy, an athlete all my life."

He added, "I frightened a lot of people off, understandably. ... I had some good friends and after a couple of years I went to this place and, you know, so far it's been good. I don't miss it."

Back in 2003, Caan told Esquire more about his time coaching baseball. (The actor would later play a former baseball player on the ABC comedy series Back in the Game.)

"I had great, great times as a Little League coach," he said at the time. "People were talking about me quitting acting, and they would say, 'What about your creative juices?' Coaching is creative, because you could take a kid who thought he wasn't any good and, within four minutes, change his mind. And I didn't have to wait six months for them to put music to it."

He also told the magazine about his drug use: "I had my first puff on a joint when I was 24-and-a-half, and I was petrified. I thought I was gonna see elephants. Five, six years later, I'm in Hollywood. I got a little cocaine in my pocket, a couple of quaaludes. I can't do a little of anything."

"I've never missed a day's work in my life, even through all the s---. But there were days when I was not on my best behavior," he added.

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic James Caan

Caan told Cigar Aficionado back in 2004 that he also coached his son Scott's sports teams during his hiatus, calling the coaching gigs the "high point of my low point." He also wanted to kick his cocaine habit when he realized Scott noticed it.

"I thought I was fooling my son. I was so stupid. I mean, you're never consciously hurting people, but when you look back, you go, 'Oh my God.' I didn't think he knew what was going on, you know; you think that kids aren't bright enough. But that's what woke me up, pretty much. Scott went after some guy — Scott was 15, 16 — with a baseball bat. He was going to kill him. A dope dealer. My son! It's like crying out of one eye and smiling out of the other, you know? That was like the rude awakening. It was over."

Caan had five children. His actor son Scott, now 45, told PEOPLE back in 2010 that even though he witnessed his dad's lows during his childhood, he had "no resentment" toward him. "He made mistakes that affected him — and me — but he's always been there for me no matter what."

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.