Have you heard of Dee Jay Mathis? She’s the former actress and dancer who was once married to Hollywood legend James Caan. While her own acting career was brief, she made headlines as Caan’s first wife in the 1960s.
Let’s take a closer look at the life and times of Dee Jay Mathis.
Who Is Dee Jay Mathis?
Dee Jay Mathis was born sometime between 1940-1942 in New York. Not much is known about her exact birthdate. She grew up in the United States and pursued a career in acting and dancing as a young woman in the 1960s. Mathis had a short-lived stint in Hollywood. She appeared in two films in uncredited roles. In 1964, she played a “broad” in the comedy The Patsy. Two years later, she had a role as an Earl Barton dancer in the musical romance Frankie and Johnny.
After these two minor film appearances, Mathis didn’t act in any other movies. She left her acting career behind after just a couple years pursuing roles in the entertainment industry. Instead, she focused on her personal life, especially her relationship with James Caan.
Early Life and Background
Not many details are available about Dee Jay Mathis’ early life and upbringing. She kept a very low public profile, despite her marriage to a famous movie star. What we do know is that Mathis was born and raised somewhere in New York state in the early 1940s. She likely developed an interest in performing arts like dance and acting as a child or teenager.
By her early 20s, Mathis moved to Los Angeles to give Hollywood a shot. She managed to land a couple of background roles in 1964 and 1966. But an acting career never really took off for her beyond that.
Acting Career and Notable Roles
As an actress, Dee Jay Mathis only has two known film credits to her name. Both were minor, uncredited roles in the mid-1960s. Her first appearance was in the 1964 farce The Patsy. Mathis played the part of “broad” in the comedy starring Jerry Lewis and Ina Balin. The film followed the story of a bellboy being trained to become a singing star. But it received mostly negative reviews.
Mathis’ second and final acting role was in 1966’s Frankie and Johnny. The musical romance starred Elvis Presley as a riverboat gambler. Mathis appeared as a dancer in the film, but didn’t receive an official credit. The movie ended up being a box office hit.
After Frankie and Johnny, Mathis never appeared in another film. She gave up her acting pursuits, which were quite limited to begin with. Instead, her Hollywood connection came through her marriage to James Caan.
Marriage to James Caan
Dee Jay Mathis’ claim to fame is being the first wife of legendary actor James Caan. Caan was best known for his roles in The Godfather, Misery, and Elf.
Mathis and Caan started a romantic relationship in 1959 when they were both young adults. After two years of dating, the couple got married on July 8, 1961. Caan was 21 years old at the time, and Mathis around the same age. The pair had one child together, a daughter named Tara. She was born on November 5, 1964. Tara has stayed out of the spotlight for most of her life.
Unfortunately, Mathis and Caan’s marriage didn’t last very long. By 1966, after just 4 years as husband and wife, the couple divorced. The reason for their separation is not publicly known.
Divorce and Life After Separation
Following her divorce from James Caan in 1966, Dee Jay Mathis faded from public view. She never remarried or had any other known relationships. Mathis seems to have retreated to a quiet life out of the Hollywood spotlight after her split from Caan. She didn’t take any other acting roles post-divorce or make headlines for any reason.
Very little is known about how Mathis spent her years after her short-lived marriage to Caan. She appears to have raised their daughter Tara as a single mother. But details about her career, relationships, or residence are scarce. Caan went on to remarry three more times. But he always kept his first marriage to Mathis private. He rarely spoke about her or their time together in interviews over the years.
Personal Life and Relationships
Throughout her life, Dee Jay Mathis has been a very private person. She hasn’t shared much about her personal life or relationships with the public. The only romantic partner that Mathis is known to have had is James Caan. Their relationship began in 1959 and ended in divorce in 1966.
It’s not clear if Mathis dated anyone before meeting Caan as a young woman. And she seems to have remained single in the decades since their marriage ended. Mathis did welcome one child, daughter Tara, in 1964 with Caan. After their divorce, she likely focused much of her attention on raising Tara. But Mathis didn’t reveal details about her experience as a mother.
Public Appearances and Media Presence
As someone who has shied away from the spotlight, Dee Jay Mathis has made very few public appearances over the years. Even when she was married to James Caan at the height of his fame, she didn’t often attend red carpet events or give interviews alongside him. There are a handful of photos of Mathis from her acting days in the 1960s. But more recent pictures of her are nearly impossible to find. She seems to have made a concerted effort to stay out of the public eye.
Mathis also doesn’t appear to participate in social media or maintain any kind of online presence. A Google search of her name turns up very few results, besides basic biographical information related to her marriage to Caan.
Where Is She Now?
So what ever happened to Dee Jay Mathis? Where is she now? The truth is, no one really knows for sure. Mathis has succeeded in maintaining a very private life since her 1966 divorce from James Caan. She hasn’t made any known public appearances or given interviews in decades.
The last known fact about Mathis’ whereabouts dates back to the 1960s. At that time, she was living in Los Angeles with Caan and their daughter. But it’s not clear where she resided after the divorce. Some have speculated that Mathis moved back to her native New York. Others believe she may still be living a quiet life somewhere in California. Without any public sightings or statements from her, it’s impossible to say for sure.
Conclusion
While she only had a brief brush with fame, Dee Jay Mathis will always be remembered as the first wife of Hollywood icon James Caan. Her short-lived acting career and even shorter-lived marriage made headlines in the 1960s. But in the decades since her divorce, Mathis has chosen to live a private life away from the spotlight. She hasn’t acted, remarried, or made any public appearances.
Though we may never know much more about the woman who captured Caan’s heart in the early days of his stardom, Dee Jay Mathis remains an intriguing figure from a bygone era of Hollywood history.
