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

James Caan; Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwinis rememberingJames Caanas a “real sweetheart.”

In a nearly seven-minutevideo posted toInstagram Friday, the 64-year-old actor expressed condolences for Caan’s family and recalled some of his favorite memories of the lateGodfatheractor, whodied Wednesday at the age of 82.

Atweet from Caan’s official accountThursday 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 ofLas 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 Sedariswrote, “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

Other roles throughout Caan’s career include in films likeBrian’s Song(1971),Cinderella Liberty(1973),The Gambler(1974),Rollerball(1975),Dick Tracy(1990),Bottle Rocket(1996) andEraser(1996).

He was also known for appearances on television, perhaps most notably for starring as Ed Deline in the seriesLas 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 onLas Vegas,wroteon 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.”

source: people.com