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Charles Coburn
Actor

Charles Coburn

18 Jun 1877Born
30 Aug 1961Died
84Age at death
73Credits

Biography

Charles Douville Coburn (June 19, 1877 – August 30, 1961) was an American film and theatre actor. Best known for his work in comedies, Coburn received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for 1943's The More the Merrier.

Coburn was born in Macon, Georgia, the son of Scotch-Irish Americans Emma Louise Sprigman (May 11, 1838 Springfield, Ohio – November 12, 1896 Savannah, Georgia) and Moses Douville Coburn (April 27, 1834 Savannah, Georgia – December 27, 1902 Savannah, Georgia). Growing up in Savannah, he started out at age 14 doing odd jobs at the local Savannah Theater, handing out programs, ushering, or being the doorman. By age 17 or 18, he was the theater manager.

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He later became an actor, making his debut on Broadway in 1901. Coburn formed an acting company with actress Ivah Wills in 1905. They married in 1906. In addition to managing the company, the couple performed frequently on Broadway.

After his wife's death in 1937, Coburn relocated to Los Angeles, California and began film work. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a retired millionaire playing Cupid in The More the Merrier in 1943. He was also nominated for The Devil and Miss Jones in 1941 and The Green Years in 1946. Other notable film credits include Of Human Hearts (1938), The Lady Eve (1941), Kings Row (1942), The Constant Nymph (1943), Heaven Can Wait (1943), Wilson (1944), Impact (1949), The Paradine Case (1947), Everybody Does It (1950), Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1952), Monkey Business (1952), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and John Paul Jones (1959). He usually played comedic parts, but Kings Row and Wilson were dramatic parts, showing his versatility.

For his contributions to motion pictures, in 1960, Coburn was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6268 Hollywood Boulevard.

Known for

Filmography

  1. 1960PepeFilm: Charles Coburn
  2. 1959StartimeSeries: Colonel Sykes (1 episode)
  3. 1959John Paul JonesFilm: Benjamin Franklin
  4. 1959A Stranger in My ArmsFilm: Vance Beasley
  5. 1959The Remarkable Mr. PennypackerFilm: Grampa Pennypacker
  6. 1957The Story of MankindFilm: Hippocrates
  7. 1957How to Murder a Rich UncleFilm: Uncle George Clitterbern
  8. 1957Town on TrialFilm: Dr. John Fenner
  9. 1956Around the World in 80 DaysFilm: Steamship Company Clerk
  10. 1956The Power and the PrizeFilm: Guy Eliot
  11. 1955How to Be Very, Very PopularFilm: Dr. Tweed
  12. 1954December BrideSeries (1 episode)
  13. 1954Studio 57Series (1 episode)
  14. 1954The Long WaitFilm: Gardiner
  15. 1954The Rocket ManFilm: Mayor Ed Johnson
  16. 1953Gentlemen Prefer BlondesFilm: Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman
  17. 1953Trouble Along the WayFilm: le Père Matthew William Burke
  18. 1952Monkey BusinessFilm: Oliver Oxley
  19. 1952Has Anybody Seen My Gal?Film: Samuel Fulton / John Smith
  20. 1951The HighwaymanFilm: Lord Walters
  21. 1950Mr. MusicFilm: Alex Conway
  22. 1950Lux Video TheatreSeries: Pa Harrington (1 episode)
  23. 1950PeggyFilm: Professor Brookfield
  24. 1950LouisaFilm: Mr. Burnside
  25. 1949Everybody Does ItFilm: Major Blair
  26. 1949The Doctor and the GirlFilm: Dr. John Corday
  27. 1949Yes Sir, That's My BabyFilm: Jason Hartley
  28. 1949The Gal Who Took the WestFilm: General Michael O'Hara
  29. 1949ImpactFilm: Lieutenant Quincy
  30. 1948Studio OneSeries: Louis Hurst (1 episode)
  31. 1948Green Grass of WyomingFilm: Beaver Greenway
  32. 1948B.F.'s DaughterFilm: Burton F. 'B.F.' Fulton
  33. 1947The Paradine CaseFilm: Sir Simon Flaquer
  34. 1947LuredFilm: Harley Temple
  35. 1946The Green YearsFilm: Alexander Gow
  36. 1946Colonel Effingham's RaidFilm: Colonel Will Seaborn Effingham
  37. 1945Shady LadyFilm: Col. John Appleby
  38. 1945Over 21Film: Robert Drexel Gow
  39. 1945Rhapsody in BlueFilm: Max Dreyfus
  40. 1945A Royal ScandalFilm: Nicolai Iiyitch
  41. 1944Together AgainFilm: Jonathan Crandall Sr
  42. 1944The Impatient YearsFilm: William Smith
  43. 1944WilsonFilm: Professor Henry Holmes
  44. 1944Knickerbocker HolidayFilm: Peter Stuyvesant
  45. 1943My Kingdom for a CookFilm: Rudyard Morley
  46. 1943Princess O'RourkeFilm: Uncle Holman
  47. 1943Heaven Can WaitFilm: Hugo Van Cleve
  48. 1943The Constant NymphFilm: Charles Creighton
  49. 1943The More the MerrierFilm: Benjamin Dingle
  50. 1942George Washington Slept HereFilm: Stanley Menninger
  51. 1942In This Our LifeFilm: William Fitzroy
  52. 1942Kings RowFilm: Henry Gordon
  53. 1941H.M. Pulham, Esq.Film: John Pulham
  54. 1941Unexpected UncleFilm: Seton Mansley
  55. 1941Our WifeFilm: Professor Drake
  56. 1941The Devil and Miss JonesFilm: John P. Merrick/Thomas Higgins
  57. 1941The Lady EveFilm: 'Colonel' Harrington
  58. 1940Three Faces WestFilm: Dr. Karl Braun
  59. 1940The Captain is a LadyFilm: Captain Abe Peabody
  60. 1940FlorianFilm: Dr. Johannes Hofer
  61. 1940Edison, the ManFilm: General Powell
  62. 1940Road to SingaporeFilm: Joshua Mallon IV
  63. 1939In Name OnlyFilm: Richard Walker
  64. 1939Stanley and LivingstoneFilm: Lord Tyce
  65. 1939Bachelor MotherFilm: J. B. Merlin
  66. 1939The Story of Alexander Graham BellFilm: Gardner Hubbard
  67. 1939Made for Each OtherFilm: Joseph Doolittle
  68. 1939Idiot's DelightFilm: Dr. Hugo Waldersee
  69. 1938Lord JeffFilm: Captain Briggs
  70. 1938Yellow JackFilm: Dr. Finlay
  71. 1938Vivacious LadyFilm: Mr. Morgan
  72. 1938Of Human HeartsFilm: Dr. Charles Shingle
  73. 1935The People's EnemyFilm: Judge

Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.