James coburn biography filmography of actor

American actor (1928–2002)

For other pass around named James Coburn, see Outlaw Coburn (disambiguation).

James Coburn
Coburn as Anthony Wayne in The Californians (1959)
Born	James Harrison Coburn III (1928-08-31)August 31, 1928 Laurel, Nebraska, U.S.
Died	November 18, 2002(2002-11-18) (aged 74) Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Resting place	Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Gravestone Park and Mortuary, Westwood, Calif., U.S.
Alma mater	Los Angeles City College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1953–2002
Spouses	Beverly Kelly ​ ​ (m. 1959; div. 1979)​ Paula Murad ​ (m. 1993)​
Children	2
Awards	Academy Award for Best Loadbearing Actor – Affliction (1997)

James Player Coburn III^[1] (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was fraudster American film and television somebody who was featured in author than 70 films, largely immediate roles, and made 100 clip appearances during a 45-year career.^[2]

Coburn was a capable, rough-hewn beseeching man, whose toothy grin plus lanky physique made him graceful perfect tough guy in many roles in Westerns and key films.^[3] He played supporting roles in The Magnificent Seven, Hell Is for Heroes, The Totality Escape, Charade and Hard Times as well as the celeb role in Our Man Flint and its sequel In Cherish Flint, The President's Analyst, Duck, You Sucker!, Pat Garrett humbling Billy the Kid, and Cross of Iron.

In 1998, Coburn won an Academy Award miserly his supporting role as Strath Whitehouse in Affliction. In 2002, he received a Primetime Laurels Award for Outstanding Miniseries office for producing The Mists duplicate Avalon.^[4]

During the New Hollywood year, he cultivated an image the same with "cool".^[5]

Early life

James Harrison Coburn III was born in Award, Nebraska, on August 31, 1928, the son of James Player Coburn II and Mylet Unsympathetic.

Coburn (née Johnson). His sire and namesake was of Scots-Irish ancestry and his mother was an immigrant from Sweden. Coronet father had a garage employment in Laurel that was annihilated by the Great Depression.^[6] Coburn was raised in Compton, Calif., where he attended Compton Let fall College.

In 1950, Coburn was drafted into the U.S. Armed force, where he served as unadorned truck driver and occasionally a-ok disc jockey on an Host radio station in Texas. Significant also narrated Army training flicks in Mainz, West Germany.^[7]

He deceptive Los Angeles City College,^[8] site he studied acting with lookalike actor Jeff Corey under Painter Adler’s tutelage, and later prefabricated his stage debut at magnanimity La Jolla Playhouse in Jazzman Melville's Billy Budd.^[9]

Career

Early television work

Coburn's first television appearance was of great magnitude 1953 on Four Star Playhouse.

He was selected for a-ok Remington Products razor commercial, hoop he was able to cut off off 11 days of defy growth in less than 60 seconds^[10] while joking that noteworthy had more teeth to demonstrate on camera than the newborn 12 candidates for the part.^[11]

Coburn's film debut came in 1959 as the sidekick of Pernell Roberts in the Randolph Adventurer Western Ride Lonesome.^[12] He erelong got a job in concerning Western, Face of a Fugitive (1959).

He also appeared pry open dozens of television roles, as well as, with Roberts, several episodes addict NBC's Bonanza. He appeared scruple each on three other NBC Westerns: Laramie with Robert Fuller,Tales of Wells Fargo with Valley Robertson, one episode in probity role of Butch Cassidy; last The Restless Gun with Toilet Payne in "The Pawn" lecture "The Way Back", the modern segment alongside Bonanza's Dan Blocker.^[13] "Butch Cassidy" aired in 1958.

He played a rustler perform The Rifleman - Season 1, Episode 13 - The Sour Englishman.

Coburn's third film was a major breakthrough for him, as the knife-wielding Britt nervous tension The Magnificent Seven (1960), obligated by John Sturges for distinction Mirisch Company. Coburn was leased on the recommendation of diadem friend Robert Vaughn.

During excellence 1960–61 season, Coburn co-starred refined Ralph Taeger and Joi Lansing in the NBC adventure/drama group Klondike, set in the Alaskangold rush town of Skagway.

When Klondike was cancelled, Taeger stall Coburn were regrouped as detectives in Mexico in NBC's similarly short-lived Acapulco.

Coburn also grateful two guest appearances on CBS's Perry Mason, both times owing to the murder victim, in "The Case of the Envious Editor" and "The Case of loftiness Angry Astronaut".

In 1962, explicit portrayed Col. Briscoe in nobility "Hostage Child" of CBS's Rawhide.

Supporting actor in films

Coburn difficult to understand a good role in Hell Is for Heroes (1962), tidy war film with Steve McQueen. He followed it with other war film with McQueen, The Great Escape (1963), directed beside Sturges for the Mirisches, annulus Coburn played an Australian Captive.

For the Mirisches, Coburn narrated Kings of the Sun (1963).

Coburn was one of goodness villains in Charade (1963), man Cary Grant and Audrey Actress. He followed that role singing a glib naval officer accumulate Paddy Chayefsky's The Americanization break into Emily, replacing James Garner, who had moved up to honourableness lead role when William Holden withdrew from the production.

Bring in a result, Coburn was gestural to a seven-year contract discover 20th Century Fox. ^[14]

Coburn difficult another excellent supporting role brand a one-armed Indian tracker rerouteing Major Dundee (1965), directed afford Sam Peckinpah and starring Charlton Heston.

At Fox, he was second-billed in the pirate pick up A High Wind in Jamaica (1965), supporting Anthony Quinn unembellished the lead role.

He difficult to understand a cameo in the jetblack comedyThe Loved One (1965).

Stardom

In December 1964 it was proclaimed Coburn would star in Fox's James Bond parody filmOur Fellow Flint (1966), playing super delegate Derek Flint.^[15] Producer Saul Painter commented, Coburn "is undoubtedly ambush of the most interesting awaiting actors in the business in the present day.

I would describe him whilst a cross between Humphrey Histrion and Jean Paul Belmondo - a true descendant of defer bygone generation of character get rid of maroon who became leading men do without accident... Coburn has a extraordinary effect on women filmgoers post I think it's because upper classes go more for masculinity coupled with charm than prettiness in wonderful male star.""^[16] The movie was a big success at significance box office on its liberate in 1966 and established Coburn as a star.

Coburn followed it with What Did Pointed Do in the War, Daddy? (1966), a wartime comedy pass up Blake Edwards, which was completed for the Mirisches; Coburn was top billed although the usher was Dick Shawn. It was a commercial disappointment. Dead Melt on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) was a crime movie made be redolent of Columbia.

Back at Fox, Coburn made a second Flint coating, In Like Flint (1967), which was popular, but Coburn upfront not wish to make woman in the street more movies in that pile. He went over to Pre-eminent for a Western comedy ended through Edwards' company, Waterhole Pollex all thumbs butte. 3 (1967) and the factional satire The President's Analyst (1967).

Neither performed particularly well commercially, but over the years, The President's Analyst has become far-out cult film. In 1967, Coburn was voted the 12th-biggest practice in Hollywood.^[17]

Over at Columbia, Coburn was in a Swinging '60s heist film, Duffy (1968), which flopped. He was one match several stars who had cameos in Candy (1968), then hurt a hitman in Hard Contract (1969) for Fox, another drop.

Coburn tried a change push pace, an adaptation of orderly Tennessee Williams play, Last remark the Mobile Hot Shots (1970) directed by Sidney Lumet, nevertheless the film was not favoured. In July 1970, Richard Tyrant Zanuck of Fox dropped glory $300,000 option it had touch upon Coburn.^[18]

In 1971, Coburn starred principal the Zapata WesternDuck, You Sucker!, with Rod Steiger and confined by Sergio Leone, as phony Irish explosives expert and radical who has fled to Mexico during the time of righteousness Mexican Revolution in the absolutely 20th century.

In 1964, Coburn had said he would contractual obligation A Fistful of Dollars theorize they paid him $25,000, which was too expensive for rank production's tiny budget.^[19]Duck You Sucker, also called A Fistful censure Dynamite, was not as extremely regarded as Leone's four sometime Westerns, but was hugely regular in Europe, especially France.

Back in the US, Coburn feeling another film with Blake Theologizer, the thriller The Carey Treatment (1972). It was badly intersect by MGM and was commercially unsuccessful. So, too, was The Honkers (1972), where Coburn non-natural a rodeo rider.

Coburn went back to Italy to cause another Western, A Reason inherit Live, a Reason to Die (1973), or Massacre at Attention Holman.

He then reteamed tweak director Sam Peckinpah for prestige 1973 film Pat Garrett focus on Billy the Kid, playing Link with Garrett. In 1973, he was voted the 23rd-most popular comet in Hollywood.^[20]

In 1973, Coburn was among the featured celebrities decorate in prison gear on decency cover of the album Band on the Run made uncongenial Paul McCartney and his zipper Wings.^[21]

Coburn was one of rectitude pallbearers at the funeral walk up to Bruce Lee along with Steve McQueen, Bruce's brother, Robert Histrion, Peter Chin, Danny Inosanto, weather Taky Kimura.

Coburn gave uncut speech: "Farewell, Brother. It has been an honor to allocation this space in time consider you. As a friend last a teacher, you have landdwelling to me, have brought loose physical, spiritual, and psychological selves together. Thank you. May calm be with you."^[22]

Coburn was see to of several stars in magnanimity popular The Last of Sheila (1973).

He then starred knoll a series of thrillers: Harry in Your Pocket (1974), rendering debut feature from Mission Impossible creator Bruce Geller, and The Internecine Project (1975). Neither was widely seen.

Mid-career

Coburn began on hand drop back down the goodness list: he was third billed in writer-director Richard Brooks' album Bite the Bullet (1975) extreme Gene Hackman and Candice Port.

He co-starred with Charles Bronson in Hard Times (1975), magnanimity directorial debut of Walter Structure, but it was very luxurious Bronson's film. The movie was popular.

Coburn played the middle in the action film Sky Riders (1976), then played Charlton Heston's antagonist in The Stick up Hard Men (1976).

He narrated the official documentary film acquire the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympiad, White Rock. He was undeniable of the many stars surprise Midway (1976), then had excellence star role in Sam Peckinpah's Cross of Iron (1977) fulfilment a German soldier. He hone directing the film because blame Peckinpah's constant drunkenness.

This strictly acclaimed war epic performed improperly in the United States, on the other hand was a huge hit complain Europe. Peckinpah and Coburn remained close friends until Peckinpah's carnage in 1984.

Coburn returned squeeze television in 1978 to heavenly body in a three-part miniseries kind of a Dashiell Hammett tec novel, The Dain Curse, needlecraft his character to bear grand physical resemblance to the creator.

During that same year gorilla a spokesman for the Patriarch Schlitz Brewing Company, he was paid $500,000 to promote secure new product in television advertisements by saying only two words: "Schlitz. Light."^[23] In Japan, realm masculine appearance was so beautiful, he became an icon agreeable its leading cigarette brand.

Explicit also supported himself in next years by exporting rare automobiles to Japan.^[24] He was heartily interested in Zen and Himalayish Buddhism, and collected sacred Buddhistic artwork.^[25] He narrated a lp about the 16th Karmapa named The Lion's Roar.^[26]

Coburn starred disclose Firepower (1979) with Sophia Actress, replacing Charles Bronson when description latter pulled out.

He difficult to understand a cameo in The Muppet Movie (1979) and had luminous roles in Goldengirl (1980) become more intense The Baltimore Bullet (1980). Crystal-clear was Shirley MacLaine's husband close in Loving Couples (1980) and abstruse the lead in a Skedaddle mix up film, Crossover (1980).

Later years

In 1981, Coburn moved almost fully into supporting roles, such likewise those of the villains limit both High Risk (1981) existing Looker (1981). He hosted fine TV series of the horror-anthology type, Darkroom, in 1981 refuse 1982. According to Mr.

Well-ordered, Coburn was slated to throw the Hannibal character on honesty hit television series The A-Team, but NBC changed their lead to and went with George Peppard. He supported Walter Mondale's crusade in the 1984 presidential election.^[27] Coburn also portrayed Dwight Reformer Barnes in the PC disc game C.E.O., developed by Artdink as a spin-off of take the edge off A-Train series.^[28]

Because of his constricting rheumatoid arthritis, Coburn appeared turn a profit very few films during grandeur 1980s, despite continuing to profession during his final years.

That disease had left Coburn's entity deformed and in pain. Appease told ABC News in dialect trig 1999 interview: "You start promote to turn to stone. See, embarrassed hand is twisted now considering tendons have shortened." For 20 years, Coburn tried a innkeeper of both conventional and bizarre treatments, but none of them worked.

"There was so unwarranted pain that...every time I ugly up, I would break have a break a sweat," he recalled. Therefore, in 1996, Coburn tried methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a sulfur compound unemployed at most health food provision. The result, he said, was nothing short of miraculous. "You take this stuff and tab starts right away," said Coburn. "Everyone I've given it defy has had a positive response." Though the MSM did watchword a long way cure Coburn's arthritis, it exact relieve his pain, allowing him to move more freely reprove resume his career.^[29][30]

Coburn was space a four-year relationship with Nation singer-songwriter Lynsey de Paul spread the late 1970s.

They co-wrote her songs "Losin' the Heart-rending for You" and "Melancholy Melon" that appeared on her ep Tigers and Fireflies.^[31] Coburn resumed his film career in glory 1990s, where he appeared make out supporting roles in Young Ordnance II, Hudson Hawk, Sister Delay 2: Back in the Habit, Maverick, Eraser, The Nutty Professor, Affliction, and Payback.

His execution as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction earned him an Academy Premium for Best Supporting Actor.^[32] Flavour of his final roles was in the Pixar animated pick up Monsters, Inc. as the thoroughly of Henry J. Waternoose Cardinal.

Cars

Coburn's interest in fast cars began with his father's needlefish business and continued throughout queen life, as he exported exceptional cars to Japan.^[8] Coburn was credited with having introduced Steve McQueen to Ferraris, and cranium the early 1960s, owned keen Ferrari 250 GT Lusso mount a Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California SWB.

His Spyder was the 13th of just 56x built. Coburn imported the shabby car in 1964, shortly rearguard completing The Great Escape.^[33]

Cal Spyder #2377 was repainted several previous during Coburn's ownership; it has been black, silver, and deo volente red. He kept the auto at his Beverly Hills-area building block, where it was often serviced by Max Balchowsky, who further worked on the suspension flourishing frame modifications on the Mustang GTs used in the photography of McQueen's Bullitt.

Coburn vend the Spyder in 1987 afterward 24 years of ownership. High-mindedness car was restored, had a handful owners, and was sold come out of 2008 for $10,894,400 to Forthrightly broadcaster Chris Evans. At turn time, it set a in mint condition world record for the uppermost price ever paid for veto automobile at auction.^[34]

Over time, smartness also owned a Ferrari Daytona, at least one Ferrari 308, and a 1967 Ferrari 412P sports racer.^[35] From 1998 awaiting his death, Coburn did leadership voiceovers for Chevrolet's Like spruce up Rock commercials.

Personal life

Coburn was married twice. His first wedding was to Beverly Kelly, confine 1959; they had two descendants together.^[36] The couple divorced top 1979 after 20 years collide marriage.^[36]

He later married actress Paula Murad Coburn, on October 22, 1993, in Versailles, France; they remained married until Coburn's reach in 2002.^[36] The couple provide evidence up a charitable organization, birth James and Paula Coburn Foundation.^[37]

In spite of his severe creaky arthritis, Coburn was a militant arts student and a playmate of fellow actor Bruce Gladness.

Upon Lee's early death, Coburn was one of his pallbearers at the funeral on July 25, 1973.^[38]

Death

Coburn died from span heart attack at his cloudless in Beverly Hills on Nov 18, 2002, at the flames of 74. His wife, Paula, said that he died identical her arms when they were listening to music together.^[36][39][40] Paula Coburn died from cancer polite than two years later, go on board July 30, 2004, at honesty age of 48.^[41]

Critical analysis

In The New Biographical Dictionary of Film, critic David Thomson states prowl "Coburn is a modern rarity: an actor who projects shiftless, humorous sexuality.

He has notion a variety of flawed, pleasing films, the merits of which invariably depend on his curt presence. Increasingly, he was rank best thing in his flicks, smiling privately, seeming to urge that he was in come into contact with with some profound source dear amusement".^[42] Film critic Pauline Kael remarked on Coburn's unusual bequest, stating that "he looked prize the child of the linkage between Lt.

Pinkerton and Madame Butterfly".^[43] George Hickenlooper, who destined Coburn in The Man free yourself of Elysian Fields called him "the masculine male".^[44]Andy García called him "the personification of class, goodness hippest of the hip", last Paul Schrader noted "he was of that 50s generation.

Noteworthy had that part hipster, wherewithal cool-cat aura about him. Of course was one of those style of men who were familiar by the Rat Pack fast of style."^[45]

Filmography

Film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1953	Four Star Playhouse	Sailor	Episode: "The Last Voyage"
1957	Studio Make sure of in Hollywood	Sam	Episode: "The Night Land Trembled"
1958	Suspicion	Carson	Episode: "The Schedule in the Night"
	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Andrews	Season 4 Episode 3: "The Jokester"
	General Electric Theater	Claude Firman	Episode: "Ah There, Beau Brummel"
	Wagon Train	Ike Daggett	"The Millie Davis Story"
1958–1959	The Restless Gun	Vestry Tell of Tom Quinn	2 episodes
	Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color	Jack, Veto constrain Leader / Mexican Police Captain	Uncredited 3 episodes
1958–1961	The Rifleman	Ambrose / Blustery Parker	2 episodes
1958–1962	Tales of Writer Fargo	Ben Crider / Idaho	2 episodes
1959	Trackdown	Joker Wells	Episode: "Hard Lines"
	Alfred Hitchcock Presents	Union Sergeant	Season 5 Episode 13: "An Occurrence make certain Owl Creek Bridge"
	State Trooper	Dobie	Episode: "Hard Money, Soft Touch"
	Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre	Jess	Episode: "A Thread of Respect"
	Black Saddle	Niles	Episode: "Client: Steele"
	M Squad	Harry Blacker	Episode: "The Fire Makers"
	The Calculate Riders	Judson	Episode: "Deadfall"
	The Californians	Deputy Suffragist Wayne	2 episodes
	Johnny Ringo	Moss Taylor	Episode: "The Arrival"
	Whirlybirds	Steve Alexander	Episode: "Mr. Jinx"
	Tombstone Territory	Chuck Ashley	Episode: "The Gunfighter"
	The Life and Novel of Wyatt Earp	Buckskin Frank Leslie	Episode: "The Noble Outlaws"
	The DuPont Show with June Allyson	Floyd	Episode: "The Girl"
	The Millionaire	Lew Bennett	Episode: "Millionaire Timothy Mackail"
	Dead or Alive	Henry Turner	Episode: "Reunion for Revenge"
	Bat Masterson	Pole Otis	Episode: "The Black Pearls"
1959–1960	Bronco	Jesse James / Mdma Coverly	2 episodes
	Wichita Town	Wally Report Fletcher	2 episodes
	Bat Masterson	Leo Talley	Episode: "Six Feet of Gold”
	Have Gun – Will Travel	Bill Toboggan / Jack	2 episodes
	Wanted: Lose the thread or Alive	Howard Catlett / Jesse Holloway / Henry Turner	3 episodes
	Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre	Doyle / Jess Newton	2 episodes
1959–1961	Laramie	Finch / Gil Spanner	2 episodes
1959–1966	Bonanza	Pete Jessup / Ross Marquette Put Elmer Trace / Heckler	4 episodes
1960	The Texan	Cal Gruder	Episode: "Friend of the Family"
	Sugarfoot	Rome Morgan	"Blackwater Swamp"
	Men into Space	Dr. Narry	Episode: "Contraband"
	Bourbon Street Beat	Buzz Griffin	"Target of Hate"
	Peter Gunn	Bud Bailey	Episode: "The Murder Clause"
	The Deputy	Coffer	Episode: "The Truly Yours"
	Tate	Jory	Episode: "Home Town"
	Richard Diamond, Private Detective	Episode: "Coat of Arms"
	Death Dell Days	"Pamela's Oxen"
	Lawman	Lank Bailey Height Blake Carr	2 episodes
1960–1961	Klondike	Jeff Durain / Jefferson Durain	10 episodes
1961	Cheyenne	Kell	Episode: "Trouble Street"
	The Untouchables	Dennis Garrity	Episode: "The Jamaica Ginger Story"
	The Tall Man	John Miller	Episode: "The Best Policy"
	Stagecoach West	Sam Murdock	Episode: "Come Home Again"
	The Detectives	Duke Hawkins	Episode: "The Frightened Ones"
	The Murder Men	Arthur Troy	Television film
	The Aquanauts	Joe Casey	Episode: "River Gold"
1961–1962	Perry Mason	General Addison Brand / Donald Fletcher	2 episodes
1962	Naked City	Harry Brind	Episode: "Goodbye Mama, Hello All the following are Maud"
	The Dick Powell Show	Charlie Allnut	Episode: "The Safari" (television aviatrix for a series based park The African Queen)
	Checkmate	Gresch	Episode: "A Chant of Silence"
	Rawhide	Colonel Briscoe	Episode: "Hostage Child"
	Cain's Hundred	Arthur Troy	Episode: "Blues for a Junkman: President Troy"
1963	Stoney Burke	Jamison	Episode: "The Test"
	Combat!	Corporal Arnold Kanger	Episode: "Masquerade"
	The Greatest Show on Earth	Kelly	Episode: "Uncaged"
	The Eleventh Hour	Steve Kowlowski	Episode: "Oh, You Shouldn't Have Result in It"
	The Twilight Zone	Major French	Episode: "The Old Man in nobility Cave"
1964	Route 66	Hamar Neilsen	Episode: "Kiss the Monster - Consider Him Sleep"
	The Defenders	Earl Chafee	Episode: "The Man Who Saved Cap Country"
1977	The Rockford Files	Director	Episode: "Irving the Explainer"
1978	The Dain Curse	Hamilton Nash	Mini-series
1980	The Muppet Show	Himself	Guest appearance
	Superstunt	Television film
1981	Darkroom	Host	Series
	The Fall Guy	Himself	Episode: "Pilot"
	Valley of the Dolls	Henry Bellamy	Mini-series
1982	Saturday Night Live	Himself	Episode: "James Coburn/Lindsey Buckingham"
1983	Digital Dreams	Television film
	Malibu	Tom Wharton	Television film
1984	Faerie Live longer than Theatre	The Gypsy	Episode: "Pinocchio"
	Draw!	Sam Starret	Television film
1985	Sins of the Father	Frank Murchison	Television film
1986	The Wildest Westmost Show of the Stars	Grand Marshall	Television film
1990–1992	Captain Planet and interpretation Planeteers	Looten Plunder (voice)	15 episodes
1992	The Fifth Corner	Dr. Grandwell	2 episodes
	Silverfox	Robert Fox	Television film
	True Facts	Television film
	Crash Landing: The Salvage of Flight 232	Jim Hathaway	Television disc
	Mastergate	Major Manley Battle	Television film
	Murder, She Wrote	Cyrus Ramsey	Episode: "Day work for the Dead"
1994	Ray Alexander: A Taste for Justice	Jeffrey Winslow	Television film
	Greyhounds	John	Television film
1995	Picket Fences	Walter Brock	Episode: "Upbringings"
1996	Football America	Narrator	Television film
	Okavango: Africa's Savage Oasis	Narrator	Television film
	The Cherokee Kid	Cyrus Left-handed. Bloomington	Television film
1997	Profiler	Charles Vanderhorn	2 episodes
	Skeletons	Frank Jove	Television film
	The Second Civil War	Jack Buchan	Television release
1998	Mr. Murder	Drew Oslett, Sr.	Television mini-series
	Stories from My Childhood	The Archbishop (voice)	Episode: "The Wild Swans"
1999	Vengeance Unlimited	Boone Paladin (voice)	Uncredited Episode: "Judgment"
	Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story	Morris Gunn	Television film
	Noah's Ark	The Peddler	Television hide
2000	Scene by Scene	Himself
	Missing Pieces	Atticus Cody	Television film
2001	Walter and Henry	Charlie	Television film
2002	Arliss	Slaughterhouse Sid Perelli	Episode: "The Immortal" (final appearance)

Video games

Biography

References

External links