Charles Coburn
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- June 18, 1877
- Died
- August 30, 1961 (aged 84)
- Birthplace
- Macon, Georgia, USA
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. 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
Photos
Filmography
Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Line
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
It's Showtime
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Pepe
Movie · as Charles Coburn
John Paul Jones
Movie · as Benjamin Franklin
A Stranger in My Arms
Movie · as Vance Beasley
The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker
Movie · as Grampa Pennypacker
Startime
TV · as Colonel Sykes · 1 ep
The Story of Mankind
Movie · as Hippocrates
Town on Trial
Movie · as Dr. John Fenner
How to Murder a Rich Uncle
Movie · as Uncle George Clitterbern
The Power and the Prize
Movie · as Guy Eliot
Around the World in 80 Days
Movie · as Steamship Company Clerk
The Rosemary Clooney Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
How to Be Very, Very Popular
Movie · as Dr. Tweed
The Long Wait
Movie · as Gardiner
The Rocket Man
Movie · as Mayor Ed Johnson
December Bride
TV · 1 ep
Studio 57
TV · 1 ep
The George Gobel Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Movie · as Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman
Trouble Along the Way
Movie · as le Père Matthew William Burke
Monkey Business
Movie · as Oliver Oxley
Has Anybody Seen My Gal?
Movie · as Samuel Fulton / John Smith
This Is Your Life
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Highwayman
Movie · as Lord Walters
Mr. Music
Movie · as Alex Conway
Peggy
Movie · as Professor Brookfield
Louisa
Movie · as Mr. Burnside
The Colgate Comedy Hour
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Lux Video Theatre
TV · as Pa Harrington · 1 ep
What's My Line?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Impact
Movie · as Lieutenant Quincy
The Gal Who Took the West
Movie · as General Michael O'Hara
The Doctor and the Girl
Movie · as Dr. John Corday
Everybody Does It
Movie · as Major Blair
Yes Sir, That's My Baby
Movie · as Jason Hartley
Green Grass of Wyoming
Movie · as Beaver Greenway
B.F.'s Daughter
Movie · as Burton F. 'B.F.' Fulton
Studio One
TV · as Louis Hurst · 1 ep
The Ed Sullivan Show
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Lured
Movie · as Harley Temple
The Paradine Case
Movie · as Sir Simon Flaquer
The Green Years
Movie · as Alexander Gow
Colonel Effingham's Raid
Movie · as Colonel Will Seaborn Effingham
Rhapsody in Blue
Movie · as Max Dreyfus
A Royal Scandal
Movie · as Nicolai Iiyitch
Over 21
Movie · as Robert Drexel Gow
Shady Lady
Movie · as Col. John Appleby
Together Again
Movie · as Jonathan Crandall Sr
Wilson
Movie · as Professor Henry Holmes
The Impatient Years
Movie · as William Smith
Knickerbocker Holiday
Movie · as Peter Stuyvesant
Princess O'Rourke
Movie · as Uncle Holman
Heaven Can Wait
Movie · as Hugo Van Cleve
The More the Merrier
Movie · as Benjamin Dingle
The Constant Nymph
Movie · as Charles Creighton
My Kingdom for a Cook
Movie · as Rudyard Morley
George Washington Slept Here
Movie · as Stanley Menninger
In This Our Life
Movie · as William Fitzroy
Kings Row
Movie · as Henry Gordon
Breakdowns of 1942
Movie · as Self
The Lady Eve
Movie · as 'Colonel' Harrington
The Devil and Miss Jones
Movie · as John P. Merrick/Thomas Higgins
Our Wife
Movie · as Professor Drake
H.M. Pulham, Esq.
Movie · as John Pulham
Unexpected Uncle
Movie · as Seton Mansley
Three Faces West
Movie · as Dr. Karl Braun
Edison, the Man
Movie · as General Powell
Florian
Movie · as Dr. Johannes Hofer
Road to Singapore
Movie · as Joshua Mallon IV
The Captain is a Lady
Movie · as Captain Abe Peabody
In Name Only
Movie · as Richard Walker
Bachelor Mother
Movie · as J. B. Merlin
Idiot's Delight
Movie · as Dr. Hugo Waldersee
Made for Each Other
Movie · as Joseph Doolittle
The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Movie · as Gardner Hubbard
Stanley and Livingstone
Movie · as Lord Tyce
Vivacious Lady
Movie · as Mr. Morgan
Lord Jeff
Movie · as Captain Briggs
Of Human Hearts
Movie · as Dr. Charles Shingle
Yellow Jack
Movie · as Dr. Finlay
The People's Enemy
Movie · as Judge