Charles Coburn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Coburn
Coburn at Kastrup Airport CPH, Copenhagen, Denmark, 1956
Born	(1877-06-19)June 19, 1877 Macon, Georgia, U.S.
Died	August 30, 1961(1961-08-30) (aged 84) New York City, U.S.
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1901–1960
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Ivah Wills Coburn ​ ​ (m. 1906; died 1937)​ Winifred Natzka ​ ​ (m. 1959)​
Children	7

Charles Douville Coburn (born June 19, 1877 – died August 30, 1961) was a famous American actor and a person who helped put on plays. He was nominated for a special acting award called the Academy Award three times. He won this award for his role in the movie The More the Merrier in 1943. He also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960. This was to honor his great work in movies.

About Charles Coburn

Charles Coburn in Road to Singapore (1940)

Charles Coburn was born in Macon, Georgia. His parents were Emma Louise Sprigman and Moses Douville Coburn. He grew up in Savannah, Georgia. When he was only 14, he started working at the local Savannah Theater. He did many small jobs like handing out programs and showing people to their seats.

By the time he was 17 or 18, he was already the theater manager! Later, he became an actor. He first performed on Broadway in New York City in 1901. In 1905, Coburn started his own acting group with actress Ivah Wills. They got married in 1906. Together, they managed their acting company and performed often on Broadway.

A movie trailer for Rhapsody in Blue (1945)

After his wife, Ivah, passed away in 1937, Coburn moved to Los Angeles, California. There, he began working in movies. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The More the Merrier in 1943. In this movie, he played a rich man who acted like Cupid, helping people fall in love. He was also nominated for the same award for his roles in The Devil and Miss Jones (1941) and The Green Years (1946).

Some of his other well-known movies include The Lady Eve (1941), Kings Row (1942), Heaven Can Wait (1943), and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). He was often known for his funny roles. But he also showed his serious acting skills in movies like Kings Row.

In 1960, Charles Coburn received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This special honor is located at 6268 Hollywood Boulevard. It celebrates his important work in the movie industry.

Charles Coburn's Political Views

Coburn with Helen Walker in Impact (1949)

In the 1940s, Charles Coburn was involved in politics. He was a strong supporter of the Republican Party. He also served as a leader in a group called the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals. This group was against certain political ideas in Hollywood during the time known as the Cold War.

Coburn supported Thomas E. Dewey in the 1944 United States presidential election.

His Family Life

Charles Coburn married Ivah Wills on January 29, 1906, in Atlanta, Georgia. They had six children together. Sadly, Ivah passed away on December 3, 1937, when she was 59 years old.

Later, when he was 82, Coburn married Winifred Natzka. This happened on June 30, 1959, in Los Angeles. Winifred was the wife of a famous opera singer from New Zealand, Oscar Natzka. Charles and Winifred had one daughter.

In the 1940s, Coburn lived at the National Arts Club in New York City. His late wife's mother also lived there with him.

Charles Coburn passed away from a heart attack on August 30, 1961. He was 84 years old. After his death, his wife Winifred moved to New Zealand.

Movies Charles Coburn Was In

Radio Shows

See also

In Spanish: Charles Coburn para niños

• List of actors with Academy Award nominations