James Coburn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Coburn
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Coburn as Anthony Wayne in The Californians (1959)
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| Born |
James Harrison Coburn III
August 31, 1928 Laurel, Nebraska, U.S.
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| Died | November 18, 2002 (aged 74) |
| Resting place | Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery, Westwood, California, U.S. |
| Education | Compton Junior College |
| Alma mater | Los Angeles City College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1957–2002 |
| Spouse(s) |
Beverly Kelly
(m. 1959; div. 1979)Paula Murad
(m. 1993) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor – Affliction (1997) |
James Harrison Coburn III (born August 31, 1928 – died November 18, 2002) was a famous American actor. He appeared in over 70 movies and 100 TV shows. His career lasted 45 years.
James Coburn was known for playing tough, cool characters. He had a big smile and a tall, thin build. He was perfect for action movies and Westerns. Some of his most famous films include The Magnificent Seven, The Great Escape, and Our Man Flint.
In 1998, Coburn won an Oscar for his role in the movie Affliction. He was also nominated for an Emmy Award in 2002 for producing The Mists of Avalon. During the "New Hollywood" era, he became known for his "cool" image.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Growing Up in Nebraska and California
James Harrison Coburn III was born in Laurel, Nebraska, on August 31, 1928. His father, James Harrison Coburn II, was of Scots-Irish background. His mother, Mylet S. Coburn, was an immigrant from Sweden.
His father owned a garage business. Sadly, it was ruined by the Great Depression. James grew up in Compton, California. He went to Compton Junior College.
Military Service and Acting School
In 1950, James Coburn joined the United States Army. He worked as a truck driver. Sometimes, he was a disc jockey on an Army radio station in Texas. He also narrated training films in West Germany.
After the Army, he studied acting. He went to Los Angeles City College. He learned from famous teachers like Stella Adler. His first stage role was in Billy Budd.
Starting His Acting Career
First TV Roles
James Coburn first appeared on TV in 1953. It was on a show called Four Star Playhouse. He also did a commercial for Remington razors. He joked that he had more teeth to show than other actors!
Breaking into Movies
His first movie was in 1959. It was a Western called Ride Lonesome. He played a sidekick. Soon after, he got another Western movie role in Face of a Fugitive.
He also appeared in many TV Westerns. He was in Bonanza several times. He played Butch Cassidy in an episode of Tales of Wells Fargo.
Becoming a Supporting Star
Coburn's third movie was a big step for him. He played Britt, a skilled knife-thrower, in The Magnificent Seven (1960). His friend Robert Vaughn suggested him for the role.
In the early 1960s, he starred in two short-lived TV series. Klondike was about the Alaskan gold rush. Acapulco was about detectives in Mexico. He also appeared on Perry Mason and Rawhide.
Coburn had great supporting roles in war films. He was in Hell Is for Heroes (1962) with Steve McQueen. Then, he was in The Great Escape (1963), also with McQueen. He played an Australian prisoner of war.
He played a villain in Charade (1963). This movie starred Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. He then signed a seven-year contract with 20th Century Fox. He also played a one-armed tracker in Major Dundee (1965).
Becoming a Movie Star
The "Our Man Flint" Era
James Coburn became a true star with Our Man Flint (1966). It was a funny spy movie, like a parody of James Bond. He played super agent Derek Flint. The movie was very successful.
He then made a comedy called What Did You Do in the War, Daddy? (1966). He also starred in the crime film Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966).
He made a second Flint movie, In Like Flint (1967). It was popular, but Coburn decided not to make more in the series. He then starred in the Western comedy Waterhole No. 3 (1967) and the political comedy The President's Analyst (1967). By 1967, he was one of the top stars in Hollywood.
Working with Famous Directors
Coburn starred in Duck, You Sucker! (1971). This was a "Zapata Western" directed by the famous Sergio Leone. Coburn played an Irish explosives expert during the Mexican Revolution. This movie was very popular in Europe.
He also worked with director Blake Edwards again in The Carey Treatment (1972). He then reunited with director Sam Peckinpah for Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973). Coburn played the famous lawman Pat Garrett.
James Coburn was a pallbearer at the funeral of his friend, martial arts legend Bruce Lee. He gave a touching speech at the service.
Later Career and Challenges
Action Roles and Health Issues
Coburn continued to star in action films. He was in Bite the Bullet (1975) and Hard Times (1975) with Charles Bronson. He played a German soldier in Sam Peckinpah's war epic Cross of Iron (1977). This movie was a big hit in Europe.
In the 1980s, Coburn faced a big challenge. He suffered from severe rheumatoid arthritis. This disease caused him a lot of pain and made his body stiff. He appeared in fewer films during this time. He said, "You start to turn to stone."
For 20 years, he tried many treatments, but nothing worked well. Then, in 1996, he tried a sulfur compound called MSM. He said it was "miraculous" and helped relieve his pain. This allowed him to move more freely and return to acting.
Return to Acting and Oscar Win
Thanks to the pain relief, Coburn restarted his film career in the 1990s. He appeared in movies like Young Guns II, Hudson Hawk, and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
His performance as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction earned him the Oscar in 1998. He also lent his voice to the character Henry J. Waternoose III in the Pixar animated film Monsters, Inc..
Love for Cars
James Coburn loved fast cars. His interest started with his father's garage business. He even exported rare cars to Japan. He was known for introducing his friend Steve McQueen to Ferrari cars.
Coburn owned several Ferraris, including a very rare 1961 Ferrari 250 GT Spyder California SWB. Only 56 of these cars were ever built. He owned this car for 24 years. In 2008, it was sold for over $10 million, setting a new world record for a car sold at auction!
He also owned other Ferraris and did voiceovers for Chevrolet "Like a Rock" commercials.
Personal Life
James Coburn was married twice. His first marriage was to Beverly Kelly in 1959. They had two children together. They divorced in 1979.
He later married actress Paula Murad Coburn in 1993. They stayed married until his death. They also created a charity called the James and Paula Coburn Foundation.
Coburn was a student of martial arts. He was a close friend of the famous martial artist and actor Bruce Lee.
Death
James Coburn died from a heart attack at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 74 years old. His wife, Paula, said he died in her arms. Paula Coburn passed away less than two years later from cancer.
Images for kids
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Coburn as Anthony Wayne in The Californians (1959)
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Coburn in Charade (1963)
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Bob Bondurant teaching Coburn in 1972
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Coburn's grave marker at Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery
See also
In Spanish: James Coburn para niños
