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Charles Coburn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 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. Description above from the Wikipedia article Charles Coburn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.


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Born:
Jun 19, 1877 In Savannah, Georgia, USA
Movie/TV Credits:
82
First Appeared:
In the movie The People's Enemy 1935-04-29
Latest Project:
Movie Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line 1997-05-12
Known For
Poster of The Highwayman
Poster of Colonel Effingham's Raid
Poster of Unexpected Uncle
Poster of The Captain Is a Lady
Filmography
Movie Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down The Line Self (archive footage) 1997-05-12
Movie Tabloid! Man in Cafeteria (segment Baby Born with Full Beard) 1989-09-01
Movie Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend Self (from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes [1953]) (archive footage) 1986-04-19
Movie George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey Self (archive footage) (uncredited) 1985-03-03
Movie It's Showtime Self (archive footage) 1976-03-31
Movie Marilyn Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman (archive footage) (uncredited) 1963-04-18
Movie Pepe Charles Coburn 1960-12-21
Movie The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker Grampa Pennypacker 1959-02-20
Movie A Stranger in My Arms Vance Beasley 1959-03-03
Movie John Paul Jones Benjamin Franklin 1959-06-16
Movie Town on Trial Dr. John Fenner 1957-01-24
Movie The Story of Mankind Hippocrates 1957-11-08
Movie How to Murder a Rich Uncle Uncle George Clitterbern 1957-06-01
Movie The Power and the Prize Guy Eliot 1956-09-26
Movie Around the World in Eighty Days Steamship Company Clerk 1956-10-17
Movie How To Be Very, Very Popular Dr. Tweed 1955-07-22
Movie The Rocket Man Mayor Ed Johnson 1954-04-01
Movie The Long Wait Gardiner 1954-05-26
Series December Bride Unknown 1954-10-04
Series Studio 57 Unknown 1954-09-21
Movie Trouble Along the Way le Père Matthew William Burke 1953-04-04
Movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Sir Francis Beekman 1953-07-14
Series This Is Your Life Unknown 1952-10-01
Movie Has Anybody Seen My Gal? Samuel Fulton / John Smith 1952-06-25
Movie Monkey Business Oliver Oxley 1952-09-03
Movie The Highwayman Lord Walters 1951-08-11
Movie Louisa Mr. Burnside 1950-05-31
Movie Peggy Professor Brookfield 1950-07-01
Series Lux Video Theatre Unknown 1950-10-02
Movie Mr. Music Alex Conway 1950-12-08
Series The Colgate Comedy Hour Unknown 1950-09-10
Movie Impact Lieutenant Quincy 1949-03-20
Movie The Gal Who Took the West General Michael O'Hara 1949-09-01
Movie Everybody Does It Major Blair 1949-10-24
Movie Yes Sir, That's My Baby Professor Jason Hartley 1949-09-14
Movie The Doctor and the Girl Dr. John Corday 1949-09-29
Movie Green Grass of Wyoming Beaver Greenway 1948-06-03
Movie B.F.'s Daughter Burton F. 'B.F.' Fulton 1948-03-24
Series Ford Theatre Unknown 1948-10-17
Series Studio One Unknown 1948-11-07
Movie Lured Harley Temple 1947-08-28
Movie The Paradine Case Sir Simon Flaquer 1947-12-31
Movie The Green Years Alexander Gow 1946-07-04
Movie Colonel Effingham's Raid Colonel Will Seaborn Effingham 1946-01-24
Movie Rhapsody in Blue Max Dreyfus 1945-06-27
Movie A Royal Scandal Nicolai Iiyitch 1945-03-26
Movie Over 21 Robert Drexel Gow 1945-08-08
Movie Shady Lady Col. John Appleby 1945-09-07
Movie Wilson Professor Henry Holmes 1944-08-01
Movie Knickerbocker Holiday Peter Stuyvesant 1944-03-17
Movie The Impatient Years William Smith 1944-09-10
Movie Together Again Jonathan Crandall Sr 1944-12-23
Movie The More the Merrier Benjamin Dingle 1943-05-13
Movie The Constant Nymph Charles Creighton 1943-06-23
Movie My Kingdom for a Cook Rudyard Morley 1943-10-27
Movie Heaven Can Wait Hugo Van Cleve 1943-08-05
Movie Princess O'Rourke Uncle Holman 1943-10-23
Movie In This Our Life William Fitzroy 1942-05-08
Movie Kings Row Henry Gordon 1942-02-02
Movie George Washington Slept Here Stanley Menninger 1942-10-30
Movie Breakdowns of 1942 Self 1942-12-31
Movie The Lady Eve 'Colonel' Harrington 1941-02-25
Movie The Devil and Miss Jones John P. Merrick/Thomas Higgins 1941-04-11
Movie H.M. Pulham, Esq. John Pulham 1941-12-04
Movie Our Wife Professor Drake 1941-08-20
Movie Unexpected Uncle Seton Mansley 1941-11-07
Movie Road to Singapore Joshua Mallon IV 1940-03-22
Movie Edison, the Man General Powell 1940-05-10
Movie Florian Dr. Johannes Hofer 1940-06-05
Movie Three Faces West Dr. Karl Braun 1940-07-03
Movie The Captain Is a Lady Captain Abe Peabody 1940-06-21
Movie Made for Each Other Judge Joseph M. Doolittle 1939-02-10
Movie Idiot's Delight Dr. Hugo Waldersee 1939-01-27
Movie The Story of Alexander Graham Bell Gardner Hubbard 1939-04-04
Movie In Name Only Richard Walker 1939-08-18
Movie Bachelor Mother J. B. Merlin 1939-06-30
Movie Stanley and Livingstone Lord Tyce 1939-08-18
Movie Vivacious Lady Mr. Morgan 1938-05-13
Movie Of Human Hearts Dr. Charles Shingle 1938-02-11
Movie Yellow Jack Dr. Finlay 1938-05-19
Movie Lord Jeff Captain Briggs 1938-06-17
Movie The People's Enemy Judge 1935-04-29