Charles Coburn

Charles Coburn

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.

Acting

1997

1960

Pepe

Charles Coburn

1959

John Paul Jones

Benjamin Franklin

1959

1959

1957

1957

Town on Trial

Dr. John Fenner

1956

Around the World in 80 Days

Steamship Company Clerk

1956

1954

1954

1954

Studio 57

Unknown

1954

1954

The Rocket Man

Mayor Ed Johnson

1953

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Sir Francis Beekman

1953

Trouble Along the Way

le Père Matthew William Burke

1952

1952

Monkey Business

Oliver Oxley

1952

Has Anybody Seen My Gal?

Samuel Fulton / John Smith

1950

Lux Video Theatre

Pa Harrington

1950

1950

Louisa

Mr. Burnside

1950

1949

1949

1949

Yes Sir, That's My Baby

Professor Jason Hartley

1949

The Gal Who Took the West

General Michael O'Hara

1949

Impact

Lieutenant Quincy

1948

Studio One

Louis Hurst

1948

1948

Green Grass of Wyoming

Beaver Greenway

1948

B.F.'s Daughter

Burton F. 'B.F.' Fulton

1947

The Paradine Case

Sir Simon Flaquer

1947

Lured

Harley Temple

1946

The Green Years

Alexander Gow

1945

Over 21

Robert Drexel Gow

1945

Rhapsody in Blue

Max Dreyfus

1944

Together Again

Jonathan Crandall Sr

1944

Wilson

Professor Henry Holmes

1944

Knickerbocker Holiday

Peter Stuyvesant

1943

My Kingdom for a Cook

Rudyard Morley

1943

Princess O'Rourke

Uncle Holman

1943

Heaven Can Wait

Hugo Van Cleve

1943

The Constant Nymph

Charles Creighton

1943

The More the Merrier

Benjamin Dingle

1942

1942

1942

In This Our Life

William Fitzroy

1942

Kings Row

Henry Gordon

1941

The Devil and Miss Jones

John P. Merrick/Thomas Higgins

1941

The Lady Eve

'Colonel' Harrington

1940

Three Faces West

Dr. Karl Braun

1940

The Captain Is a Lady

Captain Abe Peabody

1940

Edison, the Man

General Powell

1940

Road to Singapore

Joshua Mallon IV

1939

1939

Bachelor Mother

J. B. Merlin

1939

1939

Made for Each Other

Judge Joseph M. Doolittle

1939

Idiot's Delight

Dr. Hugo Waldersee

1938

Vivacious Lady

Mr. Morgan

1938

Of Human Hearts

Dr. Charles Shingle

Infos

Full Name
Charles Coburn
Gender
Male
Date of Birth
6/18/1877
Date of Death
8/30/1961
Also Known As

Charles Douville Coburn