Known For
Acting
Known Credits
82
Gender
Male
Birthday
June 18, 1877 (149 years old)
Place of Birth
Macon, Georgia, USA
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.
| 1997 | Barbara Stanwyck: Straight Down the Lineas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1976 | It's Showtimeas Self (archive footage) | |
| 1960 | Pepeas Charles Coburn | |
| 1959 | Startimeas Colonel Sykes | |
| 1959 | John Paul Jonesas Benjamin Franklin | |
| 1959 | A Stranger in My Armsas Vance Beasley | |
| 1959 | The Remarkable Mr. Pennypackeras Grampa Pennypacker | |
| 1957 | The Story of Mankindas Hippocrates | |
| 1957 | How to Murder a Rich Uncleas Uncle George Clitterbern | |
| 1957 | Town on Trialas Dr. John Fenner | |
| 1956 | Around the World in 80 Daysas Steamship Company Clerk | |
| 1956 | The Power and the Prizeas Guy Eliot | |
| 1956 | The Rosemary Clooney Showas Self | |
| 1955 | How to Be Very, Very Popularas Dr. Tweed | |
| 1954 | December Brideas | |
| 1954 | The George Gobel Showas Self | |
| 1954 | Studio 57as | |
| 1954 | The Long Waitas Gardiner | |
| 1954 | The Rocket Manas Mayor Ed Johnson | |
| 1953 | Gentlemen Prefer Blondesas Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman | |
| 1953 | Trouble Along the Wayas le Père Matthew William Burke | |
| 1952 | This Is Your Lifeas Self | |
| 1952 | Monkey Businessas Oliver Oxley | |
| 1952 | Has Anybody Seen My Gal?as Samuel Fulton / John Smith | |
| 1951 | The Highwaymanas Lord Walters | |
| 1950 | Mr. Musicas Alex Conway | |
| 1950 | Lux Video Theatreas Pa Harrington | |
| 1950 | The Colgate Comedy Houras Self | |
| 1950 | Peggyas Professor Brookfield | |
| 1950 | Louisaas Mr. Burnside | |
| 1950 | What's My Line?as Self | |
| 1949 | Everybody Does Itas Major Blair | |
| 1949 | The Doctor and the Girlas Dr. John Corday | |
| 1949 | Yes Sir, That's My Babyas Jason Hartley | |
| 1949 | The Gal Who Took the Westas General Michael O'Hara | |
| 1949 | Impactas Lieutenant Quincy | |
| 1948 | Studio Oneas Louis Hurst | |
| 1948 | The Ed Sullivan Showas Self | |
| 1948 | Green Grass of Wyomingas Beaver Greenway | |
| 1948 | B.F.'s Daughteras Burton F. 'B.F.' Fulton | |
| 1947 | The Paradine Caseas Sir Simon Flaquer | |
| 1947 | Luredas Harley Temple | |
| 1946 | The Green Yearsas Alexander Gow | |
| 1946 | Colonel Effingham's Raidas Colonel Will Seaborn Effingham | |
| 1945 | Shady Ladyas Col. John Appleby | |
| 1945 | Over 21as Robert Drexel Gow | |
| 1945 | Rhapsody in Blueas Max Dreyfus | |
| 1945 | A Royal Scandalas Nicolai Iiyitch | |
| 1944 | Together Againas Jonathan Crandall Sr | |
| 1944 | The Impatient Yearsas William Smith | |
| 1944 | Wilsonas Professor Henry Holmes | |
| 1944 | Knickerbocker Holidayas Peter Stuyvesant | |
| 1943 | My Kingdom for a Cookas Rudyard Morley | |
| 1943 | Princess O'Rourkeas Uncle Holman | |
| 1943 | Heaven Can Waitas Hugo Van Cleve | |
| 1943 | The Constant Nymphas Charles Creighton | |
| 1943 | The More the Merrieras Benjamin Dingle | |
| 1942 | Breakdowns of 1942as Self | |
| 1942 | George Washington Slept Hereas Stanley Menninger | |
| 1942 | In This Our Lifeas William Fitzroy | |
| 1942 | Kings Rowas Henry Gordon | |
| 1941 | H.M. Pulham, Esq.as John Pulham | |
| 1941 | Unexpected Uncleas Seton Mansley | |
| 1941 | Our Wifeas Professor Drake | |
| 1941 | The Devil and Miss Jonesas John P. Merrick/Thomas Higgins | |
| 1941 | The Lady Eveas 'Colonel' Harrington | |
| 1940 | Three Faces Westas Dr. Karl Braun | |
| 1940 | The Captain is a Ladyas Captain Abe Peabody | |
| 1940 | Florianas Dr. Johannes Hofer | |
| 1940 | Edison, the Manas General Powell | |
| 1940 | Road to Singaporeas Joshua Mallon IV | |
| 1939 | In Name Onlyas Richard Walker | |
| 1939 | Stanley and Livingstoneas Lord Tyce | |
| 1939 | Bachelor Motheras J. B. Merlin | |
| 1939 | The Story of Alexander Graham Bellas Gardner Hubbard | |
| 1939 | Made for Each Otheras Joseph Doolittle | |
| 1939 | Idiot's Delightas Dr. Hugo Waldersee | |
| 1938 | Lord Jeffas Captain Briggs | |
| 1938 | Yellow Jackas Dr. Finlay | |
| 1938 | Vivacious Ladyas Mr. Morgan | |
| 1938 | Of Human Heartsas Dr. Charles Shingle | |
| 1935 | The People's Enemyas Judge |