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Charles Coburn (I) (1877–1961)

Actor | Soundtrack

A cigar-smoking, monocled, swag-bellied character actor known for his Old South manners and charm. In 1918 he and his first wife formed the Coburn Players and appeared on Broadway in many plays. With her death in 1937, he accepted a Hollywood contract and began making films at the age of sixty. See full bio »

Born:

Charles Douville Coburn
in Savannah, Georgia, USA

Died:

(age 84) in New York City, New York, USA
Still of Jean Arthur, Charles Coburn and Joel McCrea in The More the Merrier
6 photos | 6 videos | 18 news articles »

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Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideActor (96 titles)
1962 G.E. True Theater (TV series)
Sam
– Sam (1962) … Sam
 
1961 The Best of the Post (TV series)
– Six Months More to Live (1961)
 
1959 Startime (TV series)
Colonel Sykes
– The Wicked Scheme of Jebal Deeks (1959) … Colonel Sykes
 
1959 John Paul Jones
Benjamin Franklin
 
1959 The Danny Thomas Show (TV series)
Grampa
– Grampa's Diet (1959) … Grampa
 
1959 A Stranger in My Arms
Vance Beasley
 
1959 The Remarkable Mr. Pennypacker
Grampa Pennypacker
 
1958 The Bob Cummings Show (TV series)
Charles Coburn
– Bob Goes Birdwatching (1958) … Charles Coburn
 
1958 The Betty White Show (TV series)
Old Gentleman
– Episode dated 5 February 1958 (1958) … Old Gentleman
 
1957 The Story of Mankind
Hippocrates
 
1957 How to Murder a Rich Uncle
Uncle George
 
1957 Town on Trial
Dr. John Fenner
 
1956 Ethel Barrymore Theater (TV series)
– Winter and Spring (1956)
 
1956 Strange Stories (TV series)
– Bed and Board (1956)
 
1956 Around the World in Eighty Days
Steamship Company Clerk
 
1956 The Power and the Prize
Guy Eliot
 
1953-1956 The Ford Television Theatre (TV series)
C.C. Cunningham / Christopher Kagle / Louie Spencer / …
– Mr. Kagle and the Baby Sitter (1956) … Christopher Kagle
– Pretend You're You (1955) … Uncle Henry
– The World's My Oyster (1953) … C.C. Cunningham/Louie Spencer
 
1956 Kraft Theatre (TV series)
– The Gentle Grafter (1956)
 
1956 Damon Runyon Theater (TV series)
Harvard
– Hot Oil (1956) … Harvard
 
1956 The Red Skelton Hour (TV series)
Professor-Turned-Hobo
– Freddie vs. the Freeway (1956) … Professor-Turned-Hobo
 
1956 Jane Wyman Presents The Fireside Theatre (TV series)
Dr. Cutler
– Kristi (1956) … Dr. Cutler
 
1955-1956 The Star and the Story (TV series)
Gen Sir Arthur Humprey 'Daddles' Hallstone (Ret.) / Tom Carey
– The Difficult Age (1956) … Tom Carey
– The Lady's Game (1955) … Gen Sir Arthur Humprey 'Daddles' Hallstone (Ret.)
 
1956 Chevron Hall of Stars (TV series)
– Family Affair (1956)
 
1955 December Bride (TV series)
– Lily and the Wolf (1955)
 
1955 The Eddie Cantor Comedy Theater (TV series)
The Colonel
– Romance Wrecker (1955) … The Colonel
 
1955 How to Be Very, Very Popular
Dr. Tweed
 
1955 Justice (TV series)
– Uncommon Thief (1955)
 
1955 Studio 57 (TV series)
Theodore J. Gulch
– Sam (1955) … Theodore J. Gulch
 
1954 Studio One in Hollywood (TV series)
Louis Hurst
– The Cuckoo in Spring (1954) … Louis Hurst
 
1954 The United States Steel Hour (TV series)
Judge Purdy
– One for the Road (1954) … Judge Purdy
 
1954 The Pepsi-Cola Playhouse (TV series)
– Sal (1954)
 
1954 The Best of Broadway (TV series)
Oscar Wolfe
– The Royal Family (1954) … Oscar Wolfe
 
1954 Center Stage (TV series)
– The Worthy Opponent (1954)
 
1954 The Long Wait
Gardiner
 
1954 The Rocket Man
Mayor Ed Johnson
 
1953 Lux Video Theatre (TV series)
Pa Harrington
– Will Power (1953) … Pa Harrington
 
1953 Willys Theatre Presenting Ben Hecht's Tales of the City (TV series)
– Episode #1.4 (1953)
 
1953 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman
 
1953 Trouble Along the Way
Father Matthew William Burke
 
1952 Monkey Business
Mr. Oliver Oxley
 
1952 Has Anybody Seen My Gal
Samuel Fulton / John Smith
 
1951 The Highwayman
Lord Walters
 
1950 Mr. Music
Alex Conway
 
1950 Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (TV series)
– You Can't Take It with You (1950)
 
1950 Peggy
Professor 'Brooks' Brookfield
 
1950 Louisa
Abel Burnside
 
1949 Everybody Does It
Major Blair (Doris's father)
 
1949 The Gal Who Took the West
Gen. Michael O'Hara
 
1949 The Doctor and the Girl
Dr. John Corday
 
1949 Yes Sir That's My Baby
Professor Jason Hartley
 
1949 Impact
Lt. Quincy
 
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
Inspector Harley Temple
 
1946 The Green Years
Alexander Gow
 
1946 Colonel Effingham's Raid
Col. Will Seaborn Effingham
 
1945 Shady Lady
Col. John Appleby
 
1945 Over 21
Robert Drexel Gow
 
1945 Rhapsody in Blue
Max Dreyfus
 
1945 A Royal Scandal
Chancellor Nicolai Iiyitch
 
1944 Together Again
Jonathan Crandall Sr
 
1944 The Impatient Years
William Smith
 
1944 Wilson
Professor Henry Holmes
 
1944 Knickerbocker Holiday
Peter Stuyvesant
 
1943 My Kingdom for a Cook
Rudyard Morley
 
1943 Princess O'Rourke
Holman - Maria's Uncle
 
1943 Heaven Can Wait
Hugo Van Cleve
 
1943 The Constant Nymph
Charles Creighton
 
1943 The More the Merrier
Benjamin Dingle
 
1943 Forever and a Day
Sir William (scenes deleted)
 
1942 George Washington Slept Here
Uncle Stanley J. Menninger
 
1942 In This Our Life
William Fitzroy
 
1942 Kings Row
Dr. Henry Gordon
 
1941 H.M. Pulham, Esq.
John Pulham
 
1941 Unexpected Uncle
Seton Mansley aka Alfred Crane
 
1941 Our Wife
Professor Drake
 
1941 The Devil and Miss Jones
John P. Merrick
 
1941 The Lady Eve
'Colonel' Harrington
 
1940 Three Faces West
Dr. Karl Braun
 
1940 The Captain Is a Lady
Captain Abe Peabody
 
1940 Florian
Dr. Johannes Hofer
 
1940 Edison, the Man
General Powell
 
1940 Road to Singapore
Joshua Mallon IV
 
1939 In Name Only
Richard Walker
 
1939 Stanley and Livingstone
Lord Tyce
 
1939 Bachelor Mother
J.B. Merlin
 
1939 The Story of Alexander Graham Bell
Gardner Hubbard
 
1939 Made for Each Other
Judge Joseph M. Doolittle
 
1939 Idiot's Delight
Dr. Hugo Waldersee
 
1938 Lord Jeff
Captain Briggs
 
1938 Yellow Jack
Dr. Finlay
 
1938 Vivacious Lady
Peter Morgan Sr.
 
1938 Of Human Hearts
Dr. Charles Shingle
 
1935 The People's Enemy
Judge
 
1933 Boss Tweed
 
Show ShowSoundtrack (6 titles)
1952 Monkey Business (performer: "The Whiffenpoof Song" - uncredited)
 
1952 Has Anybody Seen My Gal (performer: "When the Red, Red, Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along" - uncredited, "It Ain't Gonna Rain No Mo'" - uncredited)
 
1944 Knickerbocker Holiday (performer: "September Song")
 
1942 George Washington Slept Here ("I'll Never Smile Again" 1939 - uncredited)
 
1941 Unexpected Uncle ("Strolling Through the Park One Day" 1884)
 
1938 We're Going to Be Rich (writer: "Two Lovely Black Eyes")
 
Show ShowSelf (21 titles)
1996 Intimate Portrait (TV series documentary)
Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman
– Marilyn Monroe (1996) … Sir Francis 'Piggy' Beekman
 
1960 Pepe
Himself, Cameo appearance
 
1960 This Is Your Life (TV series)
Himself
– Charles Coburn (1960) … Himself
 
1960 About Faces (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 8 January 1960 (1960) … Himself
 
1957 The Rosemary Clooney Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #1.27 (1957) … Himself
 
1956 The Martha Raye Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #3.6 (1956) … Himself
 
1955 The Red Skelton Hour (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #4.21 (1955) … Himself
 
1954 The George Gobel Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #1.7 (1954) … Himself
 
1953-1954 The Name's the Same (TV series)
Guest star contestant / Himself
– Episode dated 31 August 1954 (1954) … Himself
– Episode dated 14 April 1953 (1953) … Guest star contestant
 
1953 The Colgate Comedy Hour (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #4.12 (1953) … Himself
 
1953 What's My Line? (TV series)
Himself - Mystery Guest
– Episode dated 2 August 1953 (1953) … Himself - Mystery Guest
 
1953 I've Got a Secret (TV series)
Himself - Celebrity Guest
– Episode dated 16 April 1953 (1953) … Himself - Celebrity Guest
 
1953 The Ed Sullivan Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #6.31 (1953) … Himself
 
1953 The Arthur Murray Party (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 5 April 1953 (1953) … Himself
 
1953 The 25th Annual Academy Awards (TV special)
Himself
 
1951 The 23th Annual Academy Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Audience Member
 
1951 The Alan Young Show (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 23 March 1951 (1951) … Himself
 
1950 The Saturday Night Revue with Jack Carter (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #2.16 (1950) … Himself
 
1945 The 17th Annual Academy Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Presenter: Best Actor in Supporting Role
 
1944 The 16th Annual Academy Awards (TV movie)
Himself - Winner: Best Actor in Supporting Role
 
1940 Meet the Stars #1: Chinese Garden Festival (documentary short)
Himself
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (7 titles)
1999 Biography (TV series documentary)
 
1992 Fonda on Fonda (TV documentary)
Colonel Harrington (uncredited)
 
1987 Marilyn Monroe: Beyond the Legend (documentary)
Actor in Movie Clip
 
1984 George Stevens: A Filmmaker's Journey (documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
 
1983 Arena (TV series documentary)
 
1976 It's Showtime (documentary)
(uncredited)
 
1963 Marilyn (documentary)
Himself (scene from "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes") (uncredited)
 

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Personal Details

Other Works:

The Coming of Mrs. Patrick (1907). Written by Rachel Crothers. Hoyt's Theatre: 6 Nov 1907- Nov 1907 (closing date unknown/13 performances). Cast: Minnette Barrett, James I. Carhart, Charles Coburn, Lillie Eldridge, Millicent Evans, Laura Nelson Hall, Perla Landers, Elizabeth Stewart, Melville Stewart, Walter Thomas, Forrest Winant, George H. Wiseman. Produced by Walter N. Lawrence. See more »

Publicity Listings:

1 Magazine Cover Photo  | See more »

Height:

6' (1.83 m)
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

A fan of harness racing, Coburn would visit the Delaware County, OH, fair to attend the Little Brown Jug Stakes (for Pacers) in the 1950s. Each year he recounted to fans there the same story: "I grew up in the city not far from a burlesque theater and my father cautioned me not to go there because I might see something I shouldn't see... See more »

Trivia:

His famous monocle was no affectation, but actually corrected an eye deficiency. "No point having two window panes where one will do," was always his explanation. See more »

Star Sign:

Gemini