James Coburn

Biography

James Harrison Coburn III (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American film and television actor. Coburn appeared in nearly 70 films and made over 100 television appearances during his 45-year career, and played a wide range of roles and won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.

Career Overview

James Coburn has 180 screen credits in a career dating back to 1944. Their work spans 14 cinematic universes — most prominently Our Man Flint Collection with 2 titles. Signature works include Monsters, Inc., The Magnificent Seven, The Nutty Professor. Explore the interactive character relationship maps on each title page to trace how their roles connect across franchises.

Personal Facts

Known For: Acting
Gender: male
Known Credits: 180
Birth Date: 1928-08-31 00:00:00
Birth Place: Laurel, Nebraska, USA

Known For

Associated Universes

Universe traveler — spans 14 universes

Our Man Flint Collection (2 titles)
Monsters Inc (1 titles)
Monsters, Inc. Collection (1 titles)
Nutty Professor (1 titles)
The Nutty Professor Collection (1 titles)
Eraser Collection (1 titles)
Sister Act (1 titles)
Young Guns Series (1 titles)

Frequent Collaborators

Steve McQueen (2 collaborations)
Charles Bronson (2 collaborations)
John Goodman (1 collaborations)
Billy Crystal (1 collaborations)
Mary Gibbs (1 collaborations)
Steve Buscemi (1 collaborations)
Jennifer Tilly (1 collaborations)
Bob Peterson (1 collaborations)
John Ratzenberger (1 collaborations)
Frank Oz (1 collaborations)

Credits

actors (175 credits)
- Passion & Poetry: Peckinpah's Last Western
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2024
- Passion & Poetry: Sam Peckinpah's War
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2011
- Sam Peckinpah: Portrait
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2006
- Passion & Poetry: The Ballad of Sam Peckinpah
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2005
- Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2004
- Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood Renegade
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2004
- Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster Years
  Self - Host
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2003
- American Gun
  Martin Tillman
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2002
- The Yellow Bird
  Rev. Increase Tutwiler
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2002
- The Real Virgil Hilts: A Man Called Jones
  Narrator
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2002
- I Love Muppets
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2002
- Snow Dogs
  Thunder Jack
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2002
- The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Texas Rangers
  Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Monsters, Inc.
  Waternoose (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- The Man from Elysian Fields
  Alcot
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Walter and Henry
  Charlie
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Marilyn Monroe: The Final Days
  Narrator (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Proximity
  Jim Corcoran
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Missing Pieces
  Atticus Cody
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2001
- Kurosawa
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven'
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Intrepid
  Captain Hal Josephson
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Once Upon a Time: Sergio Leone
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  2000
- Arnold Schwarzenegger: Hollywood Hero
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1999
- Noah's Ark
  Peddler
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1999
- Payback
  Justin Fairfax
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1999
- Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1
  Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1999
- World's Scariest Ghosts - Caught on Tape
  Narrator (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1999
- Bruce Lee: The Legend Lives On
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1999
- Mr. Murder
  Drew Oslett, Sr.
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1998
- Affliction
  Glen Whitehouse
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1998
- The Path of the Dragon
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1998
- Bruce Lee: The Intercepting Fist
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1998
- The Second Civil War
  Jack Buchan
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1997
- The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson
  Himself
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1997
- Keys to Tulsa
  Harmon Shaw
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1997
- Skeletons
  Frank Jove
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1997
- Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 Years
  Host
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1997
- Earth's Two-Minute Warning
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1997
- The Cherokee Kid
  Cyrus Bloomington
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1996
- Football America
  Narrator
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1996
- Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the Right
  Narrator
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1996
- The Nutty Professor
  Harlan Hartley
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1996
- Eraser
  WitSec Chief Beller
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1996
- Okavango: Africa's Wild Oasis
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1996
- The Set Up
  Jeremiah Cole
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1995
- Ray Alexander: A Menu for Murder
  Jeffery Winslow
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1995
- The Avenging Angel
  Porter Rockwell
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1995
- National Geographic - Arctic Kingdom: Life at the Edge
  Self - Narrator (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1995
- A Christmas Reunion
  Santa
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1994
- Greyhounds
  John Dolan
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1994
- Maverick
  Commodore Duvall
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1994
- Ray Alexander: A Taste For Justice
  Jeffrey Winslow
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1994
- The Life of Bruce Lee
  Self - Actor & Student of Bruce Lee
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1994
- Return to 'The Great Escape'
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
  Mr. Crisp
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- Deadfall
  Mike Donan / Lou Donan
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- The Curse of the Dragon
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- Sam Peckinpah: Man of Iron
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- The Hit List
  Peter Mayhew
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1993
- Late Night with Conan O'Brien
  
  - Carmen Electra, James Coburn, Fear Of Pop (1999) ... Self - Guest actor actors
  
  1993
- Mastergate
  Major Manley Battle
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- The Player
  James Coburn
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232
  Jim Hathaway
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- National Lampoon's True Facts
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a Time
  Narrator (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1992
- Picket Fences
  
  - Upbringings (1995) ... Walter Brock actor actors
  
  1992
- Silverfox
  Robert Fox
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1991
- Hudson Hawk
  George Kaplan
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1991
- Young Guns II
  John Simpson Chisum
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1990
- Steve McQueen: Man on the Edge
  Narrator
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1990
- Captain Planet and the Planeteers
  
  - Fare Thee Whale (1992) ... Looten Plunder (voice) actor actors
  
  - Summit to Save Earth (2) (1992) ... Looten Plunder (voice) actor actors
  
  - Summit to Save Earth (1) (1992) ... Looten Plunder (voice) actor actors
  
  - The Blue Car Line (1992) ... Looten Plunder (voice) actor actors
  
  - The Fine Print (1991) ... Looten Plunder (voice) actor actors
  
  1990
- Train to Heaven
  Gregorius
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1989
- Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group Theatre
  Self (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1989
- Call from Space
  Studio Boss
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1989
- Walking After Midnight
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1988
- Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1987
- Death of a Soldier
  Maj. Patrick Dannenberg
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1986
- The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1986
- Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked Away
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1986
- Martin's Day
  Lt. Lardner
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1985
- Sins of the Father
  Frank Murchison
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1985
- Draw!
  Sam Starret
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1984
- Pinocchio
  The Gypsy
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1984
- Murder, She Wrote
  
  - Day of the Dead (1992) ... Cyrus Ramsey actor actors
  
  1984
- Digital Dreams
  God's Gift to Wyman
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1983
- Malibu
  Tom Wharton
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1983
- Wogan
  
  - Series 9, Show 114 (1989) ... Self actor actors
  
  1982
- Faerie Tale Theatre
  
  - Pinocchio (1984) ... The Gypsy actor actors
  
  1982
- Looker
  John Reston
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1981
- Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls "1981"
  Henry Bellamy
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1981
- High Risk
  Serrano
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1981
- Mr. Patman
  Patman
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1981
- The Fall Guy
  
  - Pilot (1981) ... James Coburn actor actors
  
  1981
- Loving Couples
  Walter
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1980
- The Baltimore Bullet
  Nick Casey
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1980
- Goldengirl
  Jack Dryden
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1979
- The Muppet Movie
  El Sleezo Cafe Owner
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1979
- The Muppets Go Hollywood
  Self (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1979
- Firepower
  Jerry Fanon / Eddie
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1979
- Superstunt II
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1979
- Formula 1 - Speed fever
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1978
- California Suite
  Actor in Diana's Movie (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1978
- Superstunt
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1977
- White Rock
  James Coburn
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1977
- Cross of Iron
  Unteroffizier / Feldwebel Rolf Steiner
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1977
- Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth
  Self (archive footage)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1976
- Midway
  Capt. Vinton Maddox
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1976
- The Last Hard Men
  Provo
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1976
- Sky Riders
  Jim McCabe
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1976
- The Muppet Show
  
  - James Coburn (1980) ... Self - Special Guest Star actor actors
  
  1976
- Bite the Bullet
  Luke Matthews
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1975
- Hard Times
  Spencer "Speed" Weed
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1975
- Saturday Night Live
  
  - James Coburn/Lindsey Buckingham (1982) ... Self - Host actor actors
  
  1975
- The Internecine Project
  Robert Elliot
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1974
- Harry in Your Pocket
  Harry
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1973
- The Last of Sheila
  Clinton Greene
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1973
- Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid
  Pat Garrett
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1973
- A Reason to Live, a Reason to Die
  Colonel Pembroke
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1972
- The Honkers
  Lew Lathrop
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1972
- The Carey Treatment
  Dr. Peter Carey
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1972
- Duck, You Sucker
  John H. Mallory
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1971
- Great Performances
  
  - Episode 8 (2002) ... Self actor actors
  
  1971
- Last of the Mobile Hot Shots
  Jeb Stuart Thornton
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1970
- Hard Contract
  John Cunningham
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1969
- The Wolf Men
  Self - Narrator (voice)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1969
- Candy
  Dr. A.B. Krankheit
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1968
- Duffy
  Duffy
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1968
- The Dick Cavett Show
  
  - Glen Campbell, James Coburn, Kathryn Kuhlman, Pat McCormick (1971) ... Self - Guest actor actors
  
  1968
- The President's Analyst
  Dr. Sidney Schaefer
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1967
- Waterhole #3
  Lewton Cole
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1967
- In Like Flint
  Derek Flint
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1967
- Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round
  Eli Kotch
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1966
- What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?
  Lieutenant Christian
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1966
- Our Man Flint
  Derek Flint
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1966
- The Loved One
  Immigration Officer
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1965
- A High Wind in Jamaica
  Zac
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1965
- Major Dundee
  Samuel Potts
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1965
- The Americanization of Emily
  Lt. Commander Paul "Bus" Cummings
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1964
- Action on the Beach
  Self
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1964
- The Man from Galveston
  Boyd Palmer
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1963
- Kings of the Sun
  Narrator (uncredited)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1963
- Charade
  Tex Panthollow
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1963
- The Great Escape
  Sedgwick 'Manufacturer'
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1963
- Hell Is for Heroes
  Cpl. Frank Henshaw
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1962
- The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
  
  - Episode 91 (1969) ... Self actor actors
  
  1962
- Combat!
  
  - Masquerade (1963) ... Cpl. Arnold Kanger actor actors
  
  1962
- The Murder Men
  Arthur Troy
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1961
- The Mike Douglas Show
  
  - Episode 166 (1977) ... Self actor actors
  
  1961
- The Magnificent Seven
  Britt
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1960
- Route 66
  
  - Kiss the Monster, Make Him Sleep (1964) ... actor actors
  
  1960
- Face of a Fugitive
  Purdy
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1959
- Ride Lonesome
  Whitt
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1959
- The Twilight Zone
  
  - The Old Man in the Cave (1963) ... Major French actor actors
  
  1959
- Rawhide
  
  - Hostage Child (1962) ... Colonel Briscoe actor actors
  
  1959
- Bonanza
  
  - The Long Night (1962) ... Elmer Trace actor actors
  
  - The Dark Gate (1961) ... Ross Marquette actor actors
  
  - The Truckee Strip (1959) ... Pete Jessup actor actors
  
  1959
- The Untouchables
  
  - The Jamaica Ginger Story (1961) ... Dennis Garrity actor actors
  
  1959
- The Rifleman
  
  - The High Country (1961) ... Ambrose actor actors
  
  - Young Englishman (1958) ... Cy Parker actor actors
  
  1958
- Naked City
  
  - Goodbye Mama, Hello Auntie Maud (1962) ... Harry Brind actor actors
  
  1958
- Lawman
  
  - The Catcher (1960) ... Lank Bailey actor actors
  
  - The Showdown (1960) ... actor actors
  
  1958
- Wanted: Dead or Alive
  
  - The Trial (1960) ... Howard Catlett actor actors
  
  - The Kovack Affair (1959) ... Jesse Holloway actor actors
  
  - Reunion for Revenge (1959) ... Henry Turner actor actors
  
  1958
- The Texan
  
  - Friend of the Family (1960) ... actor actors
  
  1958
- The Night America Trembled
  Sam (as Jim Coburn)
  
  actor
  
  actors
  
  1957
- Perry Mason
  
  - The Case of the Angry Astronaut (1962) ... General Addison Brand actor actors
  
  - The Case of the Envious Editor (1961) ... Donald Fletcher actor actors
  
  1957
- Have Gun, Will Travel
  
  - The Gladiators (1960) ... actor actors
  
  - One Came Back (1959) ... Jack Harvey actor actors
  
  1957
- Wagon Train
  
  - The Millie Davis Story (1958) ... Ike Daggett actor actors
  
  1957
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre
  
  - Desert Flight (1960) ... Charlie Doyle actor actors
  
  - A Thread of Respect (1959) ... Jess Newton actor actors
  
  1956
- Cheyenne
  
  - Trouble Street (1961) ... Kell actor actors
  
  1955
- Alfred Hitchcock Presents
  
  - An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (1959) ... Union Sergeant actor actors
  
  - The Jokester (1958) ... Andrews actor actors
  
  1955
- The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp
  
  - The Noble Outlaws (1959) ... Buckskin Frank Leslie actor actors
  
  1955
- The Wonderful World of Disney
  
  - Elfago Baca: Mustang Man, Mustang Maid (1959) ... Jack - Outlaw Leader actor actors
  
  - Four Down and Five Lives to Go (1958) ... Mexican Police Captain (uncredited) actor actors
  
  1954
- The Oscars
  
  - 72nd Academy Awards (2000) ... Self actor actors
  
  - 71st Academy Awards (1999) ... Self actor actors
  
  - The 38th Annual Academy Awards (1966) ... Self actor actors
  
  1953
- Studio One
  
  - The Night America Trembled (1957) ... Sam Chandler actor actors
  
  1948
- Golden Globe Awards
  
  - The 56th Golden Globe Awards (1999) ... Self actor actors
  
  - The 50th Golden Globe Awards (1993) ... Self - Presenter actor actors
  
  1944
crew (1 credits)
- Passion & Poetry: Sam Peckinpah's War
  
  in memory of
  
  crew
  
  2011
production (1 credits)
- The Mists of Avalon
  
  executive producer
  
  production
  
  - Part 2 (2001) ... executive producer production
  
  - Part 1 (2001) ... executive producer production
  
  2001
writing (1 credits)
- Circle of Iron
  
  story
  
  writing
  
  1978
directing (2 credits)
- Convoy
  
  second unit director
  
  directing
  
  1978
- The Rockford Files
  
  - Irving the Explainer (1977) ... director directing
  
  1974

Content sources

Related entry on Wikidata (Q4227), public domain (CC0).