Origins & Early Life

James Harrison Coburn III (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American actor who featured in more than 70 films, largely action roles, and made 100 television appearances during a 45-year career. Coburn was in numerous leading roles in Westerns and action films. He had starring roles in The Magnificent Seven, Hell Is for Heroes, The Great Escape, Charade and Hard Times as well as the lead role in Our Man Flint and its sequel In Like Flint, The President's Analyst, Duck, You Sucker!, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and Cross of Iron. In 1998, Coburn won an Academy Award for his supporting role as Glen Whitehouse in Affliction.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 2002, he received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries nomination for producing The Mists of Avalon. During the New Hollywood era, he cultivated an image synonymous with "cool". James Harrison Coburn III was born in Laurel, Nebraska, on August 31, 1928, the son of James Harrison Coburn II (1902–1975) and Mylet S. Coburn (née Johnson; 1900–1984). His father and namesake was of Scots-Irish ancestry and his mother was of Swedish ancestry.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Her parents emigrated from Sweden. James father had a garage business in Laurel that...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Agnès Varda — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): Pioneering French filmmaker, artist, and documentarian celebrated for her unique vision.
• Alan J. Pakula — Contemporary (Born in 1928) (1928): American film director, writer, and producer known for political thrillers.
• Alexander Bogdanov — Contemporary (Died in 1928) (1928): Polymath philosopher, pioneer of blood transfusion, and key Bolshevik revolutionary.
• Abba Eban — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Israeli diplomat, politician, and scholar of Arabic and Hebrew languages.
• Alexander Prokhorov — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Soviet physicist renowned for foundational work in quantum electronics and laser development.
• Astrid Lindgren — Contemporary (Died in 2002) (2002): Iconic Swedish children's author, celebrated for imaginative tales and advocacy.
• Caligula — Shared historical date (08-31 · Born) (12): Third Roman Emperor, known for his tumultuous and short reign (AD 37-41).
• Charles Baudelaire — Shared historical date (08-31 · Died) (1867): Master of modern poetry, Baudelaire captured the ephemeral beauty of industrial Paris.
• Adam Weishaupt — Shared historical date (11-18 · Died) (1830): German philosopher, founder of the Bavarian Illuminati, and legal scholar.
• Ahmed Zaki (actor) — Shared historical date (11-18 · Born) (1949): Iconic Egyptian actor celebrated for intense dramatic performances.
• 1928 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1928
• August 31 (08-31) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 31
• 2002 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2002
• November 18 (11-18) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on November 18