ACTOR
James Coburn
Known for Bonanza · Murder, She Wrote · Perry Mason
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…
Snapshot 2026-10-12
- Born
- Aug 31, 1928
- Died
- Nov 18, 2002
- Birthplace
- Laurel, Nebraska, USA
- Known For
- Acting
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.
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Known For
TV
BonanzaPete Jessup · 1959
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
TV
Murder, She WroteCyrus Ramsey · 1984
★ 7.5
★ 7.5
TV
Perry MasonDonald Fletcher · 1957
★ 7.7
★ 7.7
FILM
Monsters, Inc.Waternoose (voice) · 2001
★ 7.9
★ 7.9
Filmography
Movies
The Night America TrembledSam (as Jim Coburn)
1957
Ride LonesomeWhitt
1959
Face of a FugitivePurdy
1959
The Magnificent SevenBritt
1960
The Murder MenArthur Troy
1961
Hell Is for HeroesCpl. Frank Henshaw
1962
The Great EscapeSedgwick 'Manufacturer'
1963
CharadeTex Panthollow
1963
The Man from GalvestonBoyd Palmer
1963
Kings of the SunNarrator (uncredited)
1963
AO
Action on the BeachSelf
1964
The Americanization of EmilyLt. Commander Paul "Bus" Cummings
1964
Major DundeeSamuel Potts
1965
A High Wind in JamaicaZac
1965
The Loved OneImmigration Officer
1965
Our Man FlintDerek Flint
1966
What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?Lieutenant Christian
1966
Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-RoundEli Kotch
1966
In Like FlintDerek Flint
1967
Waterhole #3Lewton Cole
1967
The President's AnalystDr. Sidney Schaefer
1967
DuffyDuffy
1968
CandyDr. A.B. Krankheit
1968
The Wolf MenSelf - Narrator (voice)
1969
Hard ContractJohn Cunningham
1969
Last of the Mobile Hot ShotsJeb Stuart Thornton
1970
Duck, You SuckerJohn H. Mallory
1971
The Carey TreatmentDr. Peter Carey
1972
The HonkersLew Lathrop
1972
A Reason to Live, a Reason to DieColonel Pembroke
1972
Pat Garrett & Billy the KidPat Garrett
1973
The Last of SheilaClinton Greene
1973
Harry in Your PocketHarry
1973
The Internecine ProjectRobert Elliot
1974
Hard TimesSpencer "Speed" Weed
1975
Bite the BulletLuke Matthews
1975
Sky RidersJim McCabe
1976
The Last Hard MenProvo
1976
MidwayCapt. Vinton Maddox
1976
Bruce Lee: The Man, The MythSelf (archive footage)
1976
Cross of IronUnteroffizier / Feldwebel Rolf Steiner
1977
White RockJames Coburn
1977
S
SuperstuntSelf
1977
California SuiteActor in Diana's Movie (uncredited)
1978
Formula 1 - Speed feverSelf
1978
SI
Superstunt IISelf
1979
FirepowerJerry Fanon / Eddie
1979
The Muppets Go HollywoodSelf (uncredited)
1979
The Muppet MovieEl Sleezo Cafe Owner
1979
GoldengirlJack Dryden
1979
The Baltimore BulletNick Casey
1980
Loving CouplesWalter
1980
Mr. PatmanPatman
1981
High RiskSerrano
1981
Jacqueline Susann's Valley of the Dolls "1981"Henry Bellamy
1981
LookerJohn Reston
1981
MalibuTom Wharton
1983
Digital DreamsGod's Gift to Wyman
1983
PinocchioThe Gypsy
1984
Draw!Sam Starret
1984
Sins of the FatherFrank Murchison
1985
Martin's DayLt. Lardner
1985
Mackendrick: The Man Who Walked AwaySelf
1986
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 YearsSelf (archive footage)
1986
Death of a SoldierMaj. Patrick Dannenberg
1986
Happy 100th Birthday, HollywoodSelf
1987
Walking After MidnightSelf
1988
Call from SpaceStudio Boss
1989
BD
Broadway's Dreamers: The Legacy of the Group TheatreSelf (voice)
1989
Train to HeavenGregorius
1989
Steve McQueen: Man on the EdgeNarrator
1990
Young Guns IIJohn Simpson Chisum
1990
Hudson HawkGeorge Kaplan
1991
S
SilverfoxRobert Fox
1991
HH
Hugh Hefner: Once Upon a TimeNarrator (voice)
1992
NL
National Lampoon's True FactsSelf
1992
Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232Jim Hathaway
1992
The PlayerJames Coburn
1992
MastergateMajor Manley Battle
1992
The Hit ListPeter Mayhew
1993
Sam Peckinpah: Man of IronSelf
1993
The Curse of the DragonSelf
1993
DeadfallMike Donan / Lou Donan
1993
Sister Act 2: Back in the HabitMr. Crisp
1993
Return to 'The Great Escape'Self
1993
The Life of Bruce LeeSelf - Actor & Student of Bruce Lee
1994
Ray Alexander: A Taste For JusticeJeffrey Winslow
1994
MaverickCommodore Duvall
1994
GreyhoundsJohn Dolan
1994
A Christmas ReunionSanta
1994
National Geographic - Arctic Kingdom: Life at the EdgeSelf - Narrator (voice)
1995
The Avenging AngelPorter Rockwell
1995
Ray Alexander: A Menu for MurderJeffery Winslow
1995
The Set UpJeremiah Cole
1995
Okavango: Africa's Wild Oasis
1996
EraserBeller
1996
The Nutty ProfessorHarlan Hartley
1996
BJ
Ben Johnson: Third Cowboy on the RightNarrator
1996
Football AmericaNarrator
1996
The Cherokee KidCyrus Bloomington
1996
Earth's Two-Minute WarningSelf
1997
Twentieth Century Fox: The First 50 YearsHost
1997
SkeletonsFrank Jove
1997
Keys to TulsaHarmon Shaw
1997
The Disappearance of Kevin JohnsonHimself
1997
The Second Civil WarJack Buchan
1997
The Path of the DragonSelf
1998
Bruce Lee: The Intercepting FistSelf
1998
AfflictionGlen Whitehouse
1998
Mr. MurderDrew Oslett, Sr.
1998
WS
World's Scariest Ghosts - Caught on TapeNarrator (voice)
1999
Hollywood Screen Tests: Take 1Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
1999
Bruce Lee: The Legend Lives OnSelf
1999
PaybackJustin Fairfax
1999
AS
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Hollywood HeroSelf
1999
Once Upon a Time: Sergio LeoneSelf (archive footage)
2000
IntrepidCaptain Hal Josephson
2000
Guns for Hire: The Making of 'The Magnificent Seven'Self
2000
KurosawaSelf
2000
Missing PiecesAtticus Cody
2001
ProximityJim Corcoran
2001
Marilyn Monroe: The Final DaysNarrator (voice)
2001
Walter and HenryCharlie
2001
The Man from Elysian FieldsAlcot
2001
Monsters, Inc.Waternoose (voice)
2001
Texas RangersNarrator (voice) (uncredited)
2001
The Unbeatable Bruce Lee
2001
Snow DogsThunder Jack
2002
I Love MuppetsSelf
2002
The Real Virgil Hilts: A Man Called JonesNarrator
2002
The Yellow BirdRev. Increase Tutwiler
2002
American GunMartin Tillman
2002
Twentieth Century Fox: The Blockbuster YearsSelf - Host
2003
Sam Peckinpah's West: Legacy of a Hollywood RenegadeSelf (archive footage)
2004
Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the DragonSelf
2004
Passion & Poetry: The Ballad of Sam PeckinpahSelf
2005
SP
Sam Peckinpah: PortraitSelf
2006
Passion & Poetry: Sam Peckinpah's WarSelf
2011
Passion & Poetry: Peckinpah's Last WesternSelf
2024Television
Golden Globe AwardsSelf · 1 eps
1944
Studio OneSam Chandler · 1 eps
1948
The Bob Hope ShowSelf · 1 eps
1950
Hallmark Hall of FameAtticus Cody · 1 eps
1951
Death Valley DaysSteve Barnes · 1 eps
1952
General Electric TheaterClaude Firman · 1 eps
1953
The OscarsSelf · 3 eps
1953
The Wonderful World of DisneyJack - Outlaw Leader · 1 eps
1954
The MillionaireLew Bennett · 1 eps
1955
The Life and Legend of Wyatt EarpBuckskin Frank Leslie · 1 eps
1955
CheyenneKell · 1 eps
1955
Alfred Hitchcock PresentsAndrews · 1 eps
1955
State TrooperDobie · 1 eps
1956
Dick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreJess Newton · 1 eps
1956
Tales of Wells FargoIdaho · 1 eps
1957
Richard Diamond, Private DetectiveVictor Tavo · 1 eps
1957
Have Gun, Will TravelJack Harvey · 1 eps
1957
Wagon TrainIke Daggett · 1 eps
1957
Perry MasonDonald Fletcher · 1 eps
1957
The Restless Gun1 eps
1957
The CaliforniansAnthony Wayne · 1 eps
1957
SuspicionMatt Carson · 1 eps
1957
TrackdownJoker Wells · 1 eps
1957
Wanted: Dead or AliveHenry Turner · 1 eps
1958
Peter Gunn1 eps
1958
Bronco2 eps
1958
The Texan1 eps
1958
Naked CityHarry Brind · 1 eps
1958
The RiflemanCy Parker · 1 eps
1958
LawmanLank Bailey · 1 eps
1958
Bat MastersonPoke Otis · 1 eps
1958
RawhideColonel Briscoe · 1 eps
1959
Black SaddleNiles · 1 eps
1959
The DeputyCoffer · 1 eps
1959
BonanzaPete Jessup · 1 eps
1959
The DuPont Show with June AllysonFloyd · 1 eps
1959
Wichita Town2 eps
1959
Men Into SpaceDr. Narry · 1 eps
1959
The Twilight ZoneMajor French · 1 eps
1959
Johnny RingoMoss Taylor · 1 eps
1959
Bourbon Street BeatBuzz Griffin · 1 eps
1959
The UntouchablesDennis Garrity · 1 eps
1959
The Detectives1 eps
1959
Tate1 eps
1960
The Tall ManJohn Miller · 1 eps
1960
The AquanautsJoe Casey · 1 eps
1960
CheckmateGresch · 1 eps
1960
Outlaws1 eps
1960
Stagecoach WestSam Murdock · 1 eps
1960
Route 661 eps
1960
KlondikeJeff Durain · 17 eps
1960
AcapulcoGregg Miles · 8 eps
1961
The DefendersEarl Chafee · 1 eps
1961
Cain's HundredArthur Troy · 1 eps
1961
The Mike Douglas ShowSelf · 1 eps
1961
Stoney BurkeDr. Henry Jamison · 1 eps
1962
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonSelf · 1 eps
1962
Combat!Cpl. Arnold Kanger · 1 eps
1962
TG
The Greatest Show on EarthKelly · 1 eps
1963
The Dick Cavett ShowSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1968
Great PerformancesSelf · 1 eps
1971
People's Choice AwardsSelf · 1 eps
1975
Saturday Night LiveSelf - Host · 1 eps
1975
The Muppet ShowSelf - Special Guest Star · 1 eps
1976
The Dain CurseHamilton Nash · 3 eps
1978
The Fall GuyJames Coburn · 1 eps
1981
DarkroomHost · 16 eps
1981
WoganSelf · 1 eps
1982
Faerie Tale TheatreThe Gypsy · 1 eps
1982
Murder, She WroteCyrus Ramsey · 1 eps
1984
Clive James' Postcard fromSelf · 1 eps
1989
Captain Planet and the PlaneteersLooten Plunder (voice) · 13 eps
1990
TF
The Fifth CornerDr. Grandwell · 6 eps
1992
HBO First Look1 eps
1992
Picket FencesWalter Brock · 1 eps
1992
Late Night with Conan O'BrienSelf - Guest · 1 eps
1993
Arli$$Sid Perelli · 1 eps
1996
E! True Hollywood Story1 eps
1996
ProfilerCharles Vanderhorn · 2 eps
1996
Scene by SceneSelf · 1 eps
1997
TH
The Heaven and Earth Show1 eps
1998
Noah's ArkThe 'Peddler' · 2 eps
1999Photos
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