James Coburn (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was a legendary American actor whose lean frame, wolfish grin, and an aura of laid-back, Zen-like cool made him one of the most iconic tough guys of his era.
Coburn shot to fame as one of the stoic gunslingers, the knife-wielding Britt, in the classic Western The Magnificent Seven (1960). He solidified his tough-guy credentials as the resourceful POW Sedgwick “The Manufacturer” in the epic World War II adventure The Great Escape (1963). He then achieved superstar status as the ultra-cool superspy Derek Flint in the popular James Bond spoofs Our Man Flint (1966) and In Like Flint (1967).
After a long battle with severe arthritis that sidelined his career for many years, Coburn made a triumphant comeback. He delivered the performance of his lifetime as the abusive, alcoholic father Glen Whitehouse in the powerful drama Affliction (1997), a role for which he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The Oscar was a fitting tribute to a long and legendary career, cementing his status as a true original
