James Coburn

Born in Laurel, Nebraska, Coburn was raised in Depression-era Los Angeles. He studied acting at Los Angeles City College and the University of Southern California, and then moved to New York to study with Stella Adler.

He landed his first feature roles in two 1959 westerns, Ride Lonesome and Face of a Fugitive.

The following year, he was cast as one of The Magnificent Seven, from which he got work with co-star Steve McQueen in Hell Is for Heroes and the popular The Great Escape.

Coburn was propelled to leading man status as suave superspy Derek Flint in Our Man Flint, which was shortly followed by a sequel, In Like Flint.

Unable to find work in 1970, he went to Europe, where he appeared in Sergio Leone's Duck You Sucker and A Fistful of Dynamite. Coburn also worked in TV, and during the 80s appeared in several ads, particularly in Japan.

By the late 80s, he returned to films, appearing in Young Guns II, Hudson Hawk, Sister Act II: Back in the Habit, and the Eddie Murphy comedy The Nutty Professor.

In 1999 he won an Academy Award for his supporting role as an alcoholic, abusive father to Nick Nolte and Willem Dafoe in Affliction.

He appeared opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. in the surprise hit Snow Dogs, and lent his rich voice to a character in the hit animated movie, Monsters, Inc.

He died in October 2002 after suffering a massive heart attack.