Trivia of James Coburn

 Trivia of James Coburn (31 August 1928 - 18 November 2002)

*He went to Compton Junior College after which he enlisted in the United States Army. Though he served as a truck driver he was also asked to narrate Army training films while posted at Germany. This kindled in him a love for films and he decided to study acting after his army stint.

*In his early career, Coburn was selected for a Remington Products razor commercial, where he was able to shave off 11 days of beard growth in less than 60 seconds while joking that he had more teeth to show on camera than the other 12 candidates for the part.

*Coburn's film debut came as the sidekick of Pernell Roberts in the Randolph Scott Western Ride Lonesome (1959).Before became a Western actor , Coburn worked as a rodeo rider and even won several championships in Southern California.

*He had only eleven lines in The Magnificent Seven (1960). Coburn was hired on the recommendation of his old friend since college, Robert Vaughn.

*Co-starring with Steve McQueen in three movies : The Magnificent Seven (1960, Hell is for Heroes (1962), The Great Escape (1963).

*Along Steve McQueen, Coburn was a pallbearer at the funeral of his friend (and his martial arts instructor), Bruce Lee, on July 31, 1973 in Seattle, Washington.

*He trained in martial arts, specifically Tang Soo Do and Kyokushin Karate, and incorporated his skills in various films, including the action comedy “Our Man Flint” (1966).

*At the time of his death, he was at home listening to music and playing his flute. Because of his severe rheumatoid arthritis, Coburn appeared in very few films during the 1980s, yet continued working until his death in 2002.