James Coburn Dies At 74

Posted Tuesday, November 19, 2002 at 11:01 AM Central

by John Couture

Veteran actor James Coburn died Monday of a heart attack while he and his wife listened to music at their home. He was 74.

Coburn appeared in over 75 movies after breaking into the business as one of The Magnificent Seven. Over the years, his gruff, abrasive movie persona lended itself to many villains and sidekicks before he garnered a great deal of notoriety for playing the James Bond-esque Flint in a successful series of spoofs.

Coburn suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for ten years before claiming that he was healed through holistic medicine. Following the bout with arthritis, Coburn returned to the big screen in time to win the 1999 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Affliction.