Frederick D. Coffin (January 16, 1943 â€" July 31, 2003) was an
American film actor, singer, songwriter, and musician.Coffin was born
in Detroit, Michigan in 1943 to actress Winifred Deforest Coffin and
writer Dean Coffin, and was one of five children. He was educated at
Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he studied theater and
was also a serious athlete, graduating in 1961. He enrolled the
University of Michigan in 1962, where he intended to play football but
instead decided to focus on acting, earning a B.A. then a master's
degree in theater.Coffin made his screen debut in 1973 when he
appeared in the television film Much Ado About Nothing, an adaptation
of the play, in which he also starred. He appeared in his first
feature film in 1976 in the drama Dragonfly, with Beau Bridges and
Susan Sarandon. His second feature was the Golden Globe nominated King
of the Gypsies, with Shelley Winters. In 1980, Coffin had a leading
role in the cult horror classic Mother's Day, his role as the sadistic
"Ike" is one he is best known for. Coffin credited himself as Holden
McGuire for Mother's Day. During the 1980s, Coffin appeared in several
films: the horror film Alone in the Dark, which starred Donald
Pleasence, Without a Trace, Nothing Lasts Forever, the biography film
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling with Richard Pryor, the action
comedy A Fine Mess with Ted Danson, and The Bedroom Window. In the
1990s, Coffin continued to appear in films, one of which he is known
for is the comedy film Wayne's World, with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey,
and the Steven Seagal film Hard to Kill. He would appear in two final
films before his death in 2003: View from the Top with Gwyneth
Paltrow, and Identity with John Cusack.Although, it was in fact
television that Coffin appeared in mostly throughout his career, his
first appearance in a television series was in Great Performances,
which starred actors such as Walter Cronkite, who presented the
series, Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli. He also made guest
appearances in many well known series including Kojak, Hill Street
Blues, Moonlighting, The Twilight Zone, Remington Steele, Dallas, in
which he appeared for six episodes, L.A. Law, The X-Files, Walker,
Texas Ranger, Murder, She Wrote, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and the
soap operas Ryan's Hope and The Edge of Night.
American film actor, singer, songwriter, and musician.Coffin was born
in Detroit, Michigan in 1943 to actress Winifred Deforest Coffin and
writer Dean Coffin, and was one of five children. He was educated at
Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he studied theater and
was also a serious athlete, graduating in 1961. He enrolled the
University of Michigan in 1962, where he intended to play football but
instead decided to focus on acting, earning a B.A. then a master's
degree in theater.Coffin made his screen debut in 1973 when he
appeared in the television film Much Ado About Nothing, an adaptation
of the play, in which he also starred. He appeared in his first
feature film in 1976 in the drama Dragonfly, with Beau Bridges and
Susan Sarandon. His second feature was the Golden Globe nominated King
of the Gypsies, with Shelley Winters. In 1980, Coffin had a leading
role in the cult horror classic Mother's Day, his role as the sadistic
"Ike" is one he is best known for. Coffin credited himself as Holden
McGuire for Mother's Day. During the 1980s, Coffin appeared in several
films: the horror film Alone in the Dark, which starred Donald
Pleasence, Without a Trace, Nothing Lasts Forever, the biography film
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling with Richard Pryor, the action
comedy A Fine Mess with Ted Danson, and The Bedroom Window. In the
1990s, Coffin continued to appear in films, one of which he is known
for is the comedy film Wayne's World, with Mike Myers and Dana Carvey,
and the Steven Seagal film Hard to Kill. He would appear in two final
films before his death in 2003: View from the Top with Gwyneth
Paltrow, and Identity with John Cusack.Although, it was in fact
television that Coffin appeared in mostly throughout his career, his
first appearance in a television series was in Great Performances,
which starred actors such as Walter Cronkite, who presented the
series, Julie Andrews and Liza Minnelli. He also made guest
appearances in many well known series including Kojak, Hill Street
Blues, Moonlighting, The Twilight Zone, Remington Steele, Dallas, in
which he appeared for six episodes, L.A. Law, The X-Files, Walker,
Texas Ranger, Murder, She Wrote, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, and the
soap operas Ryan's Hope and The Edge of Night.
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