Steve Cochran
Biography
Steve Cochran was born Robert Alexander Cochran on May 25, 1917, in Eureka, California. He was the son of a California lumberjack who moved the family to Wyoming in the 1920s, where Cochran grew up and graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1939. After working as a cowboy, he developed his acting skills in local and summer stock theater before moving on to Broadway, film, and television. He signed with MGM in 1945 and played secondary roles, including gangsters and boxers. He is perhaps best remembered for playing the gangster Big Ed Somers alongside James Cagney in the 1949 film White Heat. Cochran died on June 15, 1965, at the age of 48.
Career overview
Steve Cochran was born Robert Alexander Cochran on May 25, 1917, in Eureka, California. He was the son of a California lumberjack who moved the family to Wyoming in the 1920s, where Cochran grew to adulthood. After graduating from the University of Wyoming in 1939, he worked as a Wyoming cowboy while developing his acting skills in summer stock, local theatre, and regional theaters, eventually progressing to Broadway, film, and television.
In 1945, Cochran signed with MGM. For the next several years, he played mostly secondary roles as gangsters or boxers. He is perhaps best remembered for his role of Big Ed Somers, the power hungry gangster pal of James Cagney in the 1949 film White Heat. He made his film debut with Boston Blackie Booked o and went on to appear in a total of fifty-seven known acting credits, with notable work including appearances in television and films such as The Twilight Zone, The Untouchables, and The Best Years of Our Lives.
Cochran's life and career spanned a variety of mediums until his death on June 15, 1965, at the age of forty-eight. Throughout his career, he was known for his work across film and television, building a substantial body of acting credits that included both supporting film roles and television appearances.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
64 titles- Jimmy Carter Man from Plains (2007) as Self
- Tell Me In The Sunlight (1965) as Dave
- Tell Me In The Sunlight (1965) Director
- Tell Me In The Sunlight (1965) Screenplay
- Mr. Broadway (1964)
- Mozambique (1964) as Brad Webster
- Burke's Law (1963) as St. John Carlisle
- Burke's Law (1963) as Fletcher Seamway
- Burke's Law (1963) as Phil Ross
- Of Love and Desire (1963) as Steve Corey
- The Virginian (1962) as Jamie Dobbs
- Stoney Burke (1962)
- Bus Stop (1961)
- The Deadly Companions (1961) as Billy Keplinger
- Route 66 (1960)
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Fred Renard
- The Beat Generation (1959) as Dave Culloran
- The Big Operator (1959) as Bill Gibson
- I, Mobster (1959) as Joe Sante
- Naked City (1958) as Niccolo Mori
- Quantrill's Raiders (1958) as Captain Alan 'Wes' Westcott
- Slander (1957) as H.R. Manley
- Il Grido (1957) as Aldo
- Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Marshal Cam Tolby
- Come Next Spring (1956) as Matt Ballot
- The Weapon (1956) as Mark Andrews
- Fremont: The Trailblazer (1956) as John C. Fremont
- Climax! (1954) as Ralph Leslie
- Climax! (1954) as Jack Rice
- Private Hell 36 (1954) as Police Sgt. Cal Bruner
- Carnival Story (1954) as Joe Hammond
- Letter to Loretta (1953) as Joe
- General Electric Theater (1953) as Drogo
- The Desert Song (1953) as Captain Claude Fontaine
- Shark River (1953) as Dan Webley
- Back to God's Country (1953) as Paul Blake
- She's Back on Broadway (1953) as Rick Sommers
- The Lion and the Horse (1952) as Ben Kirby
- Operation Secret (1952) as Marcel Brevoort
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951)
- Jim Thorpe – All-American (1951) as Peter Allendine
- Storm Warning (1951) as Hank Rice
- Tomorrow Is Another Day (1951) as Bill Clark / Mike Lewis
- Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison (1951) as Chuck Daniels
- Raton Pass (1951) as Cy Van Cleave
- The Tanks Are Coming (1951) as Francis Aloysius 'Sully' Sullivan
- Robert Montgomery Presents (1950) as Captain John Pringle
- Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Luke Martens
- Dallas (1950) as Bryant Marlow
- The Damned Don't Cry (1950) as Nick Prenta
- Highway 301 (1950) as George Legenza
- White Heat (1949) as 'Big Ed' Somers
- Studio One (1948)
- Studio One (1948) as Peter Hadley
- Studio One (1948) as Dan
- A Song Is Born (1948) as Tony Crow
- Copacabana (1947) as Steve Hunt
- The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) as Cliff Scully
- The Chase (1946) as Eddie Roman
- The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) as Speed McFarlane
- Wonder Man (1945) as Ten Grand Jackson
- Boston Blackie's Rendezvous (1945) as Jimmy Casey
- The Gay Senorita (1945) as Tim O'Brien
- Boston Blackie Booked on Suspicion (1945) as Jack Higgins
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Steve Cochran best known for?
Steve Cochran is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Burke's Law (1963), Burke's Law (1963), Burke's Law (1963), Flickering Lights (2000).
When and where was Steve Cochran born?
Steve Cochran was born on May 25, 1917 in Eureka, California. They passed away on June 15, 1965.
How many credits does Steve Cochran have?
Steve Cochran has accumulated over 64 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1945 to 2007.
What is Steve Cochran's background in cinema and television?
Steve Cochran was born Robert Alexander Cochran on May 25, 1917, in Eureka, California. He was the son of a California lumberjack who moved the family to Wyoming in the 1920s, where Cochran grew up and graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1939. After working as a cowboy, he developed his acting skills in local a...
Steve Cochran by the numbers
Age in their best-rated roles
- The Twilight Zone (1959) as Fred Renard — aged about 42
- The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) as Cliff Scully — aged about 29
- White Heat (1949) as 'Big Ed' Somers — aged about 32
- Schlitz Playhouse of Stars (1951) — aged about 34
- The Damned Don't Cry (1950) as Nick Prenta — aged about 33
- Stoney Burke (1962) — aged about 45
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