Edward Coxen
| Edward Coxen | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
8 August 1880 Southwark, London, England |
| Died | 21 November 1954 (aged 74) Hollywood, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1911–1941 |
| Spouse(s) | Edith Borella (1914 - ?) |
Albert Edward Coxen (8 August 1880 – 21 November 1954) was an English-born American actor. He appeared in over 200 films during his career.
Coxen was born at Southwark, London, England, the first child of Joseph Coxen of Wandsworth, London, and Sarah Jane Coxen (née Parfitt). At the time of Coxen's birth, his parents ran the Carpenter Arms public house, at St. Marylebone, London. In 1880, Joseph Coxen's brother John and wife Ellen left England and settled in San Francisco. Joseph and Sarah Coxen with young Bertie, as Coxen was called, on the ship's manifest, followed them in 1882. The Coxen brothers soon established Coxen Bros., a wood and photo engravers business, in the city, and the families lived together at 1612 Jones Street. By 1890, Coxen, aged 10, and his parent were living in independent accommodation at 1925, Filbert Street in San Francisco.
However, despite the fact that they had settled well in the States, the Coxen family returned to London in 1896 so that Sarah could look after her dying sister Catherine Strawson. Coxen was intent on completing his education and returned to the United States third class on the America line vessel SS St. Louis from Southampton, arriving in New York City the day before his seventeenth birthday. Coxen had $125 to get him back to his uncle John's home in California. In 1900, aged 20, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen.
After returning to San Francisco, Coxen continued his education at the University of California, Berkeley campus and after graduating in the early 1900s he embarked upon a commercial career working for his father and uncle John at Coxen Bros. However, this did not appeal to him, and he set about attempting to make his fortune firstly by prospecting for gold and then by moving into work in civil engineering. Finally, he entered the profession he yearned for most, acting, and spoke his first lines as a professional actor on the stage of the Majestic Theatre, San Francisco at the age of 26 early in 1906. The San Francisco earthquake and fires of 18 April 1906 followed soon after his debut, so he moved to a theater across the bay in Oakland where he appeared in Ye Liberty, Balasco's Alcazar, and many other popular plays. The earthquake of 1906 and San Francisco's big fire had a serious and detrimental impact on the business of Coxen Bros. and they moved south permanently to Los Angeles.
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