A prolific actor who appeared in more than 200 roles, including the “Night at the Museum” saga, Bill Cobbs died on June 25 at the age of 90.
Prolific actor, appearing in more than 200 roles on the small and big screen since his very first film, The Underground Pirates, in 1974, Bill Cobbs died on June 25 at the age of 90, of natural causes. Great supporting role, we could notably see him in Demolition Man, The Sopranos, Night at the Museum, Bodyguard, The Silkwood Mystery, Cotton Club by Francis Ford Coppola…
“We are saddened to announce the passing of Bill Cobbs” wrote his brother Thomas G. Cobbs, in a message posted on Facebook. PBeloved partner, big brother, uncle, surrogate parent, godfather and friend, Bill recently joyfully celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by his loved ones. As a family, we are comforted to know that Bill has found peace and eternal rest with his Heavenly Father. We ask for your prayers and encouragement during this time.”
The beginnings of a cult thriller from the 70’s
Born on June 16, 1934 to a father working in construction and a domestic mother, Bill Cobbs grew up in a modest family and discovered the theater at a very young age through the play “Purlie” by Ossie Davis in which he played. He subsequently pursued several different jobs to make a living, including that of an actor in small theatrical productions, which quickly led him to film sets.
In 1974, Bill Cobbs found his first role in a film with the crime thriller The Subway Pirates based on the novel of the same name written by John Godey. He plays “The Man on the Platform”. With this first experience, he subsequently plays many characters on both the big and small screen, until he becomes an extremely well-known face in American cinema, even if few people know his name.
Warner Bros.
Bill Cobbs dans “Demolition Man”.
Among his many performances in the cinema, we can count several well-known films, such as An Armchair for Two, Cotton Club, The Color of Money, Bird, New Jack City, The Basement of Fear or The Ghosts of the Past. From the end of the 1990s, he tended to favor series, which did not prevent him from appearing in the films Remember… Last Summer 2, Shadow of a Suspicion, More never like that Night at the Museum and its sequel Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Pharaohs where he plays a former guard.
On the small side, Bill Cobbs plays more or less important characters in several popular series, such as The Slap Maxwell, Story Homeroom, Wings of Destiny, The Sopranos, Six Feet Under, JAG… Still very active in the 2010s, he performed in cinema and television. Thus, he is, among others, Mr. Randolph in The Fabulous Gilly Hopkins and Mr. Charles in New Life.
