Lee J. Cobb
Acting
Lee J. Cobb (December 8, 1911 — February 11, 1976) was an American actor. He was best known for his performances in On the Waterfront (1954), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, 12 Angry Men (1957), and The Exorcist (1973). He also played the role of Willy Loman in the original Broadway production of Arthur Miller's 1949 play Death of a Salesman under the direction of Elia Kazan. On television, Cobb costarred in the first four seasons of the popular, long-running western series The Virginian. He typically played arrogant, intimidating, and abrasive characters, but often had roles as respectable figures such as judges. Born Leo Jacob in New York City, he grew up in The Bronx, before studying at New York University and making his film debut in The Vanishing Shadow (1934). Cobb performed in numerous theater productions and companies, including Group Theatre (New York) before serving in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force during World War II.
Following the war, Cobb returned to film, television and theater before being accused of being a Communist in 1951 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee by Larry Parks, himself a former Communist Party member. Cobb was called to testify before HUAC but refused to do so for two years until, with his career threatened by the blacklist, he relented in 1953 and gave testimony in which he named 20 people as former members of the Communist Party USA. Following the hearing he resumed his career and worked with Elia Kazan and Budd Schulberg, two other HUAC "friendly witnesses", on the 1954 film On the Waterfront, which is widely seen as an allegory and apologia for testifying. His 1968 performance as King Lear achieved the longest run (72 performances) for the play in Broadway history. One of his final film roles was that of police detective Lt. Kinderman in the 1973 horror film The Exorcist.
Cobb died of a heart attack in February 1976 in Woodland Hills, California, and was buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He was survived by his second wife, Mary Hirsch, and daughter, also an accomplished actress, Julie Cobb.
Media of
Lee J. Cobb
Photos (21)
Filmography of
Lee J. Cobb
Judge Henry Garth
... 1978
Dante Ragusa
... 1976
Robert Clark
... 1976
Il commedator Benzi
... 1975
Henry Steedman
... 1975
Benzi
... 1975
Twenty Years
... 1974
Willy Calso
... 1974
Victor Bateman
... 1974
Maxwell Gordon
... 1974
Lt. Bill Kinderman
... 1973
Jovine
... 1973
Barton Keyes
... 1973
Lapchance
... 1973
Judge Garth
... 1972
Frank Galvin
... 1972
Vincent Bronson
... 1971
Duffy
... 1971
Oman Hedgepath
... 1970
... 1970
The Editor
... 1969
Lt. McElroy
... 1968
Don Mariano Arena
... 1968
Steve Skorsky
... 1968
Lloyd C. Cramden
... 1967
Willy Loman
... 1966
Cramden
... 1966
Judge Henry Garth
... 1965
Judge Henry Garth
... 1964
Harry R. Baker
... 1963
Judge Henry Garth
... 1962
Marshal Lou Ramsey
... 1962
Julio Madariaga
... 1962
Barak Ben Canaan
... 1960
Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote de la Mancha / Alonso Quijana
... 1959
Jeremiah MacDonald
... 1959
Nuflo
... 1959
Victor Massonetti
... 1959
Rico Angelo
... 1958
Dock Tobin
... 1958
Fyodor Karamazov
... 1958
Doctor Curtis Luther
... 1957
Walter Mitchell
... 1957
Juror 3
... 1957
Lt. Barton 'Bart' Scott
... 1956
Judge Bernstein
... 1956
Mieh Yang
... 1955
Jim Donovan
... 1955
Maglio
... 1955
Zadok
... 1954
Johnny Friendly
... 1954
Detective Sgt. Garrison
... 1954
Sultan
... 1954
Capt. Theodore Bess
... 1953
Durango
... 1952
Howard Clark
... 1951
Col. Feroud
... 1951
Lt. Ed Cullen
... 1950
Mike Figlia
... 1949
Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)
... 1949
Dr. Andrew Collins
... 1948
David C. Augur
... 1948
Marcus Harris
... 1948
Brian Kelly
... 1948
Juan Garcia
... 1947
Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' Robinson
... 1947
Inspector Koch
... 1947
Kralahome
... 1946
Doctor
... 1944
Arthur Deeds
... 1944
Dr. Dozous
... 1943
Jeptha Marr
... 1943
Bonnard
... 1943
Dr. Albert Winter
... 1943
Captain Schwabe
... 1941
Dave Morris
... 1941
Julio Diestro
... 1940
Mr. Bonaparte
... 1939
Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)
... 1939
Tony Lisotti
... 1938
Cal Howard
... 1937
President Wooden
... 1937
Roadwork Foreman
... 1934