Biography
Lee J. Cobb (December 8, 1911 - February 11, 1976) ) was an American actor best known for his performance in 12 Angry Men (1957), his Academy Award-nominated performance in On the Waterfront, and one of his last films, 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.
Filmography
all 107
Movies 88
TV Shows 19
self 4
Leap of Faith: William Friedkin on The Exorcist (2023)
Role Model: Gene Wilder (2008)
The Meanest Men in the West (1978)
Cross Shot (1976)
Origins of the Mafia (1976)
Nick the Sting (1976)
Mark Shoots First (1975)
That Lucky Touch (1975)
The Balloon Vendor (1974)
The Great Ice Rip-Off (1974)
Trapped Beneath the Sea (1974)
Dr. Max (1974)
The Exorcist (1973)
Double Indemnity (1973)
The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973)
The Bull of the West (1972)
Heat of Anger (1972)
Lawman (1971)
The Young Lawyers (1970)
The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970)
Mackenna's Gold (1969)
Coogan's Bluff (1968)
The Day of the Owl (1968)
They Came to Rob Las Vegas (1968)
In Like Flint (1967)
Death of a Salesman (1966)
The Final Hour (1965)
The Brazen Bell (1964)
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963)
Come Blow Your Horn (1963)
The Devil's Children (1962)
How the West Was Won (1962)
The Virginian (1962)
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962)
Exodus (1960)
I, Don Quixote (1959)
The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959)
But Not for Me (1959)
The Trap (1959)
Party Girl (1958)
Naked City (1958)
Man of the West (1958)
The Brothers Karamazov (1958)
The Three Faces of Eve (1957)
The Garment Jungle (1957)
12 Angry Men (1957)
Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956)
Miami Exposé (1956)
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956)
Tony Awards (1956)
Gunsmoke (1955)
The Left Hand of God (1955)
The Road to Denver (1955)
The Racers (1955)
Medic (1954)
On the Waterfront (1954)
Gorilla at Large (1954)
Yankee Pasha (1954)
The Tall Texan (1953)
General Electric Theater (1953)
The Ford Television Theatre (1952)
The Fighter (1952)
The Family Secret (1951)
Sirocco (1951)
The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950)
Lux Video Theatre (1950)
Thieves' Highway (1949)
The Phantom Creeps (1949)
The Dark Past (1948)
Studio One (1948)
The Luck of the Irish (1948)
The Miracle of the Bells (1948)
Call Northside 777 (1948)
Captain from Castile (1947)
Boomerang! (1947)
Johnny O'Clock (1947)
The Song of Bernadette (1943)
Buckskin Frontier (1943)
Tonight We Raid Calais (1943)
The Moon Is Down (1943)
Paris Calling (1941)
Men of Boys Town (1941)
This Thing Called Love (1940)
Golden Boy (1939)
The Phantom Creeps (1939)
Danger on the Air (1938)
Rustlers' Valley (1937)
The Vanishing Shadow (1934)
Gallery
Information
Known ForActing
GenderMale
Birthday1911-12-08
Deathday1976-02-11 (64 years old)
Birth NameLeo Jacoby
Birth PlaceNew York City, United States
Height180-centimeter
RelationshipsHelen Beverley (1940 - 1952)
ChildrenJulie Cobb
CitizenshipsUnited States
Also Known AsLee Colt, Leo Jacoby, Cpl. Lee Cobb, Lee Cobb, Ли Дж. Кобб
AwardsGolden Plate Award, Donaldson Awards
This article uses material from Wikipedia.
Last updated:
- Lee J. Cobb
- Filmography
- Information
- Related Persons