LC
Lee J. Cobb
Actor, Director
Born December 8, 1911Died February 11, 1976 (64 years)
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.
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.
Known For
Filmography
| 2008 | Strictly Courtroom · as Juror #3 |
| 2008 | Role Model: Gene Wilder · as Willy Loman |
| 1996 | The 50th Annual Tony Awards · as Willy Loman |
| 1982 | Henry Fonda: The Man and His Movies · as Juror 3 |
| 1976 | Origins of the Mafia (TV Series) · as Bartolomeo Gramignano |
| 1976 | Nick the Sting · as Robert Clark |
| 1976 | La legge violenta della squadra anticrimine · as Dante Ragusa |
| 1975 | Mark Shoots First · as Il Commedator Benzi |
| 1975 | That Lucky Touch · as Henry Steedman |
| 1975 | Blood, Sweat and Fear · as Benzi |
| 1974 | Bad Men of the West · as Judge Henry Garth |
| 1974 | Last Moments · as Twenty Years |
| 1974 | The Great Ice Rip-Off · as Willy Calso |
| 1974 | Trapped Beneath the Sea · as Victor Bateman |
| 1973 | The Exorcist · as Lt. Bill Kinderman |
| 1973 | La polizia sta a guardare · as Jovine |
| 1973 | Ultimatum · as Cast |
| 1973 | The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing · as Lapchance |
| 1973 | Double Indemnity · as Barton Keyes |
| 1972 | The Bull of the West · as Judge Garth |
| 1972 | Heat of Anger · as Frank Galvin |
| 1971 | Lawman · as Vincent Bronson |
| 1970 | Macho Callahan · as Duffy |
| 1970 | The Liberation of L.B. Jones · as Oman Hedgepath |
| 1970 | McCloud (TV Series) |
| 1969 | The Young Lawyers (TV Series) |
| 1969 | Mackenna's Gold · as The Editor |
| 1968 | They Came to Rob Las Vegas · as Steve Skorsky |
| 1968 | Coogan's Bluff · as Lt. Mcelroy |
| 1968 | Day of the Owl · as Don Mariano Arena |
| 1967 | In Like Flint · as Lloyd C. Cramden |
| 1966 | Death of a Salesman · as Willy Loman |
| 1966 | Our Man Flint · as Cramden |
| 1965 | The Final Hour · as Judge Henry Garth |
| 1963 | Bob Hope Presents The Chrysler Theatre (TV Series) · as Ernie Wigman |
| 1963 | Come Blow Your Horn · as Harry R. Baker |
| 1962 | The Devil's Children · as Judge Henry Garth |
| 1962 | How the West Was Won · as Marshal Lou Ramsey |
| 1962 | The Virginian (TV Series) · as Richter Henry Garth |
| 1962 | The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse · as Julio Madariaga |
| 1960 | Exodus · as Barak Ben Canaan |
| 1959 | The June Allyson Show (TV Series) · as Captain Maximillian Gault |
| 1959 | But Not for Me · as Jeremiah Macdonald |
| 1959 | Green Mansions · as Nuflo |
| 1959 | The Trap · as Victor Massonetti |
| 1958 | Party Girl · as Rico Angelo |
| 1958 | Man of the West · as Dock Tobin |
| 1958 | Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (TV Series) |
| 1958 | Naked City (TV Series) · as Paul Delito |
| 1958 | The Brothers Karamazov · as Fyodor Karamazov |
| 1957 | The DuPont Show of the Month (TV Series) · as Alonso Quijana |
| 1957 | The Three Faces of Eve · as Doctor Curtis Luther |
| 1957 | The Garment Jungle · as Walter Mitchell |
| 1957 | 12 Angry Men · as Juror 3 |
| 1956 | Zane Grey Theater (TV Series) · as Drifter - Frank Mackinnon |
| 1956 | Playhouse 90 (TV Series) · as Al Bengsten |
| 1956 | Miami Exposé · as Lt. Barton 'bart' Scott |
| 1956 | The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit · as Judge Bernstein |
| 1956 | Tony Awards (TV Series) · as Willy Loman (archive Footage) |
| 1955 | The Road to Denver · as Jim Donovan |
| 1955 | Alcoa Hour (TV Series) · as Zocco |
| 1955 | Gunsmoke (TV Series) · as Col. Josiah Johnson |
| 1955 | The Left Hand of God · as Mieh Yang |
| 1955 | The Racers · as Maglio |
| 1954 | Day of Triumph · as Zadok |
| 1954 | Producers' Showcase (TV Series) · as Rubashev |
| 1954 | Medic (TV Series) · as Henry Fisher |
| 1954 | On the Waterfront · as Johnny Friendly |
| 1954 | Gorilla at Large · as Detective Sgt. Garrison |
| 1954 | Yankee Pasha · as Sultan |
| 1953 | The Tall Texan · as Capt. Theodore Bess |
| 1953 | General Electric Theater (TV Series) · as Dominic Roma |
| 1952 | Ford Theatre: All Star Theatre (TV Series) · as Matt Erwin |
| 1952 | The Fighter · as Durango |
| 1951 | The Family Secret · as Howard Clark |
| 1951 | Goodyear Television Playhouse (TV Series) · as Cast |
| 1951 | Tales of Tomorrow (TV Series) |
| 1951 | Sirocco · as Col. Feroud |
| 1950 | The Man Who Cheated Himself · as Lt. Ed Cullen |
| 1950 | The Lux Video Theatre (TV Series) · as Emile Zola |
| 1949 | Thieves' Highway · as Mike Figlia |
| 1949 | The Phantom Creeps · as Road Crew Foreman (uncredited) |
| 1948 | The Dark Past · as Dr. Andrew Collins |
| 1948 | Studio One (TV Series) · as Dr. Joseph Pearson |
| 1948 | The Luck of the Irish · as David C. Augur |
| 1948 | The Miracle of the Bells · as Marcus Harris |
| 1948 | Call Northside 777 · as Brian Kelly |
| 1947 | Captain from Castile · as Juan Garcia |
| 1947 | Boomerang! · as Chief Harold F. 'robbie' Robinson |
| 1947 | Johnny O'Clock · as Inspector Koch |
| 1946 | Anna and the King of Siam · as Kralahome |
| 1946 | Lights Out (TV Series) |
| 1944 | Winged Victory · as Doctor |
| 1943 | The Song of Bernadette · as Dr. Dozous |
| 1943 | The Moon Is Down · as Dr. Albert Winter |
| 1943 | Buckskin Frontier · as Jeptha Marr |
| 1943 | Tonight We Raid Calais · as Bonnard |
| 1941 | Paris Calling · as Captain Schwabe |
| 1941 | Men of Boys Town · as Dave Morris |
| 1940 | This Thing Called Love · as Julio Diestro |
| 1939 | Golden Boy · as Mr. Bonaparte |
| 1939 | The Phantom Creeps · as Road Crew Foreman (archive Footage) |
| 1938 | Danger on the Air · as Tony Lisotti |
| 1937 | Ali Baba Goes to Town · as Arab |
| 1937 | Rustlers' Valley · as Cal Howard |
| 1937 | North of the Rio Grande · as President Wooden |
| 1934 | The Vanishing Shadow · as Roadwork Foreman |