Lee J. Cobb
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.
Filmography
Arthur Miller on Home Ground
Arthur Miller on Home Ground
The Meanest Men in the West
as Judge Henry Garth
The Meanest Men in the West
as Judge Henry Garth
Cross Shot
as Dante Ragusa
Cross Shot
as Dante Ragusa
Nick the Sting
as Robert Clark
Nick the Sting
as Robert Clark
That Lucky Touch
as Henry Steedman
That Lucky Touch
as Henry Steedman
The Balloon Vendor
as Twenty Years
The Balloon Vendor
as Twenty Years
The Great Ice Rip-Off
as Willy Calso
The Great Ice Rip-Off
as Willy Calso
Trapped Beneath the Sea
as Victor Bateman
Trapped Beneath the Sea
as Victor Bateman
Dr. Max
as Maxwell Gordon
Dr. Max
as Maxwell Gordon
The Exorcist
as Lt. Bill Kinderman
The Exorcist
as Lt. Bill Kinderman
The Great Kidnapping
as Jovine
The Great Kidnapping
as Jovine
Double Indemnity
as Barton Keyes
Double Indemnity
as Barton Keyes
The Bull of the West
as Judge Garth
The Bull of the West
as Judge Garth
Heat of Anger
as Frank Galvin
Heat of Anger
as Frank Galvin
Macho Callahan
as Duffy
Macho Callahan
as Duffy
Mackenna's Gold
as The Editor
Mackenna's Gold
as The Editor
Coogan's Bluff
as Lt. McElroy
Coogan's Bluff
as Lt. McElroy
In Like Flint
as Lloyd C. Cramden
In Like Flint
as Lloyd C. Cramden
Death of a Salesman
as Willy Loman
Death of a Salesman
as Willy Loman
Our Man Flint
as Cramden
Our Man Flint
as Cramden
Come Blow Your Horn
as Harry R. Baker
Come Blow Your Horn
as Harry R. Baker
How the West Was Won
as Marshal Lou Ramsey
How the West Was Won
as Marshal Lou Ramsey
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
as Julio Madariaga
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
as Julio Madariaga
Exodus
as Barak Ben Canaan
Exodus
as Barak Ben Canaan
The Trap
as Victor Massonetti
The Trap
as Victor Massonetti
Party Girl
as Rico Angelo
Party Girl
as Rico Angelo
Man of the West
as Dock Tobin
Man of the West
as Dock Tobin
The Garment Jungle
as Walter Mitchell
The Garment Jungle
as Walter Mitchell
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
as Judge Bernstein
The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
as Judge Bernstein
The Left Hand of God
as Mieh Yang
The Left Hand of God
as Mieh Yang
The Racers
as Maglio
The Racers
as Maglio
Day of Triumph
as Zadok
Day of Triumph
as Zadok
The Fighter
as Durango
The Fighter
as Durango
The Family Secret
as Howard Clark
The Family Secret
as Howard Clark
Sirocco
as Col. Feroud
Sirocco
as Col. Feroud
The Man Who Cheated Himself
as Lt. Ed Cullen
The Man Who Cheated Himself
as Lt. Ed Cullen
Thieves' Highway
as Mike Figlia
Thieves' Highway
as Mike Figlia
The Phantom Creeps
as Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)
The Phantom Creeps
as Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)
The Dark Past
as Dr. Andrew Collins
The Dark Past
as Dr. Andrew Collins
The Luck of the Irish
as David C. Augur
The Luck of the Irish
as David C. Augur
The Miracle of the Bells
as Marcus Harris
The Miracle of the Bells
as Marcus Harris
Captain from Castile
as Juan Garcia
Captain from Castile
as Juan Garcia
Boomerang!
as Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' Robinson
Boomerang!
as Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' Robinson
Johnny O'Clock
as Inspector Koch
Johnny O'Clock
as Inspector Koch
Anna and the King of Siam
as Kralahome
Anna and the King of Siam
as Kralahome
Winged Victory
as Doctor
Winged Victory
as Doctor
Flight Characteristics of the P-51 Airplane
as Arthur Deeds
Flight Characteristics of the P-51 Airplane
as Arthur Deeds
The Song of Bernadette
as Dr. Dozous
The Song of Bernadette
as Dr. Dozous
Buckskin Frontier
as Jeptha Marr
Buckskin Frontier
as Jeptha Marr
Tonight We Raid Calais
as Bonnard
Tonight We Raid Calais
as Bonnard
The Moon Is Down
as Dr. Albert Winter
The Moon Is Down
as Dr. Albert Winter
Paris Calling
as Captain Schwabe
Paris Calling
as Captain Schwabe
Men of Boys Town
as Dave Morris
Men of Boys Town
as Dave Morris
This Thing Called Love
as Julio Diestro
This Thing Called Love
as Julio Diestro
Golden Boy
as Mr. Bonaparte
Golden Boy
as Mr. Bonaparte
The Phantom Creeps
as Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)
The Phantom Creeps
as Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)
Danger on the Air
as Tony Lisotti
Danger on the Air
as Tony Lisotti
Rustlers' Valley
as Cal Howard
Rustlers' Valley
as Cal Howard
North of the Rio Grande
as President Wooden
North of the Rio Grande
as President Wooden
The Vanishing Shadow
as Roadwork Foreman
The Vanishing Shadow
as Roadwork Foreman