Bill Cobbs died of natural causes at his home in Riverside – The Hollywood Reporter reported, citing actor Chuck I. Jones’ spokesman.
“Bill died peacefully at his home in California. Beloved partner, older brother, uncle, foster parent, godfather and friend. We take comfort in knowing that Bill found peace and eternal rest with his Heavenly Father. We ask for your prayers and support in this difficult time.” time,” Bill Cobbs’ brother, Thomas, wrote on social media.
Bill Cobbs was born on June 16, 1934, in Cleveland. He had various jobs before he began his acting career. He served in the United States Air Force for eight years, and after leaving the military, he worked as a car salesman. He also worked for IBM.
He first appeared on stage in 1969 in an anti-apartheid musical called “Lost in the Stars” at Karamu House in his hometown. Shortly afterwards, he appeared in subsequent performances: “Purlie” by Ossie Davis Purlie and “Six Characters in Search of an Author” by Luigi Pirandello.
At age 36, he moved to New York, where he worked with artists such as Ruby Dee, Adolph Caesar and Moses Gunn. “When I realized I could walk on stage with people like that, I thought, ‘Maybe I could become an actor'” – he recalled in 2015.
His screen debut was in the now cult film “Long Stop on Park Avenue” (1974). “I came home to see my mom and dad, all our friends and neighbors went to see the movie and were waiting for me to show up,” he said years later.
Cobbs quickly became a specialist in expressive supporting roles. His roles in the history of cinema include: Bill Devaney in the film “Bodyguard”, Zachary Lamb in the science fiction classic “Demolition Man” and Charlie Evers in the drama “Ghosts of Mississippi”. He also played Theophilus Hamilton in the drama “The Priceless Gift”, retired security guard Reginald in the comedy series “Night at the Museum”, and Pastor James Sr. in the cult “The Sopranos”.
In 2020, the star won the only Emmy statuette in his career for his performance in the children’s series “Dino Dana”. Cobbs’ latest performance comes from the horror film “Broken Church”, which is still waiting for its premiere.