Bill Cobbs, an actor known for his roles in “Night at the Museum” and “The Bodyguard” as well as TV roles on “The Drew Carey Show” and “JAG,” has died, his publicist confirmed. He was 90 years old.
Cobbs was a prolific actor, working across TV and film for 50 years in about 200 parts, starting with the 1974 crime drama “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” which starred Robert Shaw and Walter Matthau.
Cobbs only had one line in the film, which he joked about in a 2013 interview with Cleveland.com.
“I came back home to see my mom and dad, and all our friends and neighbors went to see the movie, and everyone was waiting for my appearance — I walk up to a policeman in the subway and say, ‘Hey, man. What’s goin’ on?'” he said of his debut part.
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But it led to much more.
Cobbs was born in Cleveland and served in the Air Force as a radar technician for eight years as well as selling cars and working for IBM before he was able to make his living as an actor, according to his IMDb biography.
He left for New York at 36 years old to try to make it in the industry, turning down a job at NBC in the sales department to save time for auditions.
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He did everything from driving a cab, to repairing office equipment, to selling toys to make ends meet in the Big Apple before getting his first professional acting job with the Negro Ensemble Company in “Ride a Black Horse.”
After “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three,” more TV and film roles followed, including a spot on “Good Times” in 1976 and a role as a bartender in 1983’s Eddie Murphy-led “Trading Places.”
He had substantial roles in 1993’s “Demolition Man,” 1994’s “The Hudsucker Proxy,” 2002’s “Sunshine State,” and 1996’s “Ghosts of Mississippi.”
He played Whitney Houston’s manager in “The Bodyguard,” and the builder of the Tin Man in 2013’s “Oz the Great and Powerful.” He also played a lawyer in “Jennifer Lopez’s 2002 film “Enough.”
He told Cleveland.com in 2013 that he loved “The Wizard of Oz” as a kid and was excited to be part of its ever-growing story.
“Just the idea of being in something called ‘Oz the Great and Powerful.’ You hope it can be something as powerful as the original. And then you’ve got ‘The Wiz’ behind it, and now ‘Wicked’ as well. It’s a story that’s kept on giving,” he said before the film’s release.
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In “Night at the Museum,” Cobbs, along with Mickey Rooney and Dick Van Dyke, played veteran overnight security guards at the Museum of Natural History who hand over the keys to Ben Stiller, reminding him to not let anything in or out of the building during his shift.
Cobbs was also memorable as a coach in Disney’s 1997 film “Air Bud.”
“We are saddened to share the passing of Bill Cobbs,” a family member shared on Facebook. “On Tuesday, June 25, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in California. A beloved partner, big brother, uncle, surrogate parent, godfather and friend, Bill recently and happily celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by cherished loved ones. As a family we are comforted knowing Bill has found peace and eternal rest with his Heavenly Father. We ask for your prayers and encouragement during this time.”
Actor Wendell Pierce, who played Cobbs’ son in “The Gregory Hines Show and on “I’ll Fly Away,” wrote on X, “Days after his 90th Birthday, Bill Cobbs died today. A father figure, a griot, an iconic artist, that mentored me by the way he led his life as an actor. He played my father twice: in I’ll Fly Away & The Gregory Hines Show. Each time imparting wisdom with a word of encouragement.”
“Abbott Elementary” star Sheryl Lee Ralph wrote on X: “Emmy winner, working actor and wonderful human being, Bill Cobbs transitioned to act on a higher stage June 25th after celebrating his 90th birthday June 16th RIP.”
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Cobbs won a Daytime Emmy Award for the series “Dino Dana” in 2020.
On TV, Cobbs had an eight-part turn on “The Drew Carey Show,” played a man who visited the White House with his son on “The West Wing,” was on “Sesame Street” for two episodes and was on “Good Times,” “L.A. law,” “Designing Women,” “Coach,” “Northern Exposure,” “ER” and did two episodes of “NYPD Blue” and four episodes of “JAG” and was on “The Sopranos.”
He also had a 20-episode role on “The Slap Maxwell Story,” did 13 episodes of “Homeroom” and “I’ll Fly Away,” 21 episodes of “The Gregory Hines Show,” 13 episodes of “The Others” and nine of Matthew Perry’s show “Go On.”
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Cobbs continued to make movies until the end of his life, with several roles yet to be released, according to IMDb.
