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Lee J. Cobb

Acting Born Dec 8, 1911 Died Feb 11, 1976 New York City, New York, USA 107 credits

Biography

Lee J. Cobb was an American actor born as Leo Jacob on December 8, 1911, in New York City, where he grew up in The Bronx. He passed away on February 11, 1976. Cobb was best known for his film performances in On the Waterfront from 1954, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, 12 Angry Men from 1957, and The Exorcist from 1973. On stage, he portrayed Willy Loman in the original 1949 Broadway production of Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman, which was directed by Elia Kazan. On television, Cobb costarred during the first four seasons of the western series The Virginian. Throughout his career, he typically portrayed arrogant, intimidating, and abrasive characters, as well as respectable figures such as judges.

Sources & verification Lee J. Cobb — The Movie Database (TMDB) How Archytele verifies pages
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Career

Career overview

Lee J. Cobb was an American actor born on December 8, 1911, in New York City, where he grew up in The Bronx. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, he accumulated 104 known credits in his acting career. Throughout his screen work, he typically portrayed arrogant, intimidating, and abrasive characters, while also frequently taking on roles as respectable figures such as judges.

In film, Cobb was best known for his performances in On the Waterfront from 1954, for which he received an Academy Award nomination, 12 Angry Men from 1957, and The Exorcist from 1973. On television, he costarred in the first four seasons of the western series The Virginian.

His stage work included playing the role of Willy Loman in the original Broadway production of Arthur Miller's 1949 play Death of a Salesman, which was directed by Elia Kazan. Cobb passed away on February 11, 1976, at the age of 64.

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Known for

Film

The Exorcist

as Lt. Bill Kinderman
Film

Lawman

as Vincent Bronson

McCloud

as Alexander Montello
Film

Mackenna's Gold

as The Editor
Film

The Day of the Owl

as Don Mariano Arena
Film

Coogan's Bluff

as Lt. McElroy
Film

They Came to Rob Las Vegas

as Steve Skorsky
Film

In Like Flint

as Lloyd C. Cramden
Film

Our Man Flint

as Cramden
Film

Death of a Salesman

as Willy Loman
Film

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

as Ernie Wigman

The Virginian

as Richter Henry Garth

Frequent co-stars

Gregory Peck 3 shared titles
David Opatoshu 3 shared titles
Leon Alton 3 shared titles
Martin Balsam 2 shared titles
E.G. Marshall 2 shared titles
Henry Fonda 2 shared titles
Joseph Sweeney 2 shared titles
Rudy Bond 2 shared titles
Carroll Baker 2 shared titles
Karl Malden 2 shared titles

Career timeline

Arthur Miller on Home Ground
The Meanest Men in the West
Origins of the MafiaCross ShotNick the Sting
That Lucky TouchMark Shoots FirstBlood, Sweat and Fear
The Great Ice Rip-OffThe Balloon VendorDr. MaxTrapped Beneath the Sea
The ExorcistThe Man Who Loved Cat DancingDouble IndemnityThe Great Kidnapping
The Bull of the WestHeat of Anger
LawmanMacho Callahan
McCloudThe Young LawyersThe Liberation of L.B. JonesAnnie: The Women in the Life of a Man
Mackenna's Gold
The Day of the OwlCoogan's BluffThey Came to Rob Las Vegas
In Like Flint
Our Man FlintDeath of a Salesman
The Final Hour
The Brazen Bell
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreCome Blow Your Horn
The VirginianThe VirginianHow the West Was WonThe Devil's ChildrenThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Exodus
Startime · DirectorThe DuPont Show with June AllysonGreen MansionsThe TrapBut Not for Me
Naked CityWestinghouse Desilu PlayhouseThe Brothers KaramazovMan of the WestParty Girl
12 Angry MenThe Three Faces of EveThe Garment Jungle
Tony AwardsMiami ExposéDick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreDick Powell's Zane Grey TheatreThe Man in the Gray Flannel Suit
GunsmokeThe Left Hand of GodThe Road to DenverThe Racers
MedicOn the WaterfrontGorilla at LargeYankee PashaDay of Triumph
The OscarsGeneral Electric TheaterGeneral Electric TheaterThe Tall Texan
The Ford Television TheatreThe Fighter
Tales of TomorrowSiroccoThe Family Secret
Lux Video TheatreThe Man Who Cheated Himself
Lights OutThieves' HighwayThe Phantom Creeps
Studio OneThe Luck of the IrishCall Northside 777The Dark PastThe Miracle of the Bells

Full filmography

  • Arthur Miller on Home Ground (1979)
  • The Meanest Men in the West (1978) as Judge Henry Garth
  • Origins of the Mafia (1976) as Bartolomeo Gramignano
  • Cross Shot (1976) as Dante Ragusa
  • Nick the Sting (1976) as Robert Clark
  • That Lucky Touch (1975) as Henry Steedman
  • Mark Shoots First (1975) as Il commedator Benzi
  • Blood, Sweat and Fear (1975) as Benzi
  • The Great Ice Rip-Off (1974) as Willy Calso
  • The Balloon Vendor (1974) as Twenty Years
  • Dr. Max (1974) as Maxwell Gordon
  • Trapped Beneath the Sea (1974) as Victor Bateman
  • The Exorcist (1973) as Lt. Bill Kinderman
  • The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973) as Lapchance
  • Double Indemnity (1973) as Barton Keyes
  • The Great Kidnapping (1973) as Jovine
  • The Bull of the West (1972) as Judge Garth
  • Heat of Anger (1972) as Frank Galvin
  • Lawman (1971) as Vincent Bronson
  • Macho Callahan (1971) as Duffy
  • McCloud (1970) as Alexander Montello
  • The Young Lawyers (1970)
  • The Liberation of L.B. Jones (1970) as Oman Hedgepath
  • Annie: The Women in the Life of a Man (1970) as Himself
  • Mackenna's Gold (1969) as The Editor
  • The Day of the Owl (1968) as Don Mariano Arena
  • Coogan's Bluff (1968) as Lt. McElroy
  • They Came to Rob Las Vegas (1968) as Steve Skorsky
  • In Like Flint (1967) as Lloyd C. Cramden
  • Our Man Flint (1966) as Cramden
  • Death of a Salesman (1966) as Willy Loman
  • The Final Hour (1965) as Judge Henry Garth
  • The Brazen Bell (1964) as Judge Henry Garth
  • Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963) as Ernie Wigman
  • Come Blow Your Horn (1963) as Harry R. Baker
  • The Virginian (1962) as Richter Henry Garth
  • The Virginian (1962) as Ritcher Henry Garth
  • How the West Was Won (1962) as Marshal Lou Ramsey
  • The Devil's Children (1962) as Judge Henry Garth
  • The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962) as Julio Madariaga
  • Exodus (1960) as Barak Ben Canaan
  • Startime (1959) Director
  • The DuPont Show with June Allyson (1959) as Captain Maximillian Gault
  • Green Mansions (1959) as Nuflo
  • The Trap (1959) as Victor Massonetti
  • But Not for Me (1959) as Jeremiah MacDonald
  • I, Don Quixote (1959) as Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote de la Mancha / Alonso Quijana
  • Naked City (1958) as Paul Delito
  • Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1958)
  • The Brothers Karamazov (1958) as Fyodor Karamazov
  • Man of the West (1958) as Dock Tobin
  • Party Girl (1958) as Rico Angelo
  • 12 Angry Men (1957) as Juror 3
  • The Three Faces of Eve (1957) as Doctor Curtis Luther
  • The Garment Jungle (1957) as Walter Mitchell
  • Tony Awards (1956) as Willy Loman (archive footage)
  • Miami Exposé (1956) as Lt. Barton 'Bart' Scott
  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Captain Andrew Watling
  • Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre (1956) as Drifter - Frank MacKinnon
  • The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) as Judge Bernstein
  • Gunsmoke (1955) as Col. Josiah Johnson
  • The Left Hand of God (1955) as Mieh Yang
  • The Road to Denver (1955) as Jim Donovan
  • The Racers (1955) as Maglio
  • Medic (1954) as Henry Fisher
  • On the Waterfront (1954) as Johnny Friendly
  • Gorilla at Large (1954) as Detective Sgt. Garrison
  • Yankee Pasha (1954) as Sultan
  • Day of Triumph (1954) as Zadok
  • The Oscars (1953) as Self
  • General Electric Theater (1953) as Dominic Roma
  • General Electric Theater (1953) as Grayson Foxhall
  • The Tall Texan (1953) as Capt. Theodore Bess
  • The Ford Television Theatre (1952) as Matt Erwin
  • The Fighter (1952) as Durango
  • Tales of Tomorrow (1951)
  • Sirocco (1951) as Col. Feroud
  • The Family Secret (1951) as Howard Clark
  • Lux Video Theatre (1950) as Emile Zola
  • The Man Who Cheated Himself (1950) as Lt. Ed Cullen
  • Lights Out (1949)
  • Thieves' Highway (1949) as Mike Figlia
  • The Phantom Creeps (1949) as Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)
  • Studio One (1948) as Dr. Joseph Pearson
  • The Luck of the Irish (1948) as David C. Augur
  • Call Northside 777 (1948) as Brian Kelly
  • The Dark Past (1948) as Dr. Andrew Collins
  • The Miracle of the Bells (1948) as Marcus Harris
  • Captain from Castile (1947) as Juan Garcia
  • Johnny O'Clock (1947) as Inspector Koch
  • Boomerang! (1947) as Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' Robinson
  • Anna and the King of Siam (1946) as Kralahome
  • Winged Victory (1944) as Doctor
  • Flight Characteristics of the P-51 Airplane (1944) as Arthur Deeds
  • Tonight We Raid Calais (1943) as Bonnard
  • The Song of Bernadette (1943) as Dr. Dozous
  • Buckskin Frontier (1943) as Jeptha Marr
  • The Moon Is Down (1943) as Dr. Albert Winter
  • Men of Boys Town (1941) as Dave Morris
  • Paris Calling (1941) as Captain Schwabe
  • This Thing Called Love (1940) as Julio Diestro
  • The Phantom Creeps (1939) as Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)
  • Golden Boy (1939) as Mr. Bonaparte
  • Danger on the Air (1938) as Tony Lisotti
  • North of the Rio Grande (1937) as President Wooden
  • Rustlers' Valley (1937) as Cal Howard
  • The Vanishing Shadow (1934) as Roadwork Foreman