Bill Cobbs

Bill Cobbs

89 · Born: Jun 16, 1934

Personal Details

Born Jun 16, 1934 Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Relatives
  • James Baskett (Cousin)

Biography

Bill Cobbs (born June 16, 1934) is an American actor. As an amateur actor in the city's Karamu House Theater, he starred in the Ossie Davis play "Purlie Victorious". Cobbs was an Air Force radar technician for eight years; he also worked in office products at IBM and sold cars in Cleveland. In 1970, at the age of 36, he left for New York to seek work as an actor. There he turned down a job in the NBC sales department in order to have time for auditions. He supported himself by driving a cab, repairing office equipment, selling toys, and performing odd jobs. His first professional acting role was in "Ride a Black Horse" at the Negro Ensemble Company. From there, he appeared in small theater productions, street theater, regional theater and at the Eugene O'Neill Theater. His first television credit was in Vegetable Soup (1975), a New York public television educational series, and he made his feature film debut in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). In his free time, Cobbs enjoys music, reading, and playing his drums. He lives in New York City and Los Angeles, California and continues acting.

Career

2022
Caroltyn
Caroltyn as Dr. Mason
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Block Party
Block Party as Uncle Jim
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2021
Saving Paradise
Saving Paradise as John Thompson
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2019
Beyond the Law
Beyond the Law as Swilley
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2017
Call Me King
Call Me King as Malachi
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The Carmichael Show
The Carmichael Show as Vernon
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2016
New Life
New Life as Mr. Charles
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2015
The Great Gilly Hopkins
The Great Gilly Hopkins as Mr Randolph
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A House Is Not a Home
A House Is Not a Home as Paul
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The Ultimate Legacy
The Ultimate Legacy as Ted Hamilton
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2014
Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind
On Angel's Wings
On Angel's Wings as Mr. Dupac
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Christmas in Palm Springs
Christmas in Palm Springs as Gabriel
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2013
The Ultimate Life
The Ultimate Life as Ted Hamilton
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Dear Secret Santa
Dear Secret Santa as Ted
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The Last Letter
The Last Letter as Pastor
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Oz the Great and Powerful
Oz the Great and Powerful as Master Tinker
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2012
Lukewarm
Lukewarm as Thomas
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The Undershepherd
The Undershepherd as Dr. Ezekiel Cannon
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2011
The Tenant
The Tenant as Jack Rymer
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The Arcadian
The Arcadian as Charles
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2010
The Glades
The Glades as Gregory Richmond
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2009
Black Water Transit
Black Water Transit as Frank Vermillion
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Get Low
Get Low as Rev. Charlie Jackson
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2008
The Morgue
The Morgue as George
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Army Wives
Army Wives
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2007
The Ultimate Gift
The Ultimate Gift as Ted Hamilton
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Three Days to Vegas
Three Days to Vegas as Marvin Jeffries
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2006
Special Ed
Special Ed as Lou
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Hard Luck
Hard Luck as Cobb
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Night at the Museum
Night at the Museum as Reginald
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2005
The Derby Stallion
The Derby Stallion as Houston Jones
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The Final Patient
The Final Patient as Dr. Daniel Green
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2004
Star Trek: Enterprise
Star Trek: Enterprise as Dr. Emory Erickson
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2002
Enough
Enough as Jim Toller
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Sunshine State
Sunshine State as Dr. Elton Lloyd
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2001
Six Feet Under
Six Feet Under as Mr. Jones
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My Wife and Kids
My Wife and Kids
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JAG
JAG as Chaplain Matthew Turner
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2000
For All Time
For All Time as Proprietor / Conductor
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The Others
The Others as Elmer Greentree
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The Michael Richards Show
The Michael Richards Show as Jack
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1998
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
Paulie
Paulie as Virgil the Janitor
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Hope Floats
Hope Floats as Nurse
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Always Outnumbered
Always Outnumbered as Right Burke
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1997
Air Bud
Air Bud as Arthur Chaney
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The Gregory Hines Show
The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits as Second Elder - Prisoner No. 91777
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1996
Ed
Ed as Tipton
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Nightjohn
Nightjohn as Old man
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Thrill
Thrill as Norm Duprey
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Walker, Texas Ranger
Walker, Texas Ranger as Gino Costa
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1995
Out There
Out There as Lyman Weeks
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Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Goldilocks and the Three Bears as Caleb
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Man with a Gun
Man with a Gun as Henry Griggs
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Captiva Island
Captiva Island as Vernon
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Divas
Divas as Sippy
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Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long
Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long as Pullman Porter
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Fluke
Fluke as Bert
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ER
ER as Mr. Bowman
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1994
The Hudsucker Proxy
The Hudsucker Proxy as Moses
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1993
I'll Fly Away: Then and Now
I'll Fly Away: Then and Now as Lewis Coleman
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Demolition Man
Demolition Man as Zachary Lamb - Aged
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1992
The Bodyguard
The Bodyguard as Bill Devaney
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Exiled in America
Exiled in America as Abraham White
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1991
New Jack City
New Jack City as Old Man
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The People Under the Stairs
The People Under the Stairs as Grandpa Booker
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Carolina Skeletons
Carolina Skeletons as Elijah Crooks
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I'll Fly Away
I'll Fly Away as Lewis Coleman
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1990
Decoration Day
Decoration Day as Gee Pennywell
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Hallmark Hall of Fame
Hallmark Hall of Fame as Gee Pennywell
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1988
Dominick and Eugene
Dominick and Eugene as Jesse Johnson
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1987
Suspect
Suspect as Judge Franklin
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1986
The Color of Money
The Color of Money as Orvis
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1985
The Equalizer
The Equalizer as Barry
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1984
The Brother from Another Planet
The Brother from Another Planet as Walter
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1982
The Member of the Wedding
The Member of the Wedding as T.T. Williams
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1979
The Hitter
The Hitter as Louisiana Slim
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1977
Greased Lightning
Greased Lightning as Mr Jones
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2003
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks