Bill Cobbs obit

Bill Cobbs, Actor in ‘The Hudsucker Proxy,’ ‘Night at the Museum’ and ‘Air Bud,’ Dies at 90

His credits also included 'Sunshine State, 'Oz the Great and Powerful' and 'The Drew Carey Show.'  

He was not on the list.

Bill Cobbs, the convincing character actor who had pivotal turns in such films as The Hudsucker Proxy, Sunshine State and Night at the Museum, has died. He was 90.

Cobbs died Tuesday night of natural causes at his home in Riverside, his publicist, Chuck I. Jones, told The Hollywood Reporter.

A native of Cleveland who excelled at comedy as well as drama, Cobbs portrayed Whitney Houston’s manager in The Bodyguard (1992), the older brother of Medgar Evers in Rob Reiner’s Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), a jazz pianist in Tom Hanks’ That Thing You Do! (1996) and the Master Tinker, builder of the Tin Woodsman, in Sam Raimi’s Oz the Great and Powerful (2013).

He also played the wise coach who put a basketball-playing dog into the Timberwolves lineup in Air Bud (1997).

On television, Cobbs stood out as the sardonic bartender The Dutchman on the Dabney Coleman-starring The Slap Maxwell Story, the bus driver Tony on The Drew Carey Show, the title character’s dad on The Gregory Hines Show and Dr. Emory Erickson, the inventor of the Transporter, on Star Trek: Enterprise.

In the Coen brothers’ The Hudsucker Proxy (1994), Cobbs portrayed Moses, the mystical clock man whose ability to stop time comes not a moment too soon for Tim Robbins’ Norville Barnes.

In John Sayles’ Sunshine State (2002), Cobbs provides a moral compass as a doctor who strives to save his seaside Florida neighborhood from developers. (Earlier, the actor and filmmaker worked together in the 1984 sci-fi comedy The Brother From Another Planet.)

Cobbs set the plot in motion as Reginald, the security guard on the verge of retirement, in Night at the Museum (2006). He returned for the 2014 sequel.

Wilbert Francisco Cobbs was born on June 16, 1934. After graduating from East Tech High School in Cleveland, he served for eight years in the U.S. Air Force, where he experimented with stand-up comedy. He worked for IBM and sold cars before he acted onstage for the first time in 1969 in the anti-apartheid musical Lost in the Stars at Karamu House in his hometown.

He quickly followed with roles in Ossie Davis’ Purlie and Luigi Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author at the venerable Cleveland theater.

Cobbs headed east a year later and joined the Negro Ensemble Company in New York, working with the likes of Davis, Ruby Dee, Adolph Caesar and Moses Gunn. “Once I realized I could walk on the stage with people like that, I thought, ‘Maybe I can be an actor,'” he recalled in 2015.

Alongside Caesar and Esther Rolle, Cobbs appeared off-Broadway in 1971’s Ride a Black Horse and then in Black Visions for the Joseph Papp Public Theater.

For his big-screen debut, he showed up on a subway platform in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974).

“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,” he said in 2013. “I walk up to a policeman in the subway and say, ‘Hey, man. What’s goin’ on?'”

He then understudied on Broadway in Black Picture Show and The First Breeze of Summer in 1975.

Cobbs’ film résumé also included Greased Lightning (1977), Trading Places (1983), The Cotton Club (1984), The Color of Money (1986), New Jack City (1991), The Hard Way (1991), The People Under the Stairs (1991), Demolition Man (1993), Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995), Hope Floats (1998), A Mighty Wind (2003), Three Days to Vegas (2007), Get Low (2009) and The Muppets (2011).

Cobbs also was a regular on Sam Waterston’s I’ll Fly Away, The Michael Richards Show, Julianne Nicholson’s The Others and Matthew Perry’s Go On, and he guest-starred on many other series, from The Equalizer, Kate & Allie and The Sopranos to Six Feet Under and Yes, Dear.

Cobbs served in the U.S. Air Force as a radar technician for eight years; he also worked in office products at IBM and sold cars in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1970, at the age of 36, he left for New York to seek work as an actor. He supported himself by driving a cab, repairing office equipment, selling toys, and performing odd jobs.

Cobb credited Reuben Silver with his start in acting at the African American Performing Arts Center and Karamu House Theatre in Cleveland. 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 Theatre.

Wilbert Francisco Cobbs was born on June 16, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio, to a mother, Vera, who was a domestic worker and a father, David, who worked in construction. He had a brother named Thomas Cobbs. He was the second cousin of Song of the South actor James Baskett.

Filmography

Film roles

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1974    The Taking of Pelham One Two Three            Man on Platform          

1975    A Boy and a Boa            Father            Short film

1977            Greased Lightning            Mr. Jones   

1978    A Hero Ain't Nothin' but a Sandwich            Bartender        

1979    The Hitter            Louisiana Slim

1983    Trading Places            Bartender        

1983            Silkwood        Man in Lunchroom      

1984    The Brother from Another Planet            Walter 

1984    The Cotton Club            Big Joe Ison     

1985            Compromising Positions            Sgt. Williams          

1986    The Color of Money Orvis   

1987    Five Corners            Man in Coffee Shop    

1987    Suspect            Judge Franklin           

1988            Dominick and Eugene            Jesse Johnson           

1988    Bird            Dr. Caulfield          

1989    The January Man            Detective Reilly          

1989    Picking Tribes   Voice-over     Short film

1991    New Jack City            Old Man    

1991    The Hard Way            Raggedy Man 

1991    The People Under the Stairs            Grandpa Booker         

1992            Roadside Prophets            Oscar  

1992    Exiled in America            Abraham White          

1992    The Bodyguard            Bill Devaney          

1993            Demolition Man            Zachery Lamb - Aged

1993    Fatal Instinct Man in Park            Uncredited

1994    The Hudsucker Proxy   Moses 

1995    Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead            Malt    

1995    Fluke            Bert     

1995    Man with a Gun            Henry Griggs 

1995            Tuesday Morning Ride            Jeff            Short film

1995            Goldilocks and the Three Bears            Caleb  

1995    Captiva Island   Vernon

1996    Ed            Tipton 

1996    First Kid      Speet  

1996    That Thing You Do!            Del Paxton 

1996    Ghosts of Mississippi            Charles Evers   

1997            Soulmates        Mr. Williams          

1997    Air Bud            Coach Arthur Chaney 

1998    Paulie            Virgil the Janitor        

1998    Hope Floats   Nurse  

1998    I Still Know What You Did Last Summer            Estes   

1999            Random Hearts            Marvin

2002            Sunshine State  Dr. Elton Lloyd      

2002    Enough            Jim Toller  

2003    A Mighty Wind            Blues Musician          

2004    The Mortuary            Franklin Harmon        

2004    Lost            Jeremy's Boss 

2005    Inner Demon Arnold            Short film

2005    Squirrel Man     Morgan Wendell            Short film

2005    Duck            Norman         

2005    Return to Sender            Saul Burroughs            Short film

2005    The Derby Stallion            Houston Jones

2005    The Final Patient            Dr. Daniel Green   

2005    Special Ed        Lou     

2006    Sent            Doctor            Short film

2006    Hard Luck    Cobb            Direct-to-video

2006    The Ultimate Gift            Mr. Theophilus Hamilton          

2006    Night at the Museum            Reginald         

2006    Sweet Deadly Dreams            Barney

2007    Three Days to Vegas            Marvin Jeffries 

2008    Grim Abdication            Enforcer           Short film

2008    This Man's Life            Myer Truman Short film

2008    The Morgue            George            Direct-to-video

2008    The Dark Horse            Quincey          Short film

2009    The Rebel Heart            Cephas Cordner          

2009    My Summer Friend            Walter            Short film

2009    Get Low     Rev. Charlie Jackson           

2009            Steadfast          John            Short film

2009    Black Water Transit            Frank Vermillion        

2009    Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian            Reginald          Scene deleted

2010    No Limit Kids: Much Ado About Middle School  Charlie

2010    The Search for Santa Paws            Mr. Stewart            Direct-to-video

2010    The Tenant  Jack Rymer 

2010    Stroll            Clayton            Short film

2011    The Arcadian            Charles

2011    The Muppets            Grandfather    

2012    The Undershepherd            Dr. Ezekiel Cannon

2012            Lukewarm      Thomas           

2012    Branch Line            Conductor        Short film

2013    Oz the Great and Powerful            Master Tinker 

2013    The Ultimate Life            Mr. Theophilus Hamilton          

2013    The Last Letter            Pastor 

2013            Vampires in Venice            Dr. Dooley

2014    Tiffany at Breakfast            Him            Short film

2014    Of Mind and Music            Stompleg        

2014            Christmas in Palm Springs Gabriel

2014    Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb            Reginald         

2014    On Angel's Wings            Mr. Dupac 

2015    A House Is Not a Home   Paul     

2015    The Great Gilly Hopkins            Mr. Randolph         

2016    New Life      Mr. Charles

2017    Beyond the Silence            Judge Johnson           

2017    Call Me King            Malachi           

2017    FuN?            Monte            Short film

2017    The Weight Ezra Thomas            Short film

2018    As Evil Does            Jeremiah         

2018    Clipped Wings, They Do Fly  Judge Johnson           

2019    Beyond the Law            Swilley

2020    Dino Dana: The Movie  Mr. Hendrickson    

2021    Saving Paradise            John Thompson       

2022    Block Party    Uncle Jim      

2022            Caroltyn          Dr. Mason  Last film prior to death

Television roles

Year     Title            Role            Notes

1975    First Ladies Diaries: Rachel Jackson            George            TV movie

1976    Good Times   George Gillard            Episode: "Evans Versus Davis"

1977–1978            Baby, I'm Back            Att. Adam Johnson            2 episodes

1978    King                 Miniseries

1982    The Member of the Wedding            T.T. Williams            TV movie

1983    Rage of Angels            Abraham Wilson            Miniseries

1985    The Equalizer            Barry            Episode: "The Distant Fire"

1985    Sesame Street   Lee            Episode #17.30

1986    Johnny Bull      Wiggins            TV movie

1986    Kate & Allie     Sam Butcher            2 episodes

1987            Spenser: For Hire            Larry Sills            Episode: "If You Knew Sammy"

1987–1988            The Slap Maxwell Story    The Dutchman            Main cast

1988    L.A. Law     Webb Johnson            Episode: "Belle of the Bald"

1989            Homeroom     Phil Drexler Main cast

1990            Designing Women            Henry / Charlie            Episode: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"

1990            Married People            Willis            Episode: "Money Changes Everything"

1990            Gabriel's Fire    Walker Green            Episode: "I'm Nobody"

1990    The Trials of Rosie O'Neill Fish Fry Baby            Episode: "Rosie Gets the Blues"

1990            Decoration Day            Gee Pennywell            TV movie

1990    Moe's World              TV Pilot

1991    True Colors            Bernard Freeman            Episode: "Favorite Son"

1991            Carolina Skeletons            Elijah Crooks TV movie

1991–1993            I'll Fly Away   Lewis Coleman            Main cast

1993    Coach            George            Episode: "Why So Happy, Hayden?"

1993    I'll Fly Away: Then and Now            Lewis Coleman            TV movie

1994    Empty Nest     Jerome            Episode: "Gesundeit"

1994            Northern Exposure            Angelo Maxwell            Episode: "The Letter"

1995            Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long            Pullman Porter   TV movie

1995    The Watcher                       Episode: "Reversal of Fortune"

1995    Divas            Sippy            TV movie

1995    Out There   Lyman Weeks TV movie

1996    NYPD Blue     Norval Stevens            Episode: "The Nutty Confessor"

1996    ER            Mr. Bowman            Episode: "The Match Game"

1996            Nightjohn         Old Man     TV movie

1996    Thrill            Norm Duprey TV movie

1996    Stories from the Edge               TV movie; Segment: "Tuesday Morning Ride"

1997    The Outer Limits            Second Elder - Prisoner No. 91777            Episode: "The Camp"

1997            Walker, Texas Ranger            Gino Costa            Episode: "Full Contact"

1997    The Wayans Bros.            Fred Watson            Episode: "The Black Widower"

1997    High Incident            Emmett            Episode: "Starting Over"

1997–1998            The Gregory Hines Show   James Stevenson            Main cast

1998    Always Outnumbered            Right Burke   TV movie

1998    The Wild Thornberrys            Chief (voice)            Episode: "Dinner with Darwin"

1998    L.A. Doctors            Bob            Episode: "What About Bob?"

1998–1999            For Your Love            Uncle Stanley 2 episodes

1999    The Outer Limits            Joe Dell            Episode: "Fathers and Sons"

2000    The Sopranos            Reverend James, Sr.            Episode: "Do Not Resuscitate"

2000    The Practice            Arthur Turner            Episode: "Till Death Do Us Part"

2000    The Others  Elmer Greentree            Main cast

2000    For All Time            Proprietor / Conductor            TV movie

2000    The Michael Richards Show            Jack            Main cast

2001    The Fighting Fitzgeralds            Chet Armatrow            Episode: "The Fire Fight"

2001            Touched by an Angel            Henry Baldwin            Episode: "Band of Angels"

2001    Six Feet Under            Mr. Jones            Episode: "The Room"

2001    Rugrats            Uncle Charles (voice)            Episode: "A Rugrats Kwanzaa"

2001    Philly            Warren Bell            Episode: "Loving Sons"

2001    Bitter Winter              TV movie

2001–2003            JAG            Chaplain Matthew Turner  4 episodes

2002    The West Wing            Alan Tatum            Episode: "Enemies Foreign and Domestic"

2002    My Wife and Kids            Minister           2 episodes

2002–2004            The Drew Carey Show   Tony            9 episodes

2003    The Division            Mr. Greene            Episode: "Strangers"

2003    NYPD Blue     Bernie Carpenter            Episode: "Maybe Baby"

2004    Soul Food    Mr. Bradford            Episode: "Fear Eats the Soul"

2005    Star Trek: Enterprise            Dr. Emory Erickson            Episode: "Daedalus"

2005    Yes, Dear     Starter            Episode: "Greg's a Mooch"

Counterman            Episode: "Barbecue"

2007            October Road  Mr. Bolivar            Episode: "Forever Until Now"

2007    Side Order of Life            Eddie Morgan            Episode: "Separation Anxiety"

2008    Players at the Poker Palace  Bill            Episode: "A Couple of Black Yankees"

2008    Army Wives   Harry            Episode: "The Messenger"

2008    One Tree Hill            Gus            Episode: "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream: Part I"

2008    CSI: Crime Scene Investigation            Harry Bastille            Episode: "Young Man with a Horn"

2010    The Glades            Gregory Richmond            Episode: "Honey"

2011            Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior            Bishop Sanford            Episode: "Lonely Hearts"

2011    Harry's Law     Judge            Episode: "American Dreams"

2012–2013            Go On            George            Recurring

2013    Back in the Game            James            Episode: "Night Games"

2013    Dear Secret Santa            Ted            TV movie

2014    The Bay      Boyd Bloom  1 episode

2014    Rake            Judge Rutchland            Recurring

2015    Hand of God Papa Gene    2 episodes

2016    The Ultimate Legacy Mr. Theophilus Hamilton            TV movie

2016    The Mastermind 5            The Mentor TV Pilot

2016–2017            Greenleaf         Henry McCready            Recurring

2017    The Carmichael Show   Vernon            Episode: "Evelyn & Vernon"

2017    My Christmas Grandpa            Fred            TV Short

2017    Hannah Royce's Questionable Choices            Jack            TV Pilot

2017–2019            Dino Dana    Mr. Hendrickson            6 episodes

2018            Superior Donuts            Luther "Wheels" Langdon            Episode: "Always Bet On Black"

2020    Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.            Elderly S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent            Episode: "The End Is at Hand"