Cobb is an American actor who has been in a number of film and television roles. He has also been a performer in the stage as well, having appeared in plays, including the Broadway hit, “A Chorus Line.”
Early career
Lee Cobb was born in New York City to Jewish parents of Romanian and Russian extraction. He was raised in the Bronx, New York, and attended New York University. After graduating from the university, he went on to join the Group Theatre in 1935. Later, he performed on Broadway.
In addition to his work on the stage, Cobb also made appearances in films and on television. His early career saw him appearing in many films, including the classics Rustler’s Valley (1937) and Ali Baba Goes to Town (1937).
As an actor, he was best known for his roles as abrasive, intimidating men. He was a frequent cast member of the politically progressive Group Theatre, as well as other theatrical organizations. He appeared in a wide variety of films, including The Vanishing Shadow, Waiting for Lefty, and Death of a Salesman. These movies earned him a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Cobb appeared in a number of successful films in the 1940s. Some of these films include Golden Boy (1939), Captain Castile (1947), How the West Was Won (1962), and Our Man Flint (1966). During this time, he was also nominated for an Emmy for his performance in “Death of a Salesman” in 1947.
One of his most memorable roles came in a drama written by Arthur Miller. The play, which he starred in, was named the best play of the 1949 season by the New York Drama Critics Circle. It was also awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Cobb also starred in several made-for-television movies. He played a union boss in Elia Kazan’s 1954 film, On the Waterfront, and a police detective in William Friedkin’s 1973 film, The Exorcist.
Lee Cobb’s last stage appearance was as King Lear in the Repertory Theater of Lincoln Center’s 1968 production. Afterwards, he returned to Hollywood.
During his lifetime, he appeared in over fifty movies. Some of his other films include The King of Siam, Coogan’s Bluff, and The Young Lawyers. Among his other television appearances were the made-for-television movies Double Indemnity and The Virginian.
At age 23, he made his film debut in The Vanishing Shadow. Two years later, he enlisted in the US Army Air Forces. Eventually, he was discharged with corporal rank.
Film roles
Cobb was a veteran actor who starred in many films throughout his career. During the 1940s and 1950s, he was one of the most prominent character actors in Hollywood.
His first film appearance was in “North of the Rio Grande” in 1937. This was followed by a stint with the Harmonica Rascals. He then enlisted in the Army Air Force during World War II. In 1945, he was discharged with a corporal’s rank.
When Cobb returned to Hollywood, he studied acting at the Pasadena Playhouse. After transferring to the First Motion Picture Unit, he had a number of major roles in films such as Boomerang (1947), How the West Was Won (1958) and Exodus (1960).
Cobb also had a prominent role in television. In 1966, he appeared in two spy spoofs, Our Man Flint and In Like Flint. Other movies included The Liberation of L.B. Jones and The Exorcist.
Lee Cobb was a talented actor who specialized in abrasive and vulnerable characters. He was often cast as a corrupt boss or an overbearing character. However, he redeemed his routine roles by demonstrating his skill at conveying disquiet.
Cobb was named a possible communist by the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) during the red scare. As a result, he was threatened with blacklisting. Cobb cooperated with the authorities, but did not want to become a martyr.
In 1973, Cobb played a police detective in the horror film “The Exorcist”. His performance was a praised landmark performance. He also had a leading role in the popular Western series “The Virginian”. He starred in four seasons of the show.
Throughout his career, Cobb’s performances in a number of movies earned him both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He received a second nomination in 1958 for the movie “Brothers Karamazov”.
Cobb had a heart attack in 1955 while filming “The Houston Story.” Although the movie was a success, he died from a heart attack in 1976. He was buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
Cobb was posthumously inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. In addition, he received a life achievement award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
Television roles
Lee Cobb’s film and television career spanned more than 40 years. He was a husky actor who specialized in playing abrasive characters. A few of his notable films are The Young Lawyers, The Exorcist, On the Waterfront, and Twelve Angry Men.
Cobb was born in Bronx, New York. After his first appearance in a stage play, he joined the politically progressive Group Theatre. As a member of the group, he played a variety of character roles. In addition to his theater work, he appeared in several made-for-television movies.
When he was sixteen, Cobb ran away from home to try to make it in Hollywood. After failing to find steady work in the industry, he returned to New York. At that time, he changed his stage name to Lee J. Cobb.
In 1935, he began working with the Group Theatre. This theatrical group was affiliated with a number of actors and directors, including Clifford Odets, Elia Kazan, and Stella Adler. Later, he joined the First Motion Picture Unit.
In 1940, he appeared in a stage play. In that play, he had a role as a wolf with an ulcer. His performance was described as “deeper than on stage” by critics.
After Cobb enlisted in the Army Air Forces in 1943, he served in the photo and mapping units of the USAAF. He was discharged with a corporal rank in 1945.
During the Red Scare, he was called before the House of Un-American Activities Committee. Initially, he refused to testify. However, he eventually relented and gave evidence. Despite his acquiescence, the Committee tried to find out if he was a communist.
The House of Un-American Activities Committee named Cobb a probable Communist. He was subsequently threatened with blacklisting.
The ex-Democrat Party leader was eventually forced to give evidence, but was reluctant to admit that he was a communist. By 1953, he had given in to the pressure.
The House of Un-American Activities also investigated him for his participation in the Harmonica Rascals, a band of Jewish musicians. Eventually, Cobb and his wife, Mary, divorced.
Following his death in 1976, Cobb was buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Cobb was nominated for three Actor Emmy Awards, and he is posthumously inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Broadway roles
Lee Cobb, one of the most iconic actors of the Golden Age of Hollywood, has passed away. He was born to Jewish parents in New York City. After a heart attack, he died in February 1976 at the age of 64.
In addition to his acting and singing talents, Lee Cobb was a talented harmonica player. He joined the musical group Borrah Minevitch’s Harmonica Rascals. During his career, he also performed with the New York Group Theatre. This group was politically progressive and produced serious dramatic works. It was founded in 1931. Elia Kazan and John Garfield were among its members.
Cobb began his career at the age of 23 with a role in The Vanishing Shadow. He then acted in Ernest Hemingway’s The Fifth Column (1940). Later, he played David Barrett in The Young Lawyers.
During his stage career, Lee Cobb appeared in a number of critically acclaimed productions. For his work, he won the New York Drama Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. His performance in Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is considered a landmark in the history of American theater.
Cobb also received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance in 12 Angry Men. At the time, he was typecast as a vindictive and overbearing character. However, his portrayal has since grown in stature.
Lee Cobb played a variety of roles on the stage and on screen. He starred in 12 Angry Men, Johnny Friendly, On the Waterfront, Golden Boy, How the West Was Won, and Exodus. Among his other stage appearances were the play Waiting for Lefty with Clifford Odets, and his own one-man play Crime and Punishment.
Lee Cobb was posthumously inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame. Aside from his stage work, he also starred in four seasons of the NBC Western television series, The Virginian.
Lee Cobb grew up in New York’s Bronx neighborhood. He was interested in acting from a young age. As a teenager, he ran away to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. But, after two years in Hollywood, he returned to New York.
