Lee J. Cobb (December 8, 1911 — February 11, 1976) was an American actor. He was best known for his performances in On the Waterfront (1954), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award, 12 Angry Men (1957), and The Exorcist (1973). He also played the role of Willy Loman in the original Broadway production of Arthur Miller's 1949 play Death of a Salesman under the direction of Elia Kazan. On television, Cobb costarred in the first four seasons of the popular, long-running western series The Virginian. He typically played arrogant, intimidating, and abrasive characters, but often had roles as respectable figures such as judges. Born Leo Jacob in New York City, he grew up in The Bronx, before studying at New York University and making his film debut in The Vanishing Shadow (1934). Cobb performed in numerous theater productions and companies, including Group Theatre (New York) before serving in the First Motion Picture Unit of the Army Air Force during World War II.
Following the war, Cobb returned to film, television and theater before being accused of being a Communist in 1951 testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee by Larry Parks, himself a former Communist Party member. Cobb was called to testify before HUAC but refused to do so for two years until, with his career threatened by the blacklist, he relented in 1953 and gave testimony in which he named 20 people as former members of the Communist Party USA. Following the hearing he resumed his career and worked with Elia Kazan and Budd Schulberg, two other HUAC "friendly witnesses", on the 1954 film On the Waterfront, which is widely seen as an allegory and apologia for testifying. His 1968 performance as King Lear achieved the longest run (72 performances) for the play in Broadway history. One of his final film roles was that of police detective Lt. Kinderman in the 1973 horror film The Exorcist.
Cobb died of a heart attack in February 1976 in Woodland Hills, California, and was buried in Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles. He was survived by his second wife, Mary Hirsch, and daughter, also an accomplished actress, Julie Cobb.
Captain Andrew Watling
Drifter - Frank MacKinnon
Dr. Joseph Pearson
Matt Erwin
Captain Maximillian Gault
Henry Fisher
Self
Willy Loman (archive footage)
Juror 3
Richter Henry Garth
Ritcher Henry Garth
Col. Josiah Johnson
Paul Delito
Emile Zola
Lt. Bill Kinderman
Dominic Roma
Grayson Foxhall
Johnny Friendly
Marshal Lou Ramsey
The Editor
Barak Ben Canaan
Dock Tobin
Lt. McElroy
Vincent Bronson
Brian Kelly
Cramden
Doctor Curtis Luther
Julio Madariaga
Dr. Dozous
Bartolomeo Gramignano
Fyodor Karamazov
Lloyd C. Cramden
Judge Bernstein
Oman Hedgepath
Col. Feroud
Mike Figlia
Judge Henry Garth
Rico Angelo
Juan Garcia
Mieh Yang
Kralahome
Steve Skorsky
Robert Clark
Chief Harold F. 'Robbie' Robinson
Self (archive footage)
Lapchance
Roadwork Foreman
Dr. Albert Winter
Dr. Andrew Collins
David C. Augur
Victor Massonetti
Detective Sgt. Garrison
Sultan
Mr. Bonaparte
Dante Ragusa
Don Mariano Arena
Road Crew Foreman (archive footage)
Il commedator Benzi
Doctor
Howard Clark
Dave Morris
Capt. Theodore Bess
Marcus Harris
Jeremiah MacDonald
Jim Donovan
Nuflo
Lt. Ed Cullen
Walter Mitchell
Zadok
Twenty Years
Henry Steedman
Inspector Koch
Victor Bateman
Frank Galvin
Harry R. Baker
Duffy
Judge Garth
Jovine
Barton Keyes
Road Crew Foreman (uncredited)
Durango
Maxwell Gordon
Cal Howard
Willy Loman
Tony Lisotti
Captain Schwabe
President Wooden
Lt. Barton 'Bart' Scott
Judge Henry Garth
Willy Calso
Jeptha Marr
Benzi
Maglio
Judge Henry Garth
Judge Henry Garth
Bonnard
Himself
Julio Diestro
Arthur Deeds
Miguel de Cervantes / Don Quixote de la Mancha / Alonso Quijana
Ernie Wigman