Tributes are pouring in online for veteran actor Bill Cobbs, who died on Tuesday aged 90.
Cobbs had appeared in projects such as Night At The Museum and the sopranosand won a Daytime Emmy Award at the age of 86 for the Canadian television series Dino Dana, playing the title character’s elderly neighbor.
The star began acting when he was around 30, abandoning his career as a car salesman to move to New York and pursue a career in show business.
After starting in the theater, he broke into cinema at the age of 40 with the successful police thriller The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three.
Cobbs died Tuesday at his home in California, and the actor’s brother, Thomas, broke the news Wednesday via his Facebook page.
Tributes are pouring in online for veteran actor Bill Cobbs, who died on Tuesday aged 90 (pictured in 2019).
Leading the tributes is Suits star Wendell Pierce, 60, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his condolences for the man who “mentored” him (pictured in June 2024).
‘We are saddened to share the passing of Bill Cobbs. On Tuesday, June 25, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in California,” the post reads.
“Bill, a beloved partner, older brother, uncle, surrogate father, godfather and friend, recently happily celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by his beloved loved ones,” the death announcement continued.
‘As a family, we take comfort in knowing that Bill has found peace and eternal rest with his Heavenly Father. We ask for his prayers and encouragement during this time.”
Leading the tributes is Suits star Wendell Pierce, 60, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his condolences for the man who “mentored” him.
In a lengthy post, he wrote: “Days after turning 90, Bill Cobbs died today.
‘A father figure, a griot, an iconic artist, who guided me through the way he led his life as an actor.
‘He played my father twice: on I’ll Fly Away and on The Gregory Hines Show. Each time imparting wisdom with a word of encouragement…’
The star continued: ‘…We owe a great debt to Bill Cobbs, along with Mary Alice, Samm Art Williams, Ron Milner, Lou Gossett, Jr. and others we have recently lost.
Night At The Museum fans will recognize him as Reginald, one of three former retired security guards; the other two played by Dick Van Dyke (center) and Mickey Rooney (left).
Wendell Pierce wrote a lengthy Twitter post to pay tribute to the star.
‘To honor Bill and his memory, I will dedicate myself to creating work that he would be proud of. Rest in peace Bill Cobbs. God bless you.’
American actress Penny Johnson Jerald, 63, best known for The Larry Sanders Show, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and The Orville, recalled her memories with Cobbs.
In a heartfelt post, he wrote: ‘What a guy! What a #soul! What a talent! What an #artist, what a #legend! So many beautiful moments and laughs with the great #billcobbs RIP.’
Cobbs’ longtime talent representative, Susan Zachary, said in a statement to People‘He was loyal and beloved… an inspiring actor, director and human being. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.
‘Bill was an enormously talented actor and director. He loved his craft, other actors, his family and friends, and was extremely generous with his time, energy, and support of emerging talent. He was a revered icon for many and rightly so.”
In addition to actors and colleagues who worked with Cobbs, fans also joined in with tributes and flooded social media with praise for the star:
“The great actor Bill Cobbs was very good at playing guys who had been around the block in his day and seen nonsense, and weren’t about to take your nonsense. Rest well and thank you for the bounty of excellent performances, good sir.
‘Oh, RIP, character actor extraordinaire Bill Cobbs. He’s so great in Demolition Man.’
Penny Johnson Jerald, 63, best known for The Larry Sanders Show, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and The Orville, recalled her memories with Cobbs (pictured in March 2023).
He won a Daytime Emmy Award at the age of 86 for the Canadian television series Dino Dana, playing the title character’s elderly neighbor; In the photo of the program with the protagonist Michela Luci.
Fans also joined in the tributes and flooded social media with praise for the star.
‘RIP to legendary actor Bill Cobbs – a warm and welcome face at each of his countless performances!’
‘Mr. Bill Cobbs was an extraordinary talent, an absolute legend and a gentleman. He leaves an indelible mark on television, film and theatre. May he rest in eternal power.’
‘Bill Cobbs was instrumental in one of the most important scenes in sports movie history. RIP.’
‘I loved his role in New Jack City! RIP #BillCobbs.’
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in June 1934, Cobbs originally served in the Army and worked as a radar technician for the U.S. Air Force for eight years.
He began as an actor in his hometown of Karamu House, a historic black theater that hosted the premieres of multiple Langston Hughes plays.
Cobbs eventually moved to New York and worked on the stage before a small role in The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three launched his screen career.
Over five decades, he had supporting roles in a number of iconic films, including The Bodyguard, Air Bud and The Color Of Money.
Night At The Museum fans will recognize him as Reginald, one of three former retired security guards; the other two played by Dick Van Dyke and Mickey Rooney.
Over five decades, he had supporting roles in a series of iconic films, including The Bodyguard, Air Bud and The Color Of Money; pictured in the latter of these with Paul Newman
His roles ranged from Louisiana Slim in the 1979 blaxploitation film The Hitter to Master Tinker in the 2013 Disney fantasy Oz the Great and Powerful (pictured with Michelle Williams).
On The Sopranos (pictured), he appeared as an elderly reverend whose son has an under the table deal with an Italian crime family.
Cobbs photographed with Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard
His secured roles in comedies such as Good Times, Baby…I’m Black! and Designing Women and dramas such as Six Feet Under, in which she appears with Rachel Griffiths and Lauren Ambrose.
His roles ranged from Louisiana Slim in the 1979 blaxploitation film The Hitter to Master Tinker in Disney’s 2013 fantasy Oz the Great and Powerful.
He had a no less illustrious career on the small screen, with roles in a wide variety of shows including One Tree Hill, Star Trek: Enterprise and The Drew Carey Show.
On The Sopranos, he played an elderly reverend whose son has a clandestine deal with an Italian crime family.
His secured roles in comedies such as Good Times, Baby…I’m Black! and Designing Women and dramas like Six Feet Under, NYPD Blue and Touched By An Angel.
Cobbs continued working until the end, with his IMDb page showing multiple releases yet to come, including the drama film Broken Church starring Eric Roberts.