Bill Cobbs, a prolific actor known for his memorable roles in films such as “Night at the Museum” and “Brother From Another Planet,” as well as TV series like “The Sopranos” and “Oz the Great and Powerful,” died on Tuesday, June 25, at his home in Riverside, California. He was 90.
His family announced his passing on Facebook, without specifying the cause of death. “We are saddened to share the passing of Bill Cobbs,” wrote his brother Thomas G. Cobbs. “On Tuesday, June 25, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in California. A beloved partner, big brother, uncle, surrogate parent, godfather, and friend, Bill recently and happily celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by cherished loved ones. As a family, we are comforted knowing Bill has found peace and eternal rest with his Heavenly Father. We ask for your prayers and encouragement during this time.”
Born Wilbert Francisco Cobbs on June 16, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio, Cobbs began his acting career with stage companies like Cleveland’s African American Performing Arts Center and Karamu House Theatre. He later joined the Negro Ensemble Company in New York City.
Cobbs made his feature film debut in 1974 with a small role in “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.” He quickly landed more roles in the late 1970s, appearing on TV’s “Good Times” and in films such as “Greased Lightning” and “The Hitter.” The early 1980s saw Cobbs in small roles in “Trading Places” and “Silkwood,” and a notable performance as Walter in John Sayles’ indie hit “Brother From Another Planet.”
Throughout the 1980s, Cobbs became an instantly recognizable character actor, with roles in films like “The Cotton Club” and “The Color of Money,” and TV series such as “The Equalizer,” “Sesame Street,” “Kate & Allie,” “Spencer For Hire,” and “L.A. Law.” In 1987, he became a series regular on the short-lived but acclaimed sitcom “The Slap Maxwell Story,” starring Dabney Coleman.
The 1990s were equally busy for Cobbs, with guest appearances on shows like “Designing Women,” “The Trials of Rosie O’Neil,” “Coach,” “Empty Nest,” “Northern Exposure,” “Ed,” and “ER,” along with film roles in “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “That Thing You Do!,” and “Air Bud.” He was featured in the 1992 hit film “The Bodyguard” and played Charles Evers in Rob Reiner’s “Ghosts of Mississippi” in 1996.
Cobbs was a recurring character in the acclaimed 1991-93 TV series “I’ll Fly Away” and its 1993 reunion movie. He was a main cast member on “The Gregory Hines Show” from 1997 to 1999, and in 2000, he appeared on the supernatural series “The Others” and “The Michael Richards Show.”
His extensive TV credits also include appearances on “The Sopranos,” “JAG,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “One Tree Hill,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Yes, Dear,” “Go On,” “The West Wing,” “NYPD Blue,” “Lost,” “Army Wives,” “The Glades,” and “The Bay,” among others.
In 2020, Cobbs guest-starred in the two-part series finale of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” and won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Performance in a Daytime Program for his role on the kids’ show “Dino Dana.”
One of Cobbs’ most memorable roles was in the 2006 comedy “Night at the Museum,” where he played security guard Reginald, a role he reprised in the 2014 sequel “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.”
Complete information on survivors was not immediately available.