Bill Cobbs (born June 16, 1934) is an American actor. As an amateur actor in the city's Karamu House Theater, he starred in the Ossie Davis play "Purlie Victorious". Cobbs was an Air Force radar technician for eight years; he also worked in office products at IBM and sold cars in Cleveland. In 1970, at the age of 36, he left for New York to seek work as an actor. There he turned down a job in the NBC sales department in order to have time for auditions. He supported himself by driving a cab, repairing office equipment, selling toys, and performing odd jobs. 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 Theater. His first television credit was in Vegetable Soup (1975), a New York public television educational series, and he made his feature film debut in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974). In his free time, Cobbs enjoys music, reading, and playing his drums. He lives in New York City and Los Angeles, California and continues acting.
Known For
Silkwood
(1983)
Man in Lunchroom
Demolition Man
(1993)
Zachary Lamb - Aged
Trading Places
(1983)
Bartender
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
(2014)
Reginald
The Ultimate Gift
(2007)
Ted Hamilton
The Bodyguard
(1992)
Bill Devaney
Oz the Great and Powerful
(2013)
Master Tinker
Night at the Museum
(2006)
Reginald
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
(1998)
Estes
The Muppets
(2011)
Grandfather
The Hudsucker Proxy
(1994)
Moses
Random Hearts
(1999)
Marvin
The Color of Money
(1986)
Orvis
The Hard Way
(1991)
Raggedy Man
The People Under the Stairs
(1991)
Grandpa Booker
Hope Floats
(1998)
Nurse
Full Filmography
Acting
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
(1974)
Man on Platform
Greased Lightning
(1977)
Mr Jones
The Hitter
(1979)
Louisiana Slim
The Member of the Wedding
(1982)
T.T. Williams
Silkwood
(1983)
Man in Lunchroom
Rage of Angels
(1983)
Abraham Wilson
Trading Places
(1983)
Bartender
The Cotton Club
(1984)
Big Joe Ison
The Brother from Another Planet
(1984)
Walter
The Color of Money
(1986)
Orvis
Five Corners
(1987)
Elderly Man in Bar
Suspect
(1987)
Judge Franklin
Dominick and Eugene
(1988)
Jesse Johnson
Bird
(1988)
Dr. Caulfield
The January Man
(1989)
Detective Reilly
Moe's World
(1990)
Decoration Day
(1990)
Gee Pennywell
The People Under the Stairs
(1991)
Grandpa Booker
New Jack City
(1991)
Old Man
The Hard Way
(1991)
Raggedy Man
Carolina Skeletons
(1991)
Elijah Crooks
The Bodyguard
(1992)
Bill Devaney
Roadside Prophets
(1992)
Oscar
Exiled in America
(1992)
Abraham White
I'll Fly Away: Then and Now
(1993)
Lewis Coleman
Demolition Man
(1993)
Zachary Lamb - Aged
Fatal Instinct
(1993)
Man in Park
The Hudsucker Proxy
(1994)
Moses
Divas
(1995)
Sippy
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
(1995)
Caleb
Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead
(1995)
Malt
Out There
(1995)
Lyman Weeks
Fluke
(1995)
Bert
Kingfish: A Story of Huey P. Long
(1995)
Pullman Porter
Tuesday Morning Ride
(1995)
Jeff
Captiva Island
(1995)
Vernon
Man with a Gun
(1995)
Henry Griggs
Nightjohn
(1996)
Old man
Ed
(1996)
Tipton
That Thing You Do!
(1996)
Del Paxton
Ghosts of Mississippi
(1996)
Charlie Evers
First Kid
(1996)
Speet
Air Bud
(1997)
Arthur Chaney
Paulie
(1998)
Virgil the Janitor
Hope Floats
(1998)
Nurse
Always Outnumbered
(1998)
Right Burke
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
(1998)
Estes
Random Hearts
(1999)
Marvin
The Tulsa Lynching of 1921: A Hidden Story
(2000)
For All Time
(2000)
Proprietor / Conductor
A Rugrats Kwanzaa
(2001)
Uncle Charles (voice)
Sunshine State
(2002)
Dr. Elton Lloyd
Enough
(2002)
Jim Toller
A Mighty Wind
(2003)
Blues Musician
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
(2004)
Self
Duck
(2005)
Norman
The Derby Stallion
(2005)
Houston Jones
The Final Patient
(2005)
Dr. Daniel Green
Special Ed
(2006)
Lou
Queen of Swing
(2006)
Narrator
Hard Luck
(2006)
Cobb
Night at the Museum
(2006)
Reginald
Three Days to Vegas
(2007)
Marvin Jeffries
The Ultimate Gift
(2007)
Ted Hamilton
This Man's Life
(2008)
Myer Truman
The Morgue
(2008)
George
No Limit Kids - Much Ado About Middle School
(2010)
The Search for Santa Paws
(2010)
Mr. Stewart
Get Low
(2010)
Rev. Charlie Jackson
The Muppets
(2011)
Grandfather
The Tenant
(2011)
Jack Rymer
The Arcadian
(2011)
Charles
The Undershepherd
(2012)
Dr. Ezekiel Cannon
Lukewarm
(2012)
Thomas
The Last Letter
(2013)
Pastor
Dear Secret Santa
(2013)
Ted
The Ultimate Life
(2013)
Ted Hamilton
Oz the Great and Powerful
(2013)
Master Tinker
Christmas In Palm Springs
(2014)
Gabriel
On Angel's Wings
(2014)
Mr. Dupac
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb
(2014)
Reginald
Of Mind and Music
(2014)
Stompleg
The Ultimate Legacy
(2015)
Ted Hamilton
The Great Gilly Hopkins
(2015)
Mr Randolph
A House Is Not a Home
(2015)
Paul
New Life
(2016)
Mr. Charles
My Christmas Grandpa
(2017)
Fred
Call Me King
(2017)
Malachi
Beyond the Law
(2019)
Swilley
Saving Paradise
(2021)
John Thompson
Caroltyn
(2022)
Dr. Mason
Block Party
(2022)
Uncle Jim