By Beloved character actor Bill Cobbs has passed away, his publicist indicating he died on Tuesday night from natural causes at his home in Riverside. Cobbs was 90.
The Cleveland native had memorable roles as Whitney Houston’s manager in “The Bodyguard,” the coach in “Air Bud,” the time-stopping Moses in the Coens’ “The Hudsucker Proxy,” a jazz pianist in Tom Hanks’ “That Thing You Do!,” and the builder of the Tin Woodsman in Sam Raimi’s “Oz the Great and Powerful”.
Other notable roles included as the brother of Medgar Evers in Rob Reiner’s “Ghosts of Mississippi,” a doctor in John Sayles’ “Sunshine State,” a nearly retired security guard in “Night at the Museum,” the inventor of the “Star Trek” transporter in “Enterprise,” and bus driver Tony on “The Drew Carey Show”
On the film front there was also “Trading Places,” “The Cotton Club,” “The Color of Money,” “New Jack City,” “The Hard Way,” “The People Under the Stairs,” “Demolition Man,” “Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead,” “Hope Floats,” “A Mighty Wind,” “Get Low” and “The Muppets”.
He was regulars on shows like “I’ll Fly Away,” “The Others,” “Go On,” and “The Michael Richards Show” and guest starred on m any series including “The Sopranos,” “Six Feet Under” and “The Equalizer”.
Cobbs had a long career before acting – serving eight years in the U.S. Air Force, doing stand-up comedy, selling cards, and even working for IBM. He made his big-screen debut in the original “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” in 1974.
Our sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans.
Source: THR
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