Bill Cobbs (‘Night at the Museum’) dies at 90

Bill Cobbs, one of the most prolific actors in American film and television, died of natural causes last Tuesday, June 25, at the age of 90, which he turned just a few days ago. The veteran actor, a luxury secondary actor in Hollywood and very loved by all of his colleagues, died surrounded by his family and closest friends at his home in Inland Empire, California (USA), according to the his publicist, Chuck I. Jones.

“We are saddened to share the passing of Bill Cobbs,” his brother, Thomas G. Cobbs, announced on social media. “On Tuesday, June 25, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in California. Bill, a beloved partner, older brother, uncle, surrogate father, godfather and friend, recently and happily celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by his beloved loved ones. As a family “We are comforted to know that 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; The actor began what would be a long and prolific professional career on the stage, in companies such as the African American Performing Arts Center and the Karamu House Theatre, in his hometown; and then moved to New York, where he would join the Negro Ensemble Company.

Cobbs made the leap to film in 1974, with a small role in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. After this debut, he caught the attention of major studios, becoming one of the most sought-after faces of the 70s and 80s in film and television. Titles like Greased Lightning and The Hitter; or papers in The color of money either Silkwood They gave him the impetus to get what would be his first big important role: playing Walter in the film The brother from another planet (1984), by John Sayles.

However, it was from the 1990s onwards that Cobbs became a regular face on the big and small screen, with appearances in hits such as ER, The Wonders, The Bodyguard, Air Bud, Demolition Man, Star Trek: Enterprise, The West Wing of the White House either NYPDamong many.

New generations, however, will recognize him for his roles in series such as Lost, Agents of SHIELD; and movies like Oz a world of fantasy or the blockbuster Night in the museum, where he played security guard Reginald. The actor returned to play his role in the sequel to the saga in 2014: Night at the Museum: The Secret of the Pharaoh.

The actor rarely landed the kind of lead roles that stood out and won big awards. Instead, Cobbs was a memorable everyman who made an impression and endeared himself to his peers and audiences regardless of screen time. He won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Performance in a Daytime Program on the series Dino Dana in 2020.

Cobbs always stated that acting was a way for him to express the human condition, particularly during the Civil Rights Movement in the late 1960s. “To be an artist, you have to have a sense of giving,” he said in an interview. , in 2004. “Art is a kind of prayer, right? We respond to what we see around us, what we feel and how things affect us mentally and spiritually.”